While advances in battery chemistries and charging systems easily grab the attention of engineers, an equally important consideration is the safety of batteries, whether they are in portable packs, large sealed-lead-acid systems, or vehicles. Well-publicized issues with battery fires have not only caught the attention of battery design engineers but also public authorities and regulatory agencies, which are working to establish enforceable safety standards in areas such as pack design and thermal performance.

At Informa’s The Battery Show in Huntington Place in Detroit October 7^th through 10^th, several conference sessions will hone in on battery safety issues, including tech developments and regulations. Details follow below.

Thermal runaway explained

In a session titled, “Thermal Runaway Fire Propagation in Battery Systems – How UL Standards and Testing Support Battery Safety,” LaTanya Schwalb, Principal Engineer at UL Solutions, will discuss why thermal runaway propagation mitigation is a prerequisite for most battery pack or system developers. She will provide a brief overview of the standards that UL has published that help facilitate standardized, repeatable testing methodologies to address battery thermal propagation and test mitigation strategies. The talk will also examine how OEMs for EV and ESS batteries can utilize UL’s standards and expertise to meet their thermal propagation objectives.

Related:Battery Show North America Shares Speaker List

In Wednesday afternoon panel discussion titled, “Cracking the Fire Code for Life Safety & Asset Protection In the Battery Market,” fire experts from Siemens, Northvolt, and the city of Detroit will discuss best practices, safety, and real life experiences to protect personnel and assets in their facility, relating the issues of battery safety.

Another panel discussion, “We Didn’t Start the Fire; But We Can Protect Against It,” will explore the issue of thermal runaway, looking at flame, heat, hazardous smoke, flammable gas, electrical shorting and high-speed molten particle generation.  It will also provide an overview of potential mitigation approaches will be discussed with a focus on battery pack assembly materials that provide passive protection. The discussion will also cover the advantages and disadvantages of different mitigation strategies based on new application-focused high temperature testing capabilities and analytical techniques.   

Improving Li-ion batteries

On Tuesday, October 8^th at 1 PM, a technical session titled, “Achieving High Safety & High Performance in Lithium Battery” will examine how the use of LMPZD, a LMFP-phosphazene slurry, as a cathode safety additive can enhance battery safety without compromising performance. The session will also discuss the application of CNT-coated aluminum foil and SWCNT conductive paste to further improve the cycle life and performance of lithium batteries.

Related:Learn How AI and Software Are Transforming Battery Design and Testing

Also on Tuesday, an Open Tech Forum session at 3:30 PM titled, “Thermal Innovations for EV Battery Safety: Unveiling Next-Gen Solutions,” will explore how effective thermal management can mitigate battery concerns such as safety, performance, lifetime, costs, and sustainability. The session will explain the effects of charging and discharging cycles on battery swelling and contraction. Other topics include the use of thermal barriers to address thermal propagation, as well as advanced thermal and pressure management strategies for batteries.

For more information on the The Battery Show, go here.