Numerical investigation of the influence of thermal runaway modelling on car park fire hazard and application to a Lithium-ion Manganese Oxide battery

This article presents numerical simulations of a Nissan LEAF 2011 electric car fire inside a concrete parking facility. Variations in the thermo-chemical properties of thermal runaway are analysed, and the way they affect the heat received by the concrete structure and a nearby parked vehicle is evaluated. Three key parameters are identified: the composition of the gas flowing through the pressure vent, the associated flow rate, and the peak heat release rate. These parameters are established independently, and the model is closed by adjusting the stoichiometry of the combustion reaction of the vented gas. Four simulations are conducted to capture the uncertainty. The net heat flux and surface temperature on the concrete and on a neighbouring parked car are monitored during each simulation. The study includes a sensitivity analysis of the impact of input variables on the net heat fluxes and surface temperatures, and investigations are carried out to understand the role of internal heat release. Variations in the gaseous mixture composition, heat release rate, and internal heat release have little impact on the resulting thermal conditions around the burning car because the combustion of the polymers in the passenger cabin drives the total heat release rate.