Abstract
Lithium-ion batteries (LiBs) are found in all aspects of our lives - from small portable electronic devices through electric vehicles (EVs) to battery energy storage systems (BESS). LiBs are perceived as crucial to support the wide adoption of renewable energy sources as these do require BESS to manage the intermittency in their power supply for a reliable operation of the electricity grid. The application of LiBs in electric traction has initiated a revolution in the automotive industry that is motivated to decarbonise the transport sector and reduce local air pollution.
This surge in demand for batteries will require a concomitant increase in production and, down the line, large numbers of LiBs reaching end-of-life (EoL). Hence, that will cause an ever-increasing battery waste that needs to be managed accordingly. However, many types of batteries currently do end up in landfills or are incinerated, primarily due to the lack of adequate standards; enforcement of regulatory controls and/or inefficient, or absence of, national battery collection and recycling schemes. As a result, human health and that of the environment could be placed at risk as a wide range of pollutants could be released like heavy metals or hydrofluoric acid (HF).
This work presents the hazards that are resealed from abused and spent LiBs. The former incorporates nail penetration experiments carried out at various Stage of Charge (SoC). Initially, the thermal runaway was visible by the evolution of a thick, white vapour via the pyrolysis of the electrolyte. This vapour is comprised of H2, SO2, NO2, HF, HCl, CO, CO2, droplets of organic solvent and a large range of small chain alkanes and alkenes. For SOCs, >50%, this vapour inevitably ignites in less than 1 min. However, at low SOCs, ≤50%, the vapour may not ignite without sufficient air. Therefore, this phenomenon could lead to flash fire, fireballs developing, or in extreme cases, even a vapour cloud explosion in a confined space. Despite the explosion hazard, there is also the toxicity of the white vapour that must be faced by first responders wherever large LiBs are present in an enclosed space and one or more cells are in thermal runaway. That leads to concern for warehouses, battery manufacturing plants, electric vehicle assembly plants, road, rail and sea transportation of EVs/battery packs, hybrid electric ships and ferries using LiBs.
The latter investigates the post-mortem release of contaminants from burnt LiBs. Depending on the disposal practice that may discharge various hazardous materials such as heavy metals, Volatile Organic Compounds or Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons etc. That may lead to a serious negative impact on the environment and human health.
This surge in demand for batteries will require a concomitant increase in production and, down the line, large numbers of LiBs reaching end-of-life (EoL). Hence, that will cause an ever-increasing battery waste that needs to be managed accordingly. However, many types of batteries currently do end up in landfills or are incinerated, primarily due to the lack of adequate standards; enforcement of regulatory controls and/or inefficient, or absence of, national battery collection and recycling schemes. As a result, human health and that of the environment could be placed at risk as a wide range of pollutants could be released like heavy metals or hydrofluoric acid (HF).
This work presents the hazards that are resealed from abused and spent LiBs. The former incorporates nail penetration experiments carried out at various Stage of Charge (SoC). Initially, the thermal runaway was visible by the evolution of a thick, white vapour via the pyrolysis of the electrolyte. This vapour is comprised of H2, SO2, NO2, HF, HCl, CO, CO2, droplets of organic solvent and a large range of small chain alkanes and alkenes. For SOCs, >50%, this vapour inevitably ignites in less than 1 min. However, at low SOCs, ≤50%, the vapour may not ignite without sufficient air. Therefore, this phenomenon could lead to flash fire, fireballs developing, or in extreme cases, even a vapour cloud explosion in a confined space. Despite the explosion hazard, there is also the toxicity of the white vapour that must be faced by first responders wherever large LiBs are present in an enclosed space and one or more cells are in thermal runaway. That leads to concern for warehouses, battery manufacturing plants, electric vehicle assembly plants, road, rail and sea transportation of EVs/battery packs, hybrid electric ships and ferries using LiBs.
The latter investigates the post-mortem release of contaminants from burnt LiBs. Depending on the disposal practice that may discharge various hazardous materials such as heavy metals, Volatile Organic Compounds or Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons etc. That may lead to a serious negative impact on the environment and human health.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Publication status | Published - 20 Aug 2021 |
| Event | International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry General Assembly and the World Chemistry Congress with the Canadian Chemistry Conference and Exhibition: Solving Global Challenges with Chemistry - Virtual Duration: 13 Aug 2021 → 20 Aug 2021 https://www.cheminst.ca/conference/ccce2021/ |
Conference
| Conference | International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry General Assembly and the World Chemistry Congress with the Canadian Chemistry Conference and Exhibition |
|---|---|
| Abbreviated title | IUPAC | CCCE 2021 |
| Period | 13/08/21 → 20/08/21 |
| Internet address |