Evaluating impacts of a LFP battery fire within a subsurface train compartment

TY - CHAP

T1 - Evaluating impacts of a LFP battery fire within a subsurface train compartment

AU - Mamgain, Alankrita

AU - Restuccia, Francesco

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2024 Institute of Physics Publishing. All rights reserved.

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - The application of lithium-ion batteries is becoming progressively prominent in everyday applications due to their high energy density, high output power and more favourable ageing characteristics in comparison to alternatives such as nickel metal hydride and lead acid batteries. However, when exposed to abuse conditions, lithium-ion batteries may undergo a thermal runaway reaction, resulting in high temperatures and release of flammable and toxic gases. This paper evaluates the temperature and smoke distribution to determine tenability period within a subsurface train compartment in the event of a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery fire. The results concluded that within 17 minutes of the failure of lithium iron phosphate batteries, the critical temperature of 60°C was exceeded in the entire carriage whilst the visibility threshold of 10m was exceeded in the carriage in under 86 seconds. Consequently, for an effective evacuation in this scenario, all passengers should be able to reach a place of relative safety before the critical limit for visibility is reached.

AB - The application of lithium-ion batteries is becoming progressively prominent in everyday applications due to their high energy density, high output power and more favourable ageing characteristics in comparison to alternatives such as nickel metal hydride and lead acid batteries. However, when exposed to abuse conditions, lithium-ion batteries may undergo a thermal runaway reaction, resulting in high temperatures and release of flammable and toxic gases. This paper evaluates the temperature and smoke distribution to determine tenability period within a subsurface train compartment in the event of a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery fire. The results concluded that within 17 minutes of the failure of lithium iron phosphate batteries, the critical temperature of 60°C was exceeded in the entire carriage whilst the visibility threshold of 10m was exceeded in the carriage in under 86 seconds. Consequently, for an effective evacuation in this scenario, all passengers should be able to reach a place of relative safety before the critical limit for visibility is reached.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85212124109

U2 - 10.1088/1742-6596/2885/1/012098

DO - 10.1088/1742-6596/2885/1/012098

M3 - Conference paper

VL - 2885

T3 - Journal of Physics: Conference Series

BT - Journal of Physics: Conference Series

PB - IOP Publishing Ltd.

ER -