A team of researchers from Titan Advanced Energy Solutions and Carnegie Mellon University have studied a method for identifying and preventing thermal runaway in lithium-ion batteries and described some of its benefits.

The research examined Titan Advanced Energy Solution’s ultrasound-based thermal runaway early warning technology. “Titan’s work is centered on developing an ultrasound-based early warning system that monitors transmitted and reflected signals through a battery or pack,” says the company.

In an article published in the Journal of Power Sources, the researchers write: “In this work, we show that this ultrasound methodology can detect potentially dangerous conditions rapidly after they were experimentally induced, consistent with venting and accidental overcharge in 0.950 Ah commercial battery cells, demonstrating the feasibility of generating actionable alarms, well in advance of a catastrophic failure.”

“In slightly more detail, it was demonstrated that two types of alarms could be generated, an early indication that a battery has entered an abnormal state and an emergency-stop to register that a battery has entered a condition almost certain to lead to a catastrophic failure,” say the researchers.

According to Titan Advanced Energy Solutions, its technology is currently undergoing testing by three battery cell manufacturers and four EV makers. The company anticipates the technology becoming available in early 2023.

Source: Titan Advanced Energy Solutions