Energy Storage Science and Technology ›› 2025, Vol. 14 ›› Issue (4): 1484-1495.doi: 10.19799/j.cnki.2095-4239.2024.0897

• Energy Storage System and Engineering • Previous Articles     Next Articles

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

Lei PENG1,2(), Zhaopeng NI3, Yue YU4, Fupeng SUN4, Xiulong XIA4, Peng ZHANG4, Sibo SUN1   

  1. 1.Tianjin Taida Fire Science & Technology Ltd. , Tianjin 300381, China
    2.Tianjin HiTech Fire Technology Center, Tianjin 300381, China
    3.School of Safety Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, Jiangsu, China
    4.TOUGHRIG Zero Carbon Technology Ltd. , Qingdao 266104, Shandong, China
  • Received:2024-09-24 Revised:2024-10-14 Online:2025-04-28 Published:2025-05-20
  • Contact: Lei PENG E-mail:11785912@qq.com

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

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