Effect of Mechanical Stress Factors on Large Format Li-Ion Cell Thermal Runaway Characteristics

J. Graika*, T.P. Barrera#, Y. Alobaidi*

235th Meeting of The Electrochemical Society

Dallas, TX, USA

May 26-30, 2019

* - NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, USA; # - LIB-X Consulting, Long Beach, CA, USA

https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=20190025416 2020-04-13T16:39:43+00:00Z

2

Agenda

• Background

• Cell Thermal Runaway (TR) Trigger Methodology

• Cell Mechanical Compression Test & Analysis

• Summary

3

NASA Engineering Safety Center (NESC) Initiatives

Developing NASA LIB Best Safety Practices

Long Life Li-Ion Battery (LLB)

Li-Ion Rechargeable EVA Battery (LREBA)

Li-Ion Pistol Grip Tool (LPGT)

Simplified Aid For EVA Rescue(SAFER) Battery

ISS EVA Batteries

ISS Li-Ion Main Battery ORU

ISS COTS Li-Ion Cell Specification

Ref: URL: http://www.gsyuasa-lp.com/

Cell Characteristics GS Yuasa LSE 134

Cathode Li Cobalt Oxide (LCO)

Cell Capacity (Nameplate; BoL), Ah 134; 148

Cell Energy (Nameplate; BoL), Wh 496; 548

Specific Energy, Wh/kg 155

Energy Density, Wh/L 349

Nominal Voltage, V 3.7

End of Charge, V 4.1

End of Discharge, V 2.75

Max. Continuous Charge Current, A 67

Max. Continuous Discharge Current, A 134

Max. Pulse Discharge Current (5 s), A 402

Overcurrent Protection Yes

Dimensions (w x t x h), mm 130 x 50 x 271

Mass, kg 3.53

Volume, L 1.57

Header Vent Device Rupture Plate

Charge, oC +10 to +35

Discharge, oC -10 to +35

Storage, oC -10 to -10

Temperature

Electrical

Chemistry - Gen III

Mechanical

4

42

4.1

4.0

3.9

3.9

3.7

> ..... 3.6 g, ~ 3.6

~ 3.4 Negative terminal

3.3

3.2

3.1

3.0

2.9

2.9

Negative electrode

LSE51 Dlacharg.e Volt ge vs. Capacity (40% DoD LEO Cycling Regime)

I I I - - -- -- --~ I ~ I --~ - I --·- --1--+--

I I - ""' I L ~ ~~ I

-- - -\

I ' 1 \ \ Cy..te Co• dilio,-Oi11Charg,,: 40.BA, 0.6hr t409I. Od)) Ch,,rge: 26.6A, 1.0hr C3.9fN CC/Cl/) Telrl': 20"C --- - - ..... 1- -Capaaity Cli-k Coadilio .... Ch,,rge: 26.6A, 41V CC/DI 8 .0hr

j I Oiooharg,,: 26.6A Temp: 16° C - ·- -0 6 10 16 20 26 30 36 40 46

C pacity / Ah 60 66 60

Cyde 1- Cyde 960 - Cycb 4900- Cyde 7680- Cycb 10660 Cycb11620 -

NASA ISS Li-Ion Battery Architecture & Integration

ISS Li-Ion Battery ORU – 1P-30SISS Li-Ion Battery Cell(GS Yuasa LSE134)

HTV Clean Room –Tanegashima Space Center

International Space Station

ISS Li-Ion Battery ORU – Cover On

HTV6 – Launch US Astronauts Installation of ISS LIB’s

5

• 10 screws applied to each cell pair

• 1200 lb. of compression force applied to each cell pair

NASA ISS Li-Ion Battery ArchitectureNASA White Sands Test Facility - Thermal Runaway Test Configuration

6

NASA Photo

LSE134 Li-ion cells (single group)3 Groups per Battery ORU (10 cells/group)

Brackets

Cells

• Cell compression required to meet launch vibration; thermal baseplate contact; and performance requirements.

Large Cell TR Trigger Heat-to-Vent : Nichrome Wire

7

GSY LSE134 Cell : Heat-to-Vent

Nichrome Heater Profile1000

900

.... 800

700

600

3: ~ 500

3: 0

Q. 400

300

200

Heater 2 - On ,

Heater l-On 100

/

7 0

10

I....

~ ~

15

Time, min.

r7 20

I - Heaterl r I ---Heater2

Heater 1 & 2 - Off

/

25 30

4

• Ce ll Vo ltage 3.5

• TC4 - Bottom

• TCS - Back 3

.._ TC6 - Front

- TC10 - Front Bracket

2.5 > - TC11 - Back Bracket

GI tao CD +'

~ 2

QI u

1.5

1

0.5

0

0 s 10 1.5

Time, min.

20

* • • •

Heater 1 & 2 - Off

25 30

350

300

250

u 0

GI 200

,_ ::::, +' Ill ,_ QI i:i. E

150 i! QI u

100

so

0

• Purpose• Flight battery loading and test setup

• Ungreased screws were found to create uncertainty in calculations

• Results• 7 in-lb testing less than flight level

load

• 14 in-lb was found approximate to flight load

• 19 in-lbs found to be greater than flight load

Test Cell Compression Analysis

Bolt Dia = 0.375 kPTFE Grease = 0.10 - 0.18

Total Cell Single Bolt

Compression Force Max Mean Min

lb lb k = 0.18 k = 0.13 k = 0.10

2030 507.5 34.3 24.7 19.0

1900 475 32.1 23.2 17.8

1800 450 30.4 21.9 16.9

1700 425 28.7 20.7 15.9

1560 390 26.3 19.0 14.6

1490 372.5 25.1 18.2 14.0

1400 350 23.6 17.1 13.1

1300 325 21.9 15.8 12.2

1200 300 20.3 14.6 11.3 Flight Compression

1150 287.5 19.4 14.0 10.8

1125 281.25 19.0 13.7 10.5

900 225 15.2 11.0 8.4

827 206.75 14.0 10.1 7.8

745 186.25 12.6 9.1 7.0

575 143.75 9.7 7.0 5.4

500 125 8.4 6.1 4.7

415 103.75 7.0 5.1 3.9

300 75 5.1 3.7 2.8

200 50 3.4 2.4 1.9

Bolt Torque (in-lbs)

Test Compression Calculation (4 Bolts)

8

• Cells were clamped following GSY procedure• Custom drill rig controlled by an operator used

for trigger method• Drill bit diameter of .1285” with 4/16” max

penetration distance

• Video monitoring, IR video, cell temperature, cell voltage, and cell current recorded

• Cells were charged to 3.95V (ISS maximum voltage per cell)

• Tests conducted in ambient environment• Values of 0, 7, 14, and 19 in-lb of torque were

applied to screws.

Test Approach & Protocol

9

10

Cell Thermal Response : 0 in-lb Cell Compression Cell Jellyroll Ejection - No

4 350

__,.------ Cell Voltage • Ce ll Voltage 325

3.5 • TC1

TC1 TC3 • TC2 300

•

3 • TC3 275

- TC4 250

• TCS 2.5

• TC6 225

• TC7 u Q

~ 200 i 2 df bJI .! !l [;

:a 175 <I)

.... ~ = 1.5 <I)

<I)

150 = u <I) u

125 1

/ 100 TC5

0.5 TC6 TC2

75

50 0

25

-0.5 0 0 10 20 30 Time, mio 40 50 60 70

11

Cell Thermal Response : 0 in-lb Cell Compression

12

Cell Thermal Response : 7 in-lb Cell Compression

Cell Jellyroll Ejection - No Cell Jellyroll Ejection - Yes4 350 4 350

325 • Cell Vohage

325

3.5 3.5 • TCI

300 • TC2 300 f •

' • TC3

3 275 3 - TC4 275

• • TCS 250 250

2.5 2.5 • e TC6

225 • • TC7 225

~ ..

I ~ ;;;, 200 p;;· ;;;, • 200 p;;· ,; 2 ! ,; 2 • ! .. .. • !l I" !l • I"

~ 175 i ~ TCl •• 175 i = 1.5 " = 1.5 " " 150 :;; " 150:;; u u

" .,

u u • Cell Vohage 125 125

l l • TC l

100 100 • TC2

0.5 • TC3 75 0.5 75

- TC4 50 50

0 • TCS

0 e T C6 25 25 • TC 7 • • -0.5 0 -0.5 • 0

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 0 l 2 3 Time, min Time, min

13

Cell Thermal Response : 14 in-lb Cell Compression

Cell Jellyroll Ejection - YesCell Jellyroll Ejection - Yes4 450 4 450

• Cell Voltage 425 • Cell Voltage 425 .. TCl ATCl

3.5 • TC2 400 3.5 • TC2 400

• TC3 375 • TC3 375 I - TC4 - TC4

3 ....

350 3 350 • TC5 • TC5 .. ! .. • TC6 325 • TC6 325

• T C.7 • T C.7 2.5 300 2.5 300

TC7 275 u 275 \;) .

;... ;f ;... ;" " 2 250 " 2 250 om .. TC3 "E

om "E "' .. "'

~ 225

~ ~ 225

~ = 1.5 200 ~ = 1.5 200 ~ "' "' u = u = "' .,

175 u 175 u

1 150 1 150

TC6 125 125

0.5 100 0.5 100 TC4

75 75

TC7 0 50 0 50

25 25

-0.5 0 -0.5 0 0 2 3 4 5 0 2

T ime, min Time, min

14

Cell Thermal Response : 14 in-lb Cell Compression

15

Effect of Cell Compression Load on TR Severity700

650 --•

600

550 •

u 500 0

oj' .. ::::I ... 450 ID .. lb C. E 400 ~ E ::::I 350 E X ID

~ 300

. ,, , _,. ,, ,,

I II . . . . I ___ _ , ,-

1 No Ce Contents EJect1on 1 .,, . ..

/ ·~ I

_ .. -- • --- "" .. -,,

V ~ --, ------~ --/ .,...,.,,.- ~

/ • -------,. ,,. ,.,. -------~ ---

250

II .. ---,----- I .,_ 4'4'.,, -~

-,.. ,..,.- ... .,. .. -,,,..-•

200

150

100

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

Compression Force, in-lb

16

Summary

• Applied Cell Compression Force • Necessary to meet spacecraft launch environments and reduce swelling

during on-orbit cycling

• Positive correlation between compression force and severity of thermal runaway

• Other primary factors affecting thermal runaway severity include cell SoC

• Next Steps• Quantify compression forces with flight load cell compression fixture

• Investigate affects of cell compression on different Li-ion cell designs (vent types, geometry, etc.)

17

• Dr. Chris Iannello & Mr. Rob Button (NESC) for

sponsorship

• Ms. Penni Dalton (NASA/GRC), and Mr. Eugene

Schwanbeck (NASA/JSC ISS Project Office) for

test cell assets & technical support

• Mr. Yaramy Trevino and the NASA/JSC Energy Systems Test Area (ESTA) personnel for outstanding test & analysis support

Acknowledgments

NASA Photo

NASA/JSC ESTA Test Facility, Houston, TX, USA