Dynamic thermophysical modeling of thermal runaway propagation and parametric sensitivity analysis for large format lithium-ion battery modules

Abstract

Thermal runaway and its propagation are bottlenecks for the safe operation of lithium-ion battery systems. This study investigates the influence of characteristic thermophysical parameters during battery thermal runaway, such as the self-heating temperature (T1), triggering temperature (T2), mass loss, and critical heat transfer power (Pc), on the failure propagation behavior in a battery system. A parametric study is conducted based on a failure propagation model. This model not only captures the behavior of thermal failure, but also accounts for the changes in the thermophysical parameters before and after thermal runaway. The results of the modeling analysis demonstrate that increasing T1 and T2 can both delay the thermal runaway propagation. The delay achieved by increasing T2 is greater than that observed by increasing T1. The peak heat transfer power Pc plays a critical role in delaying the thermal runaway propagation. When the peak heat transfer power level is greater than Pc, thermal runaway propagation mainly results from heat transfer, whereas when the peak heat transfer power level is less than Pc, thermal runaway propagation mainly arises from self-heating. This study reveals the dynamic mechanism of thermal runaway propagation within a battery module, thus providing guidance for the safety design of battery systems.