Safety: Special Effects of Thermal Runaway Chapter Heading for Encyclopedia of Electrochemical Power Sources (PREPRINT)
Abstract
Any system that stores energy has the potential of becoming a significant safety problem. The objective of any designed application using a battery is to release the energy under prescribed and controlled conditions. Unfortunately, the rapid, uncontrolled release of the stored energy at the wrong time and place is a matter of concern. The presentation here addresses the special effects of thermal runaway as the phenomenon applies to batteries. Although a number of safety issues exist in the use and handling of sealed batteries, thermal runaway can be a spectacular failure mode and in recent times has garnered substantial interest and concern. As a consequence of this, a number of governmental and trade association efforts have been mounted to issue standards covering the manufacture, use and transport of batteries and battery power devices. Much remains to be done in terms of understanding the causal aspects of the thermal runaway phenomenon. Presently, the large part of the available safety guidance consists of treating the symptoms and avoiding those environmental conditions that are conducive to initiating thermal runaway.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 09, 2007
- Accession Number
- ADA541733
Entities
People
- Henry A. Catherino
Organizations
- United States Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center