Research on the Thermal Runaway Characteristics and Evolution of NCA Lithium-ion Cells under Transportation Vibration and High Temperature
Abstract - 21
PDF

Keywords

Vibration
High temperature
Thermal runaway
Lithium-ion battery
Thermal runaway mechanism

How to Cite

1.
Zhang S, Liu Z, Zhu Y. Research on the Thermal Runaway Characteristics and Evolution of NCA Lithium-ion Cells under Transportation Vibration and High Temperature. J. Adv. Therm. Sci. Res. [Internet]. 2025 Nov. 18 [cited 2025 Dec. 4];12:38-52. Available from: https://www.avantipublishers.com/index.php/jatsr/article/view/1685

Abstract

This paper investigates the effects of vibration and high temperature, two typical transportation conditions, on the thermal runaway characteristics of 18650 NCA cells through simulation experiments. The aim is to explore the mechanisms by which transportation conditions affect the thermal runaway behavior and safety degradation of lithium-ion cells. The results show that both vibration and high temperature lead to slight capacity decay (a decrease of 0.49% and 0.38% respectively) and a significant increase in internal resistance (an increase of 24.59% and 20.49% respectively), thereby increasing the risk of thermal runaway. The thermal runaway venting temperature of NCA cells subjected to vibration and high temperature is raised by 12.04°C and 6.08°C respectively, with the venting time occurring earlier. The thermal stability of the cells is reduced, while the thermal runaway temperature is significantly lowered, with the vibration and high temperature samples decreasing by 40.85°C and 31.28°C respectively. The critical time is also shortened by 232s and 211s respectively, indicating that the overall thermal runaway process is significantly accelerated. Material analysis reveals that vibration causes structural fractures, while high temperature promotes side reactions in advance, both of which lead to accelerated thermal runaway reactions and intensified heat release. This is macroscopically manifested as a decrease in thermal runaway temperature and an increase in the highest temperature.

https://doi.org/10.15377/2409-5826.2025.12.3
PDF

References

Rengaswamy Srinivasan M, Thomas ME, Airola MB, Carkhuff BG, Frizzell-Makowski LJ, Alkandry H, et al. Preventing cell-to-cell propagation of thermal runaway in lithium-ion batteries. J Electrochem Soc. 2020; 167(2): 020559. https://doi.org/10.1149/1945-7111/ab6ff0

Wang Q, Mao B, Stoliarov SI, Sun J. A review of lithium ion battery failure mechanisms and fire prevention strategies. Prog Energy Combust Sci. 2019; 73: 95-131. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pecs.2019.03.002

Zhang J, Zhang L, Sun F, Wang Z. An overview on thermal safety issues of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicle application. IEEE Access. 2018; 6: 23848-63. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2018.2824838

Feng X, Lu L, Ouyang M, Li J, He X. A 3D thermal runaway propagation model for a large format lithium ion battery module. Energy. 2016; 115: 194-208. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2016.08.094

Tabelin CB, Dallas J, Casanova S, Pelech T, Bournival G, Saydam S, et al. Towards a low-carbon society: A review of lithium resource availability, challenges and innovations in mining, extraction and recycling, and future perspectives. Miner Eng. 2021; 163: 106743. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mineng.2020.106743

Zheng L, Chen G, Liu L, Hu Y. Tracing of lithium supply and demand bottleneck in China's new energy vehicle industry—Based on the chart of lithium flow. Front Energy Res. 2022; 10: 992617. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenrg.2022.992617

Li J, Zhang J, Zhang XG, Yang CZ, Xu NX, Xia BJ. Study of the storage performance of a Li-ion cell at elevated temperature. Electrochim Acta. 2010; 55(3): 927-34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2009.09.077

Zulke A, Li Y, Keil P, Burrell R, Belaisch S, Nagarathinam M, et al. High-energy nickel-cobalt-aluminium oxide (NCA) cells on idle: anode- versus cathode-driven side reactions. Batteries Supercaps. 2021; 4(6): 934-47. https://doi.org/10.1002/batt.202100046

Zhang Q, Wang DF, Schaltz E, Stroe DI, Gismero A, Yang BW. Lithium-ion battery calendar aging mechanism analysis and impedance-based state-of-health estimation method. J Energy Storage. 2023; 64: 107029. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.est.2023.107029

Hua X, Thomas A. Effect of dynamic loads and vibrations on lithium-ion batteries. J Low Freq Noise Vib Act Control. 2021; 40(4): 1927-34. https://doi.org/10.1177/14613484211008112

Zhang G, Wei X, Chen S, Wei G, Zhu J, Wang X, et al. Research on the impact of high-temperature aging on the thermal safety of lithium-ion batteries. J Energy Chem. 2023; 87: 378-89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jechem.2023.08.040

Gao L, Chen M, Zhu J. Cause analysis of lithium battery air transportation accidents from the perspective of complex network analysis. In: International Conference on SmartRail, Traffic and Transportation Engineering. Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore; 2024. p. 352-9. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-7441-1_35

Pan Y, Liu X, Wu J, Zhou H, Zhu L. Assessing lithium-ion battery safety under extreme transport conditions: a comparative study of measured and standardised parameters. Energies. 2025; 18(15): 4144. https://doi.org/10.3390/en18154144

Hu G, Huang P, Bai Z, Wang Q, Qi K. Comprehensive analysis of failure evolution and safety evaluation of automotive lithium ion battery. eTransportation. 2021; 10: 100140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.etran.2021.100140

Esmaeili MH, Haft-Cheshmeh YM. Dynamic characteristics of elastomeric materials used as railway vibration mitigation measures considering the effect of shape factor. Measurement. 2024; 236: 115058. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.measurement.2024.115058

Zhang L, Ning Z, Peng H, Mu Z, Sun C. Effects of vibration on the electrical performance of lithium-ion cells based on mathematical statistics. Appl Sci. 2017; 7(8): 802. https://doi.org/10.3390/app7080802

Hooper JM, Marco J, Chouchelamane GH, Lyness C. Vibration durability testing of nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) lithium-ion 18650 battery cells. Energies. 2016; 9(1): 52. https://doi.org/10.3390/en9010052

Hooper JM, Marco J. Defining a representative vibration durability test for electric vehicle (EV) rechargeable energy storage systems (RESS). World Electr Veh J. 2016; 8(2): 327-38. https://doi.org/10.3390/wevj8020327

Yuk S, Choi K, Park SG, Lee S. A study on the reliability test of a lithium battery in medical electric wheelchairs for vulnerable drivers. Appl Sci. 2019; 9(11): 2299. https://doi.org/10.3390/app9112299

Brand MJ, Schuster SF, Bach T, Fleder E, Stelz M, Gläser S, et al. Effects of vibrations and shocks on lithium-ion cells. J Power Sources. 2015; 288: 62-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2015.04.107

He B, Wang H, He X. Vibration test methods and their experimental research on the performance of the lead-acid battery. J Power Sources. 2014; 268: 326-30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2014.05.098

Eidinejad H, Madaro F, Brugo TM, Rossi C, Rivola A, Troncossi M, et al. Pre-compliance vibration testing of a LFP battery pack prototype for electric powertrains. In: 2024 IEEE International Workshop on Metrology for Automotive (MetroAutomotive); 2024 Jun 26-28; Bologna, Italy. https://doi.org/10.1109/MetroAutomotive61329.2024.10615669

Berg P, Spielbauer M, Tillinger M, Merkel M, Schoenfuss M, Bohlen O, et al. Durability of lithium-ion 18650 cells under random vibration load concerning the inner cell design. J Energy Storage. 2020; 31: 101499. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.est.2020.101499

Bangal OA, Chaturvedi V, Babu PKA, Shelke MV. Impedance analysis and equivalent circuit modelling of cells subjected to sinusoidal vibration test using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. In: 2019 IEEE Transportation Electrification Conference (ITEC-India); 2019 Dec 17-19; Bengaluru, India. https://doi.org/10.1109/ITEC-India48457.2019.ITECINDIA2019-232

Xu X, Tang S, Han X, Wu Y, Lu L, Liu X, et al. Anomalous calendar aging of Ni-rich cathode batteries: focusing on structural degradation. Energy Storage Mater. 2024; 66: 103198. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ensm.2024.103198

Dubarry M, Qin N, Brooker P. Calendar aging of commercial Li-ion cells of different chemistries—a review. Curr Opin Electrochem. 2018; 9: 106-13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coelec.2018.05.023

Zhang LW, Liu L, Terekhov A, Warnberg D, Zhao P. Thermal runaway of Li-ion battery with different aging histories. Process Saf Environ Prot. 2024; 185: 910-7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psep.2024.03.077

Grimsmann F, Brauchle F, Gerbert T, Gruhle A, Parisi J, Knipper M. Impact of different aging mechanisms on the thickness change and the quick-charge capability of lithium-ion cells. J Energy Storage. 2017; 14: 158-62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.est.2017.10.010

Lang M, Darma MSD, Mereacre L, Liebau V, Ehrenberg H. Post mortem analysis of ageing mechanisms in LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2–LiNi0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O2–LiMn2O4/graphite lithium ion batteries. J Power Sources. 2020; 453: 227915. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2020.227915

Sarasketa-Zabala E, Gandiaga I, Rodriguez-Martinez LM, Villarreal I. Calendar ageing analysis of a LiFePO4/graphite cell with dynamic model validations: towards realistic lifetime predictions. J Power Sources. 2014; 272: 45-57. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2014.08.051

Nemati AB, Mousavi-Khoshdel SM, Molaeimanesh GR, Ebrahimi-Nejad S. Effects of ambient temperature on the health characteristics of vehicular Li-ion batteries by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. J Therm Anal Calorim. 2021; 146: 665-72. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-020-10052-y

Feng X, Zheng S, Ren D, He X, Wang L, Cui H, et al. Investigating the thermal runaway mechanisms of lithium-ion batteries based on thermal analysis database. Appl Energy. 2019; 246: 53-64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2019.04.009

Feng X, Zheng S, Ren D, He X, Wang L, Liu X, et al. Key characteristics for thermal runaway of Li-ion batteries. Energy Procedia. 2019; 158: 4684-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2019.01.736

Feng X, Ren D, He X, Ouyang M. Mitigating thermal runaway of lithium-ion batteries. Joule. 2020; 4: 743-70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2020.02.010

Zhang G, Wei X, Chen S, Wei G, Zhu J, Wang X, et al. Research on the impact of high-temperature aging on the thermal safety of lithium-ion batteries. J Energy Chem. 2023; 87: 378-89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jechem.2023.08.040

Cai QS, Ji Q, Chen XP, Wang T, Li L, Yuan Q, et al. Comprehensive study of high-temperature calendar aging on cylinder Li-ion batteries. Chem Eng Sci. 2024; 298: 120355. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ces.2024.120355

Chombo PV, Laoonual Y. Quantification of heat energy leading to failure of 18650 lithium-ion battery abused by external heating. J Loss Prev Process Ind. 2022; 79: 104855. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jlp.2022.104855

Ubaldi S, Conti M, Marra F, Russo P. Identification of key events and emissions during thermal abuse testing on NCA 18650 cells. Energies. 2023; 16(7): 3250. https://doi.org/10.3390/en16073250

Jones CM, Sudarshan M, García RE, Tomar V. Direct measurement of internal temperatures of commercially-available 18650 lithium-ion batteries. Sci Rep. 2023; 13: 14421. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-41718-w

Ren D, Hsu H, Li R, Feng X, Guo D, Han X, et al. A comparative investigation of aging effects on thermal runaway behavior of lithium-ion batteries. eTransportation. 2019; 2: 100034. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.etran.2019.100034

Zhang L, Liu J, Fan P, Du L, Ma Y, Qu B, et al. Unraveling the effect of short-term high-temperature storage on the performance and thermal stability of LiNi0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O2/graphite battery. J Power Sources. 2020; 459: 227842. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2020.227842

Zhang G, Wei X, Chen S, Wei G, Zhu J, Wang X, et al. Research on the impact of high-temperature aging on the thermal safety of lithium-ion batteries. J Energy Chem. 2023; 87: 378-89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jechem.2023.08.040

Chen YQ, Kang YQ, Zhao Y, Wang L, Liu JL, Li YX, et al. A review of lithium-ion battery safety concerns: the issues, strategies, and testing standards. J Energy Chem. 2021; 59: 83-99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jechem.2020.10.017

Mishra D, Tummala R, Jain A. Investigation of propagation of thermal runaway during large-scale storage and transportation of Li-ion batteries. J Energy Storage. 2023; 72: 108315. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.est.2023.108315

Zhao LY, Li W, Luo WY, Zheng MX, Chen MY. Numerical study of critical conditions for thermal runaway of lithium-ion battery pack during storage. J Energy Storage. 2024; 84: 110901. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.est.2024.110901

Zhang QS, Niu JH, Zhao ZH, Wang Q. Research on the effect of thermal runaway gas components and explosion limits of lithium-ion batteries under different charge states. J Energy Storage. 2022; 45: 103759. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.est.2021.103759

Nie BS, Dong YS, Chang L. The evolution of thermal runaway parameters of lithium-ion batteries under different abuse conditions: a review. J Energy Storage. 2024; 96: 112624. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.est.2024.112624

Barai A, Uddin K, Chevalier J, Chouchelamane GH, McGordon A, Low J, et al. Transportation safety of lithium iron phosphate batteries—a feasibility study of storing at very low states of charge. Sci Rep. 2017; 7: 5438. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-05438-2

International Safe Transit Association (ISTA). ISTA 3E: Standard test method for performance testing of transport packaging for truckload shipments. East Lansing (MI): ISTA; 2017.

Guddanti KP, Bharati AK, Nekkalapu S, Mcwherter J, Morris SL. A comprehensive review: impacts of extreme temperatures due to climate change on power grid infrastructure and operation. IEEE Access. 2025; 13: 49375-415. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2025.3548531

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Copyright (c) 2025 Songli Zhang, Zhenyan Liu, Yanli Zhu

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.