lithium-Ion explosion

[viabella]

Hello
I am interested in how does Tesla prevents the battery from exploding while exposed to the heat in some states. From my experience, you can't put those batteries outside for a long period of times. This is even true for power banks who has small batteries.
Can someone explains how does the battery handles the heat and freeze temperatures?

Thank you!

 

[Andyw2100]

Hello
I am interested in how does Tesla prevents the battery from exploding while exposed to the heat in some states. From my experience, you can't put those batteries outside for a long period of times. This is even true for power banks who has small batteries.
Can someone explains how does the battery handles the heat and freeze temperatures?

Thank you!

The cars have thermal management systems for the battery pack.

Someone more technical can, and will, I am sure, supply more details.

 

[ecarfan]

I am interested in how does Tesla prevents the battery from exploding while exposed to the heat in some states. From my experience, you can't put those batteries outside for a long period of times

Every car Tesla has ever built has contained a BMS (Battery Management System) that attempts to keep the battery within a safe temperature range by either heating or cooling the pack as needed. So far, I am not aware of any instances of a Tesla battery spontaneously catching fire due to a very high ambient air temperature. It is clear to me that the Tesla BMS works very well in that regard.

I am interested in learning more about your "experience" and exactly what Lion chemistry was used in the batteries that you exposed to high temperatures.

 

[David29]

Not too long ago, I saw a post that might interest you, in which there was a story about testing Tesla's batteries for their fire resistance. The post may have been on facebook rather than here. But a search should turn it up.
The testing involved exposing the batteries to external heat sources or flames to see how long they withstood the heat. As I recall, they never "exploded," per se.
The tests were done by, or at least for, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Again, if I recall correctly, the post had some information about the battery construction and how it helped protect the cells and avoid explosions.
I imagine you can find information like this if you do a Google search even if you do not find the specific post I saw.
There is also a link in an older post here -- sorry, I have lost my bookmark for it -- to Tesla's patents, which include a detailed description of the Battery Management System and its physical features -- barriers, cooling system, etc.

 

[geoffreak]

Not too long ago, I saw a post that might interest you, in which there was a story about testing Tesla's batteries for their fire resistance. The post may have been on facebook rather than here. But a search should turn it up.
The testing involved exposing the batteries to external heat sources or flames to see how long they withstood the heat. As I recall, they never "exploded," per se.
The tests were done by, or at least for, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Again, if I recall correctly, the post had some information about the battery construction and how it helped protect the cells and avoid explosions.
I imagine you can find information like this if you do a Google search even if you do not find the specific post I saw.
There is also a link in an older post here -- sorry, I have lost my bookmark for it -- to Tesla's patents, which include a detailed description of the Battery Management System and its physical features -- barriers, cooling system, etc.

I think this is what you are looking for: Tesla set fire to a Powerpack to test its safety features – the results are impressive
And maybe this too? Pics/Info: Inside the battery pack

 

[David29]

I think this is what you are looking for: Tesla set fire to a Powerpack to test its safety features – the results are impressive
And maybe this too? Pics/Info: Inside the battery pack

Yes! That's the one. Thanks!

 

[viabella]

Every car Tesla has ever built has contained a BMS (Battery Management System) that attempts to keep the battery within a safe temperature range by either heating or cooling the pack as needed. So far, I am not aware of any instances of a Tesla battery spontaneously catching fire due to a very high ambient air temperature. It is clear to me that the Tesla BMS works very well in that regard.

I am interested in learning more about your "experience" and exactly what Lion chemistry was used in the batteries that you exposed to high temperatures.

Thank you for the info. I don't have a lot of experience but I had a powerbank with L-ion battery that I placed on my dashboard and it caught fire so I wasn't sure how does the car battery able to work with those temperatures.
Do you have more technical information on the how the BMS works? It that liquid cooling system?

 

[deonb]

Thank you for the info. I don't have a lot of experience but I had a powerbank with L-ion battery that I placed on my dashboard and it caught fire so I wasn't sure how does the car battery able to work with those temperatures.
Do you have more technical information on the how the BMS works? It that liquid cooling system?

Yes, liquid cooling.

Here are some pics:
Inside the Tesla battery pack

 

[stopcrazypp]

Thank you for the info. I don't have a lot of experience but I had a powerbank with L-ion battery that I placed on my dashboard and it caught fire so I wasn't sure how does the car battery able to work with those temperatures.
Do you have more technical information on the how the BMS works? It that liquid cooling system?

Thermal runway temperatures of lithium ion batteries hover around 200 degrees Celsius. Even considering the greenhouse effect in a car, it'll never hit temperatures that high. So even with no cooling, a lithium ion battery should not catch fire spontaneously unless it was defective.

Most likely your powerbank had batteries/circuits of dubious quality, as most of them are made in China, where battery cells of unknown quality are put into them (sometimes they are used cells that have been re-wrapped). Otherwise the fire is of some external cause not related to the battery cells (like the charging system or other electronics).

 

[viabella]

Thank you for the information guys!