Abstract
This work aims to develop a novel framework for thermal runaway and propagation modeling, focusing on balancing between computational efficiency and accuracy. The proposed framework leverages a zero-dimensional (0D) modeling approach for heat transfer, facilitating ease of extension to battery pack-level simulations. The model integrates multiphysics phenomena such as decomposition reactions, internal heat generation, gas generation, electrolyte evaporation, and a simplified model for burning the vent gas to enhance accuracy without sacrificing computational efficiency. The thermal node model is also integrated with an electrochemical model, i.e., the pseudo-two-dimensional (P2D) model. These additions enable the framework to capture key physical processes contributing to thermal runaway while maintaining computational feasibility. The thermal node representing the Li-ion cell in this study can be replaced by a thermal mass and finite element component to improve the spatial resolution of the thermal model. The developed model was used to simulate the thermal runaway of a single 18650 Li-ion cell triggered using external heating and was calibrated against experimental data. The computational efficiency of the model enabled its integration with optimization tools for parameter estimation and model calibration. The model was then extended to a battery pack containing 25 Li-ion cells to investigate the likelihood of propagation under varying conditions.
