Phase 3

Lithium batteries

[Armando Cruz, Saul Mendez, Eugene A. Donkor ]

Advisor: Professor Corinne Shearer

 

Vaibhav Taneja, Chief Accounting Officer

Tesla Inc.

1 Tesla Road

Austin, TX 78725

 

Dear Mr. Vaibhav Taneja,

We are students of city college writing a proposal to you. This proposal is about Lithium-ion batteries. Lithium-ion batteries are a new way of changing the environment. It uses electricity instead of fuel to drive. Lithium batteries are now the future as it has now changed the way we drive and have now become a popular choice between fuel and electric cars. Take for instance Tesla, a lot of people use Tesla now when it first came out people had negative thoughts about it but now is a great choice if you want to buy a car.

Because everything in this world is not perfect, so are lithium batteries. It is a new design that just came out to protect the environment and because it is new it has a lot of problems. One of its problems is that it can catch on fire. Take for example electric scooters and bikes, we tend to hear news about them catching on fires and burning houses. Another example is the lithium life line. It can be shortened due to overcharging.

 Although lithium batteries are a game changing when it comes to buying cars it can bring a lot of problems. A solution to this is to create an alarm system which notifies a person at a certain time or an alarm system which goes off when it is fully done or when it is overheated. This is a very good way because most lithium batteries catch on fire when being overcharged. Another way can be to create a robotic system which will take the place of humans such as unplugging itself. 

Eugene, Armando, Saul

 

 Abstract:

Lithium batteries continue to draw vast attention as a promising energy storage technology due to their high energy density, low self-discharge property, nearly zero-memory effect, high open circuit voltage, and long lifespan. The discovery of the system dates back to earlier work by Asahi Kasei in Japan, which used a combination of lower temperature carbons for the negative electrode to prevent solvent degradation and lithium cobalt dioxide modified somewhat from Goodenough’s earlier work. The development by Sony was carried out within a few years by bringing together technology in film coating from their magnetic tape division and electrochemical technology from their battery division. In particular, high-energy density lithium batteries are considered as the ideal power source for electric vehicles  and hybrid electric vehicles in the automotive industry, in recent years. This review discusses key aspects of the present and the future battery technologies on the basis of the working electrode. 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

            Cover Letter                                                                                                                         I

             Cover Page                                                                                                                         II

             Abstract                                                                                                                             III

 

  1.           Introduction 2

       1.1 What lithium is?                                                                                                                3 

       1.2   Problems with Lithium-ion batteries                                                                                3

 

  1.           Are Lithium Batteries Bad?                                                                                              4

    2.1  Lithium Safety PI                                                                                                              5

    2.2  Lithium Safety PII                                                                                                            6

 

           Method 

 

3   Anticipated Results. 

 

4             Broader Impact of Research 

 

                                                                             

 

1  

Introduction

Lithium batteries have now become game changing in the world today. This year, the battery industry celebrates the 25th anniversary of the introduction of the lithium ion rechargeable battery by Sony Corporation. The discovery of the system dates back to earlier work by Asahi Kasei in Japan, which used a combination of lower temperature carbons for the negative electrode to prevent solvent degradation and lithium cobalt dioxide modified somewhat from Goodenough’s earlier work. This dictates that the history of lithium batteries has been there for 25 years and its development is just recently. If we look at lithium batteries today we can see that people are using them now such as tesla, e-bikes and electric scooters in order to change the environment. The popular ones being the e-bikes since it is cheap to develop and less expensive to the others. Since lithium batteries are new to the world it has its own problem. Studies have shown that when the excess lithium was used up, the capacity dropped rapidly with each cycle. This shows us that lithium batteries have a short lifespan, when we continue to charge it and charge it over and over we reduce its lifespan. it also gets bad when we overcharge it which no one can stop. 

1.1

What Lithium Is? 

 

Lithium is a material that comes originally from the earth, but can be turned into a battery. This battery which is more referred to as lithium battery which can mainly be found in electric cars. How lithium gets from the earth into your electric car shows a process of lithium battery making. There is only one open mine of lithium in Nevada in which this place supplies for 1 percent of world supply of lithium. An electric battery is a compact sandwich of metal sheets, foils and films. The flow of lithium ions within this sandwich creates electricity. These batteries can hold a tremendous amount of energy in tight spaces, such as the floor of a car. With enough cells packed together, an EV can drive for several hundred miles. Overall lithium that can come from somewhere such as a mine. 

 

1.2 

Problems With Lithium-ion Batteries

 

Lithium batteries are good for electric cars and other technology related things however it can be dangerous. Lithium batteries can explode due to many reasons and there have been many stories on the many scary situations of explosive batteries being set on fire. According to many researches lithium batteries can catch fire due to a phenomenon called thermal runaway. Thermal runaway is a chain reaction that occurs when the battery experiences a rapid increase in temperature, leading to the release of energy and potentially causing a catastrophic failure.  Can overheat from being damaged or punctured, being overcharged, or being exposed to high temperatures or direct sunlight. It can also be from the cause of a manufacturer defect.

 

2 

Are Lithium Batteries Bad?

 

Although lithium ion batteries are good in a way it has its own problems. One of its main causes is overcharging. And it  is confirmed to be the root cause of the Accident. The overcharge-induced TR can be harsher than other abuse conditions, because excessive energy is filled into the battery during overcharge. In some cases these problems can’t be helped. Besides the overheat caused by mechanical/electrical abuse, the overheat can be caused by contact loose of the cell connector. Overheating can be a major factor in lithium. Overheating can be caused by the sun and there is nothing that can be done by it. also Here are some examples out of 25,000 cases of lithium batteries catching on fire.

 

No Date Location Accident replay Possible cause
1 2008.06 Columbia, US The lithium ion battery pack of a modified Prius caught fire during highway running. Connection loose led to battery overheating near bolt 
2 2011.05 Burlington, US A Chevy Volt, which had a side-pole impact test 3 weeks ago, caught fire and destroyed adjacent cars. The side-pole impact damaged the coolant system and the battery module. Conductive coolant formed an external short circuit and ignited flammable gas leaked from cells 
3 2012.05 Shenzhen, China A BYD E6 taxi was collided from the rear end by a Nissan GTR at extreme speed. The taxi caught fire after hitting a tree, killing 3 occupants. High speed collisions deformed the high voltage circuit. Arc was triggered from the damaged high voltage circuit, ignited 25% cells and the whole car.
4 2013.01.07 Boston, US The APU battery pack caught fire and filled the cabin of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner with smoke. Internal short circuit .

2.1

Lithium Safety Technologies p1

 

Research on Battery Safety Technologies is crucial in keeping longevity in lithium ion batteries. Lithium-ion batteries have revolutionized cars however safety appears to be the number one worry above all with incidents of battery failures and fires. One of the main causes of the battery malfunction is overcharging. According to “Materials for lithium-ion battery safety. Science Advances” one key area of research is advanced thermal management systems to regulate the temperature of lithium-ion batteries and prevent overheating. These systems involve the integration of thermal sensors, heat dissipation materials, and active cooling mechanisms to maintain optimal operating conditions.

Another study from “Materials for lithium-ion battery safety. Science Advances” explain the additions of phase change materials (PCMs) and thermal conductivity-enhanced materials. The additions of this can allow them to efficiently absorb and dissipate heat generated during battery operation. Additionally, there is research exploring the use of microfluidic cooling systems and integrated cooling structures to enhance thermal performance and minimize the risk of thermal runaway.

 

2.2
Lithium Safety Technologies p2 

 

In addition to internal safety features, researchers are exploring the use of advanced materials for battery packaging and enclosure systems to improve overall safety and durability. This includes the development of flame-retardant polymer composites, self-extinguishing materials, and impact-resistant coatings to minimize the propagation of thermal runaway events and prevent external damage to batteries. 

Researchers have also been investigating the use of fire-resistant barriers and containment structures within battery packs to lower the chances of the spread of fires and protect surrounding components or systems. By enhancing the structural integrity and fire resistance of battery enclosures, these advancements are meant to enhance the overall battery safety and reliability.

 

Method 

The conduction for this research will be done by having something such as laboratory validation and testing, gathering the necessary data and materials for having to conduct this research. This will also include different designs to be found for this. Other ways of conducting this research is using the CCNY library catalog with looking up the different batteries that are safe to see whether or not a change is needed.   The use of technology is also to be used for the conduction of this research of having lithium batteries within technology such as electric vehicles, renewable energy sources and sustainable energy technology. With all this information being said it will help us get a better understanding of lithium batteries so that we see changes that are needed within the following things such as vehicles such as scooters, cars and more as well as the different renewable energy sources. This would also show if any improvements are necessary for anything that uses a lithium battery. Another conduction would be on the lifespan of these batteries to get a better understanding of how long they last and finding out the impacts that it will have within things such as the environment, economy and sustainability.

3

Anticipated Results 

The purpose of this project is to lead to the design and implementation of advanced safety technologies for lithium-ion batteries, such as improved thermal management systems, smart battery management systems (BMS), and robust battery packaging materials. 

Anticipated results could include the demonstration of enhanced safety performance through laboratory testing and validation. Furthermore this could include the design and validation of advanced thermal management systems that effectively regulate the temperature of lithium-ion batteries and mitigate the risk of thermal runaway. This could lead to improvements in battery safety and reliability, with reduced instances of overheating and thermal-induced failures.

4

Broader Impact of Research

Research on battery safety and degradation contributes to the development of sustainable energy technologies by enabling the widespread adoption of lithium-ion batteries in applications such as electric vehicles, renewable energy storage. By improving the safety, reliability, and longevity of lithium-ion batteries, this research facilitates the transition towards a low-carbon economy and reduces dependence on fossil fuels. 

Lithium-ion batteries enable cleaner transportation leading to reduced greenhouse gas emissions and environmental impact. By supporting the transition to electric vehicles and renewable energy systems, this could also contribute to mitigating climate change, improving air quality, and promoting environmental sustainability.

 

Overall, research on battery safety technologies and battery degradation and lifespan has profound impacts on society, economy, environment, sustainability and transition towards a cleaner and more sustainable future.

 

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