Battbee: A Novel Equivalent Circuit Model to Capture Thermal Runaway Induced by Internal Short Circuits

Lithium-ion batteries are the enabling power sources for transportation electrification. However, in real-world applications, they are subject to the risks of internal short circuits (ISCs) and thermal runaway (TR). This paper presents a novel equivalent circuit model named BattBee to capture ISC and subsequently triggered TR. Building upon the nonlinear double capacitor model proposed in [1], this model includes a mechanism to simulate ISCs ranging from micro to major scales, predicts its impacts on the terminal voltage and surface temperature, and describes the TR process. The proposed model is validated through experimental data, demonstrating their physical interpretability and potential for efficient yet accurate simulation of ISC-induced TR of lithium-ion batteries. The proposed model will find use in early detection of ISC and TR within lithiumion batteries to improve the safety of electric vehicles and other related applications.