Explosion-Proof Enclosure Failure to Contain a Lithium-Ion Battery Thermal Runaway

Details

• Journal Article:
  Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration
• Personal Author:
  Dubaniewicz, Thomas H. Jr.
• Description:
  Gassy underground mines commonly use explosion-proof (XP) enclosures to enclose electrical ignition sources to prevent the propagation of an internal methane-air explosion to a surrounding explosive atmosphere. Researchers at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducted a lithium-ion battery thermal runaway test within a modified MSHA-approved XP enclosure to investigate thermal runaway containment. Thermal runaway produced jet flames emanating from the cover joint at several locations and distorted the cover joint and bottom plate of the enclosure beyond allowable limits per U.S. Code of Federal Regulations. The case study demonstrates that, under the specific conditions tested, XP enclosures may not provide adequate explosion protection against lithium-ion battery thermal runaway. This paper also explores some approaches to mitigate the hazard. Underground battery electric truck deployments and fires are reviewed. The findings and conclusions from this study are based on a limited sample set investigated under specific conditions.
• Subjects:
  Mining Motor Vehicles Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Batteries; Lithium-ion; Thermal Runaway; Explosion Proof; Flame Proof Mining Industry; Batteries; Mining Equipment; Explosion Protection; Mine Gases; Underground Mines; Motor Vehicles; Case Studies;
• Source:
  Min Metall Explor 2025 Aug; 42(4):2499-2506
• ISSN:
  2524-3462
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Pennsylvania ; Philadelphia Region [OSHA]
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  PMRD - Pittsburgh Mining Research Division
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  8 pdf pages
• Volume:
  42
• Issue:
  4
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20071371
• Contact Point Address:
  Thomas H. Dubaniewicz. Pittsburgh Mining Research Division (PMRD), The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Pittsburgh, PA, USA
• Email:
  Tcd5@cdc.gov
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2025
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:4f1d4d725f5f998254bd8fff84235398992ee7bfd3daf286d27ac5349bfca3f8d6a3025091e69d39ee45979678ceb1459014b8f6de2b9f8ef5f613ce3347dcaa
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/258846/cdc_258846_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.44 MB ]