THT September 2020 - Battery Newsletter

September 2020 Newsletter Battery Applications Latest developments at THT During COVID-19 THT have added safety measures and adapted working conditions to promote social distancing. Our UK facility is fully open and ready to assist you.

Installations will take place as travel restrictions permit. Some countries / organisations will allow visitors from overseas to perform installations under special guidelines permitting entry for specialist technical skilled workers.

Conferences & Exhibitions The restrictions on travel and social distancing measures resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic have had a severe effect on the number of conference and exhibitions we can attend in 2020. Our online meeting calendar will be updated as new dates are confirmed.

Webinars We are increasing our online webinar programme. Upcoming events will be listed on the dedicated section of our website. The next webinar on 24th September will focus on the Isothermal Control Platform (ICP) and how it it can be used as a 'true' isothermal cell cycling tool for battery thermal management and modelling. Follow the link for more details and to register your interest.

Online Battery Users Meeting Tuesday 6th October 2-4pm BST Online opportunity for you to gain an insight it to the practical use of Adiabatic Calorimetry for battery research. The basic principles of the ARC will be presented as well as latest applications with data examples.

The online event is designed for ARC users but is also an educational opportunity for those interested in the technology. The session will consist of two presentations covering ‘ARC Fundamentals’ and ‘Battery ARC Test Design and Analysis’. A live Q&A session will be conducted following the presentations.

2:00pm ARC Fundamentals Topics covered will include: • ARC Parameters • The importance of calibration • How to check the calibration/spot bad calibration • Drift checks and onset sensitivity • Tracking rates and calorimeter choice • Maintenance and care 3:00pm Battery ARC Test Design and Data Analysis Topics covered will include:• Determining the stability and safety of batteries • Determining the effect of heat on Lithium Batteries • Measurement of heat release from batteries due to - Charge, Discharge & Cycling - Overcharge & Shorting - Nail Penetration & Crush • Determining Battery Efficiency / Thermal Management - Measurement of Heat Capacity - Measuring battery surface temperature distribution

Register and book your place now

September 2020 Newsletter Battery Applications ARC 22L Canister now with wider opening

Optional NPCO now possible within canister

For users wanting to measure the total heat from battery disintegration THT provide a range of canisters from 0.4L to 22L covering coin cell to pouch and prismatic cells.

Nail penetration tests can now be carried out within a specially modified 20L canister. The pneumatic nail penetration system is mounted inside the pressure canister with various ports and burst disk.

Previously our largest 22L canister was restricted to a 17cm diameter opening. In response to the trend of larger batteries, the lid has been modified to an off-centre design incorporating a 22cm diameter lid.

All canisters are sealed with electrical connections to allow for overcharge/shortcircuiting and voltage monitoring throughout the test.

Canister, battery and atmosphere temperature are all recorded. From the temperature rise of the battery and the canister, the total heat release is determined.

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High Capacity Cell Pressure Tests

High Capacity Cell Pressure Tests

22cm

The maximum volume of the EV+ canisters mentioned above is 22 litres. It is suitable for cells of capacity up to 30 Ah. However, what if the cell is higher capacity than this? THT offer a secondary 30 litre canister to increase the volume available for gas release.

The secondary canister is positioned outside of the EV+ calorimeter, but within the blast enclosure. The canisters are connected via a 3/8� pipe (for slow flow) or a 2� pipe (for fast flow).

Pressure in each canister is measured independently using 2 transducers. It is also possible to measure temperature inside each canister. Using the dual canisters it is possible to measure gas release from cells up to 60Ah.

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September 2020 Newsletter Battery Applications ARC High Capacity Cell Pressure Tests

The hardware comprises of Electronic controller / data logger Labview based interface for test setup and data acquisition 3000psi pressure transducer (customer specified range also available) 4 x thermocouple inputs with N-type thermocouples All necessary cabling System controller (notebook PC Intel Processor, Windows 10)

Front RDCS Panel with connections to thermocouples and pressure transducer

Connecting hose

Latest papers Since our last newsletter several papers have been released citing use of the THT ARC. 20L Canister

NIOSH, USA - National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health published ARC studies to gain an insight into thermal safety of different battery chemistries (LFP, LTO and NMC).

30L Canister

Rapid Data Collection System (RDCS) For users demanding increased data collection speeds, an upgrade option for new and existing EV and EV+ARC systems is now available. The unit enhances the data collection rate capability of the ARC allowing data points to be collected at up to 3072 per channel per second (4 x temperature and 1 x pressure measurements), which is equivalent to 15,360 measurements per second.

CAS, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing have used the ARC to demonstrate the safety performance of an all solid-state battery. The cell had no distinct thermal runaway below 350°C A full list of abstracts and links to purchase can be downloaded here.

Calling all users, have you published any papers that we might include? Do you have data or results from any samples that you can share? If so please e-mail and let us know.

Order ARC Spares Online

Last month we launched an updated web store. The fresh new look allows quick purchase of ARC spares including battery holders and replacement thermocouples.

Register on www.arcspares.com to view price information and place an order.

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China Office Thermal Safety Technology t: +86 21 6114 0501 e: info@thermalsafetytechnology.com