The Influence of Thermophysical Parameters on Thermal Runaway Characteristics for Pouch-Type Lithium-Ion Batteries

Abstract

The thermal variation during the temperature rise process of batteries is closely related to multiple physical parameters. Establishing a direct relationship between these parameters and thermal runaway (TR) features under abusive conditions is challenging using theoretical equations due to complex electrochemical and thermal coupling. In this paper, a high-temperature thermal runaway model of pouch-type lithium-ion battery is established through electrical-thermal coupled approach, demonstrating a good agreement between the simulation and experimental results. The results reveal distinct trends in thermal parameters of the early temperature rise, trigger time for TR, and peak temperature during TR process, for varying convective heat transfer coefficient, cell specific heat capacity, cell density, and cell thermal conductivity. Across various convective heat transfer coefficients, the rates of temperature increase, moments of TR, and peak temperatures within a battery emerge as the cumulative outcomes of competing processes of the intricate exothermic secondary reactions within the battery, and the heat transfer with the surroundings. Batteries with lower heat capacity exhibit reduced thermal inertia and heightened sensitivity to temperature changes. Alterations in the thermal capacity of a battery wield a profoundly significant impact upon the moment of thermal runaway within the battery. Enhancing the thermal conductivity yields limited improvements in heat dissipation during thermal runaway primarily due to the relatively small geometrical scale of the battery. Results of this paper can provide valuable insights for size optimization design, thermal management system optimization design, thermal runaway safety warning, and prevention of Lithium-ion batteries.