Safety management and troubleshooting of automotive lithium-ion batteries

With the rapid growth of the electric vehicle market, the safety and reliability of automotive lithium-ion batteries has become a hot topic. Lithium-ion batteries have become the first choice for electric vehicle power systems due to their high energy density, long life and environmental friendliness. However, their special chemical properties and complex structure also pose many safety challenges. Therefore, safety management and troubleshooting of automotive lithium-ion batteries are particularly important.

1. Safety management
Battery pack design: The battery pack is the main charging form of automotive lithium-ion batteries. A well-designed battery pack should have good heat dissipation performance, protection level and mechanical strength to ensure stable battery operation in harsh environments.

Thermal management: Lithium-ion batteries generate a lot of heat during operation. If the heat cannot be dissipated in time, the battery temperature will rise sharply and even cause thermal runaway. The design and maintenance of the thermal management system is therefore critical.

Overcharge and over-discharge protection: Overcharge and overdischarge can cause serious damage to lithium-ion batteries, even leading to fires and explosions. Therefore, automotive lithium-ion batteries must be equipped with overcharge and overdischarge protection devices to ensure that the battery operates within a safe range.

System monitoring and diagnostics: By setting up a battery management system (BMS), the voltage, current, temperature and other parameters of the battery pack are monitored in real time, and any anomalies are detected and dealt with in good time. At the same time, fault diagnosis technology is used to regularly detect and maintain the battery pack to ensure its health.

2. Fault handling
Handling of battery thermal runaway: If signs of thermal runaway are detected, charging and discharging should be stopped immediately, the battery pack disconnected from the vehicle and cooling measures taken. If the situation is serious, the police should be called immediately and personnel evacuated.

Battery short circuit treatment: A battery short-circuit can cause excessive current to flow, resulting in fire or explosion. In this case, the power supply should be disconnected immediately and the fire extinguished with a dry powder extinguisher. At the same time, ensure that the area is ventilated to prevent the accumulation of toxic gases.

Handling of battery leaks: Battery leakage can cause the electrolyte to corrode vehicle parts or cause a fire. If battery leakage is detected, the battery should be stopped immediately, the battery pack removed to a safe area and cleaned with a suitable detergent.

Battery ageing: As the battery is used more and more, its performance will gradually deteriorate. When the battery performance cannot meet the needs of the vehicle, the battery should be replaced in time. At the same time, used batteries should be properly handled to avoid environmental pollution.

In short, the safe management and troubleshooting of automotive lithium-ion batteries is the key to ensuring the safe and reliable operation of electric vehicles. Through proper design, effective monitoring and timely maintenance, the risk of battery failure can be minimised to ensure the safety and reliability of electric vehicles.