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.
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