Browsing by Author "Nagel, Christopher R."
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Item Hazardous Effects of Li-Ion Battery Based Fires(2020 International Conference on Environmental Systems, 2020-07-31) Padilla, Rosa; Alcantara, Ilse; Meyer, Marit; Juarez, Alfredo; Dietrich, Daniel; Urban, David; Ruff, Gary; Nagel, Christopher R.A potential thermal runaway (TR) failure from a computer with a lithium ion (Li-ion) battery is one of many energetic fuel sources present on-board a spacecraft vehicle that poses a fire safety concern. Tests were performed inside an 8 m$^{3}$ test chamber at White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) to emulate a spacecraft, addressing major aspects related to fire safety prevention, detection, suppression and post fire cleanup. A tablet was forced into TR by using a 60 W patch heater on a single pouch cell and comparisons with a higher energy unit laptop are presented as the worst-case representation of a fire. Initial venting of electrolyte is first observed on a failed pouch cell followed by an open fire. Pouch cell surface temperatures reach a maximum thermal runaway between 340-544 $^{\circ}$C across all units tested and during this event a large presence of toxic gases are released. Tablet fires with a maximum of two pouch cells that underwent TR reached a maximum of 14 kW aggressively and over 0.4 m in height. A large presence of carbon monoxide, CO and carbon dioxide, CO$_{2}$ was measured for higher energy fires and, prior to fire suppression. Levels of acrolein, C$_{3}$H$_{4}$O and CO are present above the maximum allowable concentrations levels inside a spacecraft vehicle. Additional gases, such as, measured benzene, C$_{6}$H$_{6}$, propylene, C$_{3}$H$_{6}$ and acrylonitrile are also present. This work provides insight in to the detection capability and required response times for triggering fire alarms aboard a vehicle. In addition, the data can be used to assess the capacity at which the life support systems capability to provide a hazard free environment.