The Importance of Early Detection in Preventing Battery Thermal Runaway
In industries where battery technology is integral to operations, preventing thermal runaway is crucial for ensuring both safety and operational efficiency. Traditional methods of detecting battery issues, like hydrogen detection, are often too late, occurring only once the battery is already in critical condition. This article explores how MPS™ Sensor Gas Classification and Identification technology can provide a digital signal for early warning, helping to identify potential battery failures before they reach a catastrophic stage.
Understanding Battery Thermal Runaway
Thermal runaway is a dangerous, self-perpetuating reaction within a battery that results in uncontrollable heat generation. It can lead to fires, explosions, and significant damage to both equipment and personnel. Identifying the early signs of battery thermal runaway is essential to mitigate risks and optimize maintenance protocols. Traditional hydrogen detection methods often rely on late-stage signs, which makes intervention difficult.
Several factors can contribute to off-gassing and increase the risk of thermal runaway in batteries. Some of these factors include:
- Overcharging: When a battery is charged beyond its recommended voltage, it can lead to excessive internal heat generation, causing chemical reactions that result in off-gassing.
- Overheating: Excessive temperatures, either from external environmental conditions or internal battery malfunction, can accelerate chemical degradation within the battery.
- Physical Damage: Impact, punctures, or compression can compromise the internal structure of the battery, causing electrolyte leakage and triggering chemical reactions that lead to gas release.
- Manufacturing Defects: Poor manufacturing processes, such as faulty seals or improper electrolyte composition, can increase the likelihood of internal short circuits, leading to elevated temperatures and off-gassing.
- Aging: As batteries age, their internal components degrade, which can result in increased resistance, heat generation, and off-gassing.
Why Hydrogen Detection Isn’t Enough
While hydrogen is commonly associated with battery breakdown, relying solely on hydrogen detection isn’t the most reliable approach. Hydrogen is often detected only at the later stages of failure, which means the opportunity for preventative action may have passed.
Focusing on detecting gases that are present at earlier stages of battery degradation, like DMC (Dimethyl Carbonate) and EMCC (Ethylene Methacrylate Carbonate), while monitoring temperature, enables earlier diagnosis of battery health, which can prevent the system from reaching the point of thermal runaway.
The Role of MPS™ Sensor Gas Classification in Early Detection
MPS™ (Molecular Property Spectrometer™) sensor technology features an advanced gas classification system to differentiate between various gases based on their molecular properties.
This means that MPS™ sensors can identify and quantify gases like DMC and EMC at low concentrations. By classifying gases into different categories (e.g., Class 5 for DMC and Class 6 for EMC), MPS™ sensors provide a highly accurate and reliable method for detecting specific gases that indicate battery degradation. The digital signal generated by the sensor can be integrated into monitoring systems, alerting operators before the situation reaches a thermal runaway threshold.
| Class/Gas | Description |
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Class 1 Hydrogen |
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Class 2 Hydrogen Mixture |
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Class 3 Methane/Natural Gas |
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Class 4 Light Gas (or Light Gas Mixture) |
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Class 5 Medium Gas (or Medium Gas Mixture) |
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Class 6 Heavy Gas (or Heavy Gas Mixture) |
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How MPS™ Sensors Work: Early Warning System for Battery Health
MPS™ sensors operate with a digital interface, which can be integrated into battery management systems. This enables operators to receive real-time updates on the health of batteries across their operations. Here’s how it works:
- Real-time Detection: MPS™ sensors continuously monitor the gases surrounding the battery, tracking fluctuations in gas levels, particularly DMC and EMC . This allows for a real-time overview of battery conditions.
- Early Warnings: As gases build up during the early stages of battery breakdown, the sensors can detect the changes and send digital signals to the system. This digital signal serves as an early warning, allowing operators to intervene before a thermal runaway event occurs.
- Preventative Maintenance: With early warnings from MPS™ sensors, maintenance teams can take proactive steps to address the issues identified. This can involve battery replacements, or other interventions that prevent the battery from reaching failure.
Key Features of the MPS™ Flammable Gas Sensor
- Detects DMC/EMC & H2
- No required field calibration
- Immunity to saturation and poisoning and no field calibration eliminates the prohibitive cost of quarterly calibration trips & sensor replacements.
- Highly accurate gas detection Resolution to 0.1% LEL with built-in environmental compensation for temperature, relative humidity, and pressure for near-zero false positives.
- Very wide operating range & self-testing capability -40°C to 75°C operating range with up to 100% relative humidity. Built-In Self-Test (BIST) capability continuously evaluates the system to ensure it is operating to specification.
- Low power consumption Our new MPS 6.0 ultra-low-power sensor version requires just 1.35mW, making it ideal for battery-powered safety devices.
- 15-year sensor life Unparalleled 15-year sensor life means low total cost of ownership and ensures uninterrupted monitoring.
- Certified as Intrinsically Safe Class 1, Div. 1 and Zone 0 certified and global safety certifications such as FM, CSA, IECEx, ATEX, EN50271 and IP65+.
The Importance of Early Detection in Battery Safety
Early detection is critical for improving safety and operational efficiency. By detecting potential failure through gas classification and digital signals, MPS™ technology provides a proactive approach to battery health management. This is particularly valuable in industries such as electric vehicles, energy storage systems, and any sector relying heavily on large battery systems, where the consequences of thermal runaway can be catastrophic.
Here’s a quick video overview:
Conclusion
The integration of MPS™ Sensor Gas Classification and Identification technology into battery management systems provides a crucial edge in preventing thermal runaway. The MPS™ delivers unprecedented reliability, accuracy, and worker safety by simultaneously detecting over a dozen of the most common combustible gases, including hydrogen, and the flammable vapors of common electrolytes (e.g. dimethyl carbonate (DMC) and ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC)). The detection capabilities of the MPS™ results in earlier stage detection of an issue within the battery P-F failure curve, prior to generation of other toxic and flammable gases. As industries continue to rely more on battery-powered systems, leveraging advanced sensor technologies like MPS™ will be key to ensuring long-term, safe operations.