Latest news with #thermalrunaway
The Drive
4 days ago
- Automotive
- The Drive
Here's Why GM Designed a Gas Exhaust for EVs
The latest car news, reviews, and features. Every few months, it seems like somebody comes along and tries to put an exhaust system on an electric vehicle. Dodge's physical sound generator is perhaps the most novel attempt at something we'd consider a traditional 'exhaust,' but GM just patented something that is long on function and short on form. It's an emergency exhaust designed to head off a rare but catastrophic condition known as thermal runaway. Under normal circumstances, an EV only emits heat, rendering a traditional exhaust system pointless. Too much heat, however, is a potentially serious problem. Thermal runaway happens when, as a result of defect or damage, the battery begins to generate more heat than its cooling system can disperse, starting a chain-reaction effect that produces flammable gasses. It's the precursor to everybody's favorite electrified euphemism, the 'thermal event.' You know, fire. Salt water warning 😳 byu/Sir-Kyle-Of-Reddit inelectricvehicles GM's patent describes a system designed to help prevent thermal runaway from instigating a thermal event. To call it an 'exhaust' seems a bit generous; it's more like an elaborate wastegate. Essentially, it consists of a series of valves and/or caps that physically release the hot, combustible gases being generated within the malfunctioning battery cells and shunt them through a series of baffles that divert them away from adjacent cells and into a central exhaust chamber, where they're vented to the atmosphere, removing heat from the pack and eliminating potential ignition sources all in one go. While the greatest threat of fire would come from within the EV's battery, GM doesn't address the fact that it would expel combustible gases into what could be a chaotic, post-accident environment. Stellantis applied for a patent on a similar system earlier this year that incorporated a scrubber (akin to a catalytic converter) to remove unwanted components of the expelled mixture. Functionally, what GM has designed here has more in common with that emergency relief valve hanging off the side of your water heater than it does with a traditional internal-combustion exhaust system. But, it is technically an exhaust system. Ideally, a car equipped with such an 'exhaust' would never utilize it. But in the event of an accident or a defective/damaged battery, it could mean the difference between replacing a dead pack and rebuilding a burned-down garage—or home. Sounds like a winner. Got tips? Send 'em to tips@
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Boyd to Exhibit at The Battery Show Europe 2025 in Stuttgart, Germany
Showcasing Boyd's Latest Innovation to Enable More Durable Thermal Runaway Prevention and Containment Solutions for Safer, More Powerful eMobility Batteries STUTTGART, Germany, May 29, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Boyd, a leader in battery thermal propagation prevention and thermal runaway containment technology, will exhibit at The Battery Show Europe, taking place June 3 – 5, 2025 in Stuttgart, Germany. Boyd experts will be on site to discuss how its battery technologies proactively and safely prevent and contain battery thermal runaway events. Boyd employs multi-functional, complex solutions designed for cell-to-cell application that absorb impact, vibration and movement, dissipate cell heat, and act as a barrier to quickly isolate extreme heat or flame in the unlikely event battery safety design features fail to prevent cell-to-cell thermal runaway propagation. Boyd technologies maintain homogenous temperatures across battery cells, enable faster charge / discharge cycles, reduce battery overheating, and isolate and prevent catastrophic battery damage. Experts will also be available to discuss how customers can leverage Boyd's new state-of-the-art Battery Material Safety Lab announced last month. Boyd is helping customers safely accelerate battery design and time-to-market as a one-stop-shop to design, validate, and manufacture integrated thermal runaway prevention technologies. "Boyd has exhibited at The Battery Show Europe for many years, and we are honored to continue our participation in 2025," said Kevin Kettler, Boyd Chief Transformation Officer. "This event is a valuable opportunity for global OEMs, tier suppliers, and industry innovators to regionally collaborate and address the evolving challenges European eMobility battery designers face today. We are helping regional eMobility leaders design thermal runaway prevention and containment solutions that enhance battery safety and reliability." Visit Boyd at booth 10-B16 to learn more about its innovative thermal runaway prevention and containment solutions. About Boyd Boyd is the trusted global innovator of sustainable solutions that make our customers' products better, safer, faster, and more reliable. Our innovative engineered materials and thermal solutions advance our customers' technology to maximize performance in the world's most advanced data centers; enhance reliability and extend range for electric and autonomous vehicles; advance the accuracy of cutting-edge personal healthcare and diagnostic systems; enable performance-critical aircraft and security technologies; and accelerate innovation in next-generation electronics and human-machine-interface. Core to Boyd's global manufacturing is a deep commitment to protecting the environment with sustainable, scalable, lean, strategically located regional operations that reduce waste and minimize carbon footprint. We empower our employees, develop their potential, and inspire them to do the right things with integrity and accountability to champion our customers' success. Visit us at View source version on Contacts Amie Jeffries, 2094092476 Sign in to access your portfolio
BBC News
16-05-2025
- BBC News
E-bike lithium batteries 'fastest growing' fire risk
Lithium batteries present the "fastest growing" risk of fires, a Welsh fire and rescue service has said. The batteries, and specifically lithium-ion batteries, are used to power a number of devices including e-bikes and scooters and their chargers, mobile phones, laptops and e-vapes. Campaigning charity Electrical Safety First said fires caused by substandard e-scooter and e-bike batteries were "tearing through homes" and want stricter rules to be introduced around their sale to reduce the UK government said it was updating product safety laws around the batteries to help keep people safe and taking action at ports and borders to stop unsafe products reaching consumers. The warning comes after seven people were taken to hospital earlier this month when a house fire in Cardiff was started by a lithium-ion battery-powered scooter. "The primary risk around these scooters is actually lithium-ion batteries and the thermal runaway that can happen from that," Marc Davies, home safety manager from South Wales Fire and Rescue Service (SWFRS), said. A thermal runaway is an accelerating increase in temperature caused by chemical reactions which can lead to fire, explosion and "unpredictable fire behaviour", according to the UK's National Fire Chiefs Council. According to South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, there were 136 fires involving lithium-ion batteries in south Wales from April 2020 to March 2025, with 100 recorded in the last two those reported fires over the last five years:30 people were injured with 24 of these occurring in the last two years49 were accidental dwelling fires, with 34 of these occurring in the last two years. One of these incidents led to a fatality linked to a fire involving a fault in a battery the 136 incidents, 39 involved an e-scooter or an e-bike with 25 of these incidents occurring in the last two years. These led to 13 people being injured, 10 of which occurred in the last two were 16 accident dwelling fires in south Wales which involved an e-scooter or an e-bike with 10 of these occurring in the last two years. These incidents led to five people injured with three of these occurring in the last two years In mid and west Wales, there were 26 incidents involving lithium batteries from 1 April 2020 to 5 May 2025. Four of these incidents involved e-bikes while one involved an e-scooter. Out of the 26 incidents, three people were injured. In north Wales there were 62 incidents from April 2022 to the end of February 2025. During that time seven fires involved an e-bike and four involved an e-scooter, leading to nine injuries. A spokesperson from Electrical Safety First, a charity which aims to reduce deaths and injuries caused by electricity in UK homes, said fires caused by substandard e-scooter and e-bike batteries were "tearing through homes", putting lives at risk and causing "immense" damage to property. "These fires are especially dangerous due to the huge amount of energy that is released if a fully charged e-scooter or e-bike battery fails, triggering a process called thermal runaway which is almost impossible to stop once it has started," they charity is now urging the UK government to use the new product regulation and metrology bill to introduce stricter rules around the sale of batteries for e-bikes and e-scooters to reduce the risk of a fire. A department for business and trade spokesperson said it took the risk of fires caused by lithium-ion batteries, including those linked to e-bikes and e-scooters, "very seriously". "That's why we launched our 'Buy Safe, Be Safe' campaign to raise awareness of this important issue," they said. "We are also updating our product safety laws to help keep the public safe, as well as taking action at ports and borders to stop unsafe or non-compliant products from reaching consumers." April's e-scooter blaze in Cardiff is not the only recent fire caused by an lithium-ion battery. A year earlier in March 2024, SWFRS warned of the dangers that can be posed by lithium-ion batteries after a fire gutted a family home in Newbridge, Caerphilly county. The family who lived at the house managed to escape unharmed, along with their four to BBC Radio Wales Breakfast, Mr Davies of SWFRS said people should do their research and buy devices, batteries and chargers from reputable retailers. Otherwise there is a risk they can "overheat, catch fire and almost lead to a firework-like explosion", he said. He said other risk factors for e-scooters included wear and tear caused by kerbs, speed bumps and water ingress, having appropriate chargers and the rise of universal chargers. He warned against buying counterfeit goods as they do not meet safety standards. "You can't go wrong with ensuring something is British or UK standard, or European CE certification, and high street versus online have their own set of rules," he said. Natural Resources Wales (NRW) is also urging people to dispose of lithium-ion batteries safely following several fires believed to have been caused by incorrectly discarded damaged or crushed, they can release flammable electrolytes, leading to intense fires at waste fires release harmful gases, and the resulting hazardous smoke can pose serious risks to both humans and the environment, NRW said. Residues from burnt waste can also pollute surface and groundwater, leading to long-term land Brunning, waste regulation and enforcement team leader at NRW, said such fires not only damage the environment "but also put local communities and emergency services at risk".
