Battery Abuse Testing – AEI Presentation at Generac

About the Event:

Presentation:

Lithium Ion Batteries (LIB) are quickly becoming the new source of energy for on-road and off-road vehicles. As LIB energy densities increase, so too do the level of hazards, such as in the form of heat and gas. Regulating agencies are becoming aware of these hazards and are reacting by creating protocols to test the safety integrity of LIB packs.

Companies who’ve tested liquid and gaseous vehicles within their facilities have a deep understanding of the risks associated with those types of energy sources within their building. Now, however, many are questioning the similarities and differences between testing with traditional fuels and testing with LIB packs. We will compare the differences between designing a traditional fuel source test cell and the design of a test cell that contains a LIB. We will discuss abuse bunkers and what cautions to be aware of when designing a LIB abuse bunker. We will share heat and gas release data used to determine the air exchange rate in a LIB test cell and abuse bunker, and touch upon the emissions mitigation techniques, such as a scrubber or RTO system, used to manage the gas and particles expelled during a LIB thermal runaway event. We will discuss the defense-in-depth strategy used to protect a LIB testing facility and its personnel, including blast panel area, gas/heat detection, air exchange rates, electrical classification and the abundance of water, to name a few. Finally, how we consider prevention, detection, and reaction techniques to ensure a safe and effective testing environment.

This presentation is unique in that we will share heat and gas related information that is difficult to acquire given the emerging nature of LIB abuse testing. We will reference many white papers and national lab studies used in our calculations, information that was used to extrapolate pack level data from single cell data.

Guest Speakers:

Jeremy Lang, Project Manager and Jacob Weber, Mechanical Engineer (PE) from Affiliated Engineers, Inc.

Jeremy has spent the past 20 years in the engine and vehicle testing market. Starting in controls and automation, Jeremy traveled globally installing, programming and commissioning test cells, and more recently, leading the design of those facilities. Now, following the market trend to full electrification, Jeremy is applying the facility design practices learned in engine and vehicle test cells containing hazardous fuels to the lithium ion battery testing market, with some caveats.

Generac and AEI have been partners for years. AEI has enabled growth in Generac’s engineering test and development facilities, driving record expansion. Come learn about AEI’s technology hosted by Generac at their Kern Auditorium.

Event Agenda