Speakers: Brendan McCarrick, PE, CFEI & Zelda Zhao, EIT
Join us on April 3rd at 3:00 PM EST for this upcoming webinar with Brendan McCarrick and Zelda Zhao. This study aimed to develop a methodology for characterizing health and environmental impacts of large-scale, outdoor, lithium-ion battery energy storage systems (BESS) thermal runaway events. Health impact was characterized by evaluating concentrations of gaseous emissions that could be inhaled by first responders and the nearby communities. Environmental impact was characterized by modeling deposition of particulates containing metal produced during thermal runaway. A literature review was conducted to identify toxic gas and metal yields produced during flaming and non-flaming thermal runaway, as well as mass loss rates, gas temperature, gas velocity, typical BESS unit capacity and dimensions, and event durations. Lithium-iron-phosphate and nickel-manganese-cobalt cell chemistries were assessed. The BESS unit thermal runaway events were modeled in Fire Dynamics Simulator to analyze near-field toxic gas concentrations with a bounding analysis for wind and ambient temperature. The thermal runaway events were also modeled in AERMOD to analyze the far-field toxic gas concentrations and particulate deposition without varying weather between simulations. Toxic gas concentrations were evaluated using Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health values for occupational exposure and the Protective Action Criteria for Chemicals hierarchy values (Acute Exposure Guideline Levels- Level 1, Emergency Response Planning Guidelines- Level 1, Temporary Emergency Exposure Limits- Level 1) for community exposure. Metal concentrations were evaluated using the LC50 and EC50 guidelines for aquatic and soil toxicity.
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