Full-scale walk-in containerized lithium-ion battery energy storage system fire test data

Area of Science:

• Battery safety engineering
• Fire science
• Energy storage systems

Background:

• Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are crucial for energy storage systems (ESS).
• Understanding thermal runaway propagation in large-scale LIB installations is vital for safety.
• Standardized testing methods like UL 9540A are essential for evaluating ESS fire safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of fire suppression systems in mitigating thermal runaway in an installation-level LIB ESS.
• To compare the performance of a Novec 1230 system against a dry pipe water suppression system.
• To gather data on thermal runaway propagation and fire dynamics within a standardized shipping container environment.

Main Methods:

• Conducted three UL 9540A compliant tests in a 20 ft ISO container with mocked-up ESS units.
• Initiated thermal runaway in a single 18650 cell within the initiating rack using a controlled heater.
• Implemented Novec 1230 and dry pipe water suppression systems in separate tests, with one baseline test without suppression.
• Utilized thermocouples, heat flux gauges, smoke detectors, and gas sensors to monitor fire progression and environmental conditions.

Main Results:

• Test 1 (baseline) demonstrated significant thermal runaway propagation without suppression.
• Test 2 (Novec 1230) showed reduced fire intensity and propagation compared to the baseline.
• Test 3 (water suppression) effectively controlled the fire and limited propagation, with measurable heat flux reduction.
• Both suppression systems demonstrated a positive impact on mitigating thermal runaway.

Conclusions:

• Active fire suppression systems are critical for managing thermal runaway events in large-scale LIB ESS.
• Novec 1230 and water suppression systems offer viable strategies for enhancing the safety of containerized ESS.
• Further research can optimize suppression system design and deployment for various ESS configurations.