Introducing an approach to predict the time-dependent mechanical, electrical and thermal behaviour of Li-ion batteries due to crash loads

Nowadays, lithium-ion batteries are the predominant energy storage technology for vehicles with electrified drive trains. In case of an accident mechanical loads on Li-ion cells may cause an internal shortcircuit which can further lead to severe exothermic reactions (e.g. smoke, fire, explosion). Existing numerical methods to estimate the time-dependent mechanical, electrical and thermal processes are not sufficient at present. For that reason a novel approach has been developed. Three major parts - explicit non-linear structural analysis (FEA), implicit multi-physical simulation and an interface to link these two simulation tools - have been combined to form a continuous work-flow. While the FEA model has been set up using a microscopic scale mesh, the multi-physics code was extended by a short-circuit model. This approach is capable of predicting the cell behaviour due to crash loads (e.g. acceleration, deformation).