Simulation of a premixed explosion of gas vented during Li-ion battery failure

• Published in: Fire safety journal 2021-12, Vol.126, p.103478, Article 103478
• Main Authors: Henriksen, Mathias, Vaagsaether, Knut, Lundberg, Joachim, Forseth, Sissel, Bjerketvedt, Dag
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Batteries; Carbon monoxide; Catastrophic failure analysis; Computer applications; Explosion simulation; Explosions; Fires; Flame propagation; Flammability; Flammable gases; Front velocity; Gas composition; Gases; Li-ion battery safety; Lithium; Lithium-ion batteries; Mathematical models; Open-source software; OpenFOAM; Position measurement; Premixed combustion; Rechargeable batteries; Simulation; Source code
• ISSN: 0379-7112; 1873-7226
• DOI: 10.1016/j.firesaf.2021.103478

Several fires and explosions caused by Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have been reported in the last decades. If a LIB is thermally, electrically, or mechanically abused, it can cause a catastrophic failure of the LIB. Flammable gases such as hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and methane can be released from the LIB during a catastrophic failure. When these gases mix with air, they form a combustible mixture, which may cause explosions and fires. This study presents a computational fluid dynamic (CFD) method for simulating an explosion from gases vented from failing LIBs using only open-source software. The code mech2Foam was used to generate the required CFD input parameters for a Li-ion vent gas composition, which was then used in several CFD simulations of an explosion in a 1-m rectangular channel. The simulation results were compared with experimental results as a validation of the method and the CFD model. The CFD simulation results agreed well with the experimentally measured flame front position and the maximum explosion pressure. However, discrepancies between experiments and simulations were observed in the temporal evolution of the pressure and flame front velocity. •Gas input parameter generation for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations.•Several CFD simulations of premixed gas explosion in a 1-m channel.•Experimentally and numerically study of explosions from Li-ion battery vent gas.•Explosion pressure, flame front position, and velocity experimentally determined.•Use of open-source software for input parameter generation and CFD simulations.