Mitigating Lithium-Ion Battery Thermal Runaway Through Active Discharge Strategies
The Problem
Lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles and energy storage systems are susceptible to thermal runaway, where exothermic reactions can lead to fire, explosion, and cascading cell propagation. The competing effects of electrochemical heat generation and reduced state of charge during discharge create fundamental ambiguity, leaving a critical gap in validated mitigation strategies.
The Solution
Researchers at the University of Tennessee Space Institute have experimentally demonstrated that active discharge is a reliable thermal runaway mitigation strategy for lithium-ion batteries, including situations in which thermal runaway has already begun. Using an Accelerating Rate Calorimeter under adiabatic and non-adiabatic heating conditions, the research identifies a validated discharge window within which state-of-charge reduction consistently dominates over electrochemical heat generation, preventing thermal runaway across a range of discharge currents, onset temperatures, and external heating rates.
EV and accelerating rate calorimetry (ARC) connected to the Maccor battery cycler (left); and temperature and voltage evolution during ARC experiments (right).
Benefits
| Benefit |
|---|
| Thermal runaway prevented across all tested discharge currents and onset temperatures |
| Reduced SOC dominates over electrochemical heat generation even at aggressive discharge rates |
| Discharge depth directly controls thermal runaway severity, enabling scalable mitigation |
| Provides a validated parametric boundary under which for discharge-based thermal runaway is mitigated |
| Applicable to electric vehicles and large-scale energy storage systems |
More Information
- Gregory Sechrist
- Technology Manager
- 865-974-1882 | gsechris@tennessee.edu
- UTRF Reference ID: 26124
- Patent Status:
Innovators
Peng Zhao, Ph.D.
Associate Professor in Mechanical, Aerospace and Biomedical Engineering at UT Space Institute
Dr. Peng Zhao’s research interests span fundamental and application-oriented problems in combustion, propulsion, energy conversion, and fire safety, with current activities including Li-ion battery safety and thermal management, reacting flow CFD, low-carbon fuels, and advanced engine combustion strategies. He has published approximately 50 peer-reviewed articles in leading combustion and energy j...
Dr. Peng Zhao’s research interests span fundamental and application-oriented problems in combustion, propulsio...
