Lithium-ion energy storage battery explosion incidents

Utility-scale lithium-ion energy storage batteries are being installed at an accelerating rate in many parts of the world. Some of these batteries have experienced troubling fires and explosions. There have been two types of explosions; flammable gas explosions due to gases generated in battery thermal runaways, and electrical arc explosions leading to structural failure of battery electrical enclosures. The thermal runaway gas explosion scenarios, which can be initiated by various electrical faults, can be either prompt ignitions soon after a large flammable gas mixture is formed, or delayed ignitions associated with late entry of air and/or loss of gaseous fire suppression agent. The electrical explosions have entailed inadequate electrical protection to prevent high energy arcs within electrical boxes vulnerable to arc induced high pressures and thermal loads. Estimates of both deflagration pressures and arc explosion pressures are described along with their incident implications. • Accounts of energy storage battery fires and explosions. • Lithium-ion battery thermal runaway gas explosion scenarios. • Deflagration pressure and gas burning velocity in one important incident. • High-voltage arc induced explosion pressures.