Study on the evolution laws and induced failure of series arcs in cylindrical lithium-ion batteries

With the increase of voltage level in energy-storage and power battery system, the electrical safety phenomenon of battery systems has received extensive attention. The issue of series arcs caused by electrical failure such as loose connections in battery systems has become increasingly serious. However, research on series arcs in battery systems is still in its early stages. Therefore, to investigate arc-related disasters in batteries, this study establishes an experimental platform to simulate series arc faults. Taking positive electrode terminal arcs as the focused point, this study explores the evolutionary patterns of battery-related arcs and under different conditions, and analyzes the hazardous effects on batteries. The results indicate that stable arcs can be generated in batteries with different states of charge (SOC) when the system voltage is 200 V and the circuit current is 2C. At the same time, the arc can melt the battery casing to form holes, leading to electrolyte leakage, and triggering battery short-circuit and open-circuit failures. The research findings of this study fill a gap in the field of battery system arc safety and are of vital importance for enhancing the safety performance of arc protection.