Inhibition performances of lithium-ion battery pack fires by fine water mist in an energy-storage cabin: A simulation study

Abstract

Fire incidents in energy storage stations are frequent, posing significant firefighting safety risks. To simulate the fire characteristics and inhibition performances by fine water mist for lithium-ion battery packs in an energy-storage cabin, the PyroSim software is used to build a 1:1 experimental geometry model of a containerized lithium-ion energy storage cabin. The simulation reveals five stages and their characteristic parameter variations during a fire incident: initial temperature rise, flame generation, flame spread, stable combustion, and flame extinguishment. By adjusting various parameters of the fine water mist, the design of the fine water mist firefighting system for containerized energy storage units is optimized. The simulation results indicate that the optimal inhibition effect for the energy storage cabin's fine water mist firefighting system is achieved when the spray intensity is ≥24 l/min, the fog cone angle is 76°, nozzle velocity is 10 m/s, and the optimal particle size of the fine water mist is 50 μm. The research findings not only provide a rational method and theoretical guidance for the numerical simulation of thermal runaway in lithium batteries but also offer theoretical data support for the safety design and protection of future energy storage cabins.