Experimental study on NCM lithium-ion battery electric vehicle fire caused by overcharging

doi:10.19799/j.cnki.2095-4239.2024.0897

Abstract

Abstract:

Because NCM lithium-ion batteries are currently the primary energy source for electric vehicles, overcharging them could trigger thermal runaway and lead to serious vehicle fire accidents. In this study, a fire test of a NCM lithium-ion battery electric vehicle was performed by overcharging the battery. During the test, the temperatures inside the battery pack, under the chassis, on the car surface, inside the car, and the radiative heat flux intensities all around the car were measured. In addition, the fire heat release rate was measured using the oxygen consumption principle. The results show that after the thermal runaway of the battery pack, combustible gases were released and ignited, forming a jet flame. The horizontal distance of the flame jet was approximately 4 m. The flame quickly ignited the tires of the vehicle and other combustible materials around the chassis. The resulting fire broke the window, igniting the interior and seats within the vehicle compartments. The vehicle was engulfed in an intense flame. The fire growth rate (α = 0.98 kW/s²) of the tested vehicle was significantly higher than that of an ultra-fast fire (α = 0.1875 kW/s²), and the peak heat release rate was approximately 8.0 MW. The peak radiative heat flux intensities at 0.5 and 1.0 m from the edge of the vehicle were 60—80 and 30—35 kW/m², respectively, which could ignite nearby vehicles and cause fire to spread.

Key words: electric vehicle, NCM lithium-ion battery, overcharge, thermal runaway, fire spread, heat release rate

CLC Number:

X 932

Lei PENG, Zhaopeng NI, Yue YU, Fupeng SUN, Xiulong XIA, Peng ZHANG, Sibo SUN. Experimental study on NCM lithium-ion battery electric vehicle fire caused by overcharging[J]. Energy Storage Science and Technology, 2025, 14(4): 1484-1495.

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序号	阶段	时间	事件	事件概况	图号
1	第一阶段：过充及点燃阶段	0 min 0 s	开始过充	试验开始	图7(a)
2		1 h 6 min 48 s	有白烟从底盘的前侧溢出，持续约9 s	底盘冒白烟	图7(b)
3		1 h 6 min 57 s	底盘溢出的烟气着火	出现明火	图7(c)

4	第二阶段：初期蔓延阶段	1 h 7 min 14 s	火焰向车前喷出，呈明显的喷射火焰状态，喷出距离约2 m	火焰呈典型的喷射状态	图7(d)
5		1 h 7 min 35 s	喷射火焰的最远距离达到约4 m	火焰呈典型的喷射状态	图7(e)
6		1 h 7 min 2 s	右侧前轮胎被引燃	车辆自身的轮胎，被相继引燃	图7(f)
7		1 h 7 min 56 s	左侧前轮胎被引燃		图7(g)
8		1 h 8 min 58 s	右侧后轮胎被引燃		图7(h)
9		1 h 10 min 49 s	左侧后轮胎被引燃		图7(i)
10		1 h 7 min 53 s	右侧间隔0.5 m的前方轮胎，被引燃	相邻车位轮胎，被相继引燃	图7(j)
11		1 h 10 min 52 s	右侧间隔0.5 m的后方轮胎，被引燃	相邻车位轮胎，被相继引燃	图7(k)

12	第三阶段：完全燃烧阶段	1 h 10 min 58 s	后排右侧的玻璃破裂	车窗玻璃相继破裂	图7(l)
13		1 h 11 min 21 s	前挡玻璃破裂		图7(m)
14		1 h 13 min 40 s	前排左侧的玻璃破裂		图7(n)

17	第四阶段：衰减阶段	1 h 21 min	车辆前轮胎和前机舱基本燃烧殆尽，火势开始变小	火势逐渐衰减	图7(o)
18	第四阶段：衰减阶段	1 h 40min	除驾驶台和仪表盘区域还有明显火焰外，其他区域的火势基本燃烧殆尽	火势逐渐衰减	图7(p)

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