Investigation of Cell to Cell Gap During Onset of Thermal Runaway Within Lithium-ion Battery Pack

Thermal runaway in Lithium-ion based batteries is a major safety issue in Electric Vehicles (EVs). There is a need to establish functional simulation frameworks to investigate thermal runaway. This paper investigates the role of cell gap in a Lithium-ion battery pack composed of 25 cylindrical 18650 cells. The simulation was conducted by selecting the location of a trigger cell, which initiates thermal runaway, within the battery pack. It is clearly observed that, the arrangement of the cells, cell gap and specific placement of the trigger cell play crucial roles in ensuring safe operation of the pack during dynamic operation.