Experimental investigation of explosion hazard from lithium-ion battery thermal runaway effluent gas

Fire and explosion hazards present a serious concern to the widespread adoption of battery technology. This work experimentally investigates the explosion hazards associated with synthesized lithium-ion battery thermal runaway effluent gases (TREG) in an enclosed garage space typical of modern construction in North America. Pressure rise inside the compartment is examined using high-frequency piezoelectric pressure transducers. Data on overpressure and impulse is compared with known ranges for structural damage and bodily injury thresholds and calculation methods for maximum overpressure. Data on time-resolved overpressure are compared with a vented explosion model from literature. These comparisons support that existing models for maximum overpressure and time-resolved pressure rise remain valid for the examined synthesized TREG. Correlations are developed between gas volume and measured impulse and overpressure. An extension of this analysis with values of TREG production from literature supports that pressures measured in these experiments can be generated from ignition of gases released from batteries sized in the range of 3300 W h to 80 500 W h.