UL RESEARCH iNSTITUTE dISCOVERIES IN sAFETY sCIENCE gRANTS pROGRAM: rOBOTIC gAS sENSING sYSTEM FOR bess

The research focuses on developing dynamic (spatial and temporal) gas sensing capabilities enabled by a movable sensor suite to detect the small volumes of gases released during the early stages of cell failure, also known as first venting.

The mobile system will carry a comprehensive sensor suite that, by periodically patrolling the space and visiting “suspicious spots” with higher frequency, can cover a large area in the proximity of the vent plenum shared by many modules in BESS racks.

The concept will advance the safety science in lithium-ion batteries by novelly integrating diagnostics from the battery management system and gas sensing. It will leverage existing commercial gas sensors and magnify situational awareness.

“Our focus has broader societal implications by preparing frontline communities to respond to battery fires,” said Anna G. Stefanopoulou of the University of Michigan, who is the principal investigator for this project. “Specifically, a demonstration of the robotic sensing system during BESS failures with benign smoke will allow us to engage community colleges, leveraging ongoing educational activities for auto technicians. The combination of robotics, sensing, and battery technology will advance the science of safety.”

“Orchestrating the laboratory experiments and measurements with batteries venting under realistic BESS conditions as envisioned in Fig. 1 has been very challenging but also rewarding,” said Carlos Micó Reche, assistant professor at Polytechnic University of Valencia in Spain.

Along with Stefanopoulou and Micó Reche, the international research team also includes Jason B. Siegel, research associate professor at the University of Michigan and Antonio García Martínez, full professor and researcher at Polytechnic University of Valencia and leader of the Battery Research Group at the Clean Mobility & Thermofluids Institute in Spain. They will work with scientists from the Electrochemical Safety Research institute, consisting of Judy Jeevarajan (Vice President and Executive Director), Wan Si Tang (Director of Research), Vallabha Rao Rikka (Research Scientist), and Bicy Kottathodi (Research Scientist). 

The team is supported by several industry partners such as Amphenol and Li-ion Tamer with state-of-the-art sensors and expertise in BESS installations.

"The topic of early and dynamic gas sensing, which can provide an early warning of thermal runaway events or their aftermath, was chosen for this grant at a critical time,” said Judy Jeevarajan, Vice President and Executive Director of Electrochemical Safety at UL Research Institutes. “Around the world, large energy storage systems have been experiencing dangerous failures, putting first responders, firefighters, and the environment at risk.”

This research will help determine if early warnings can be used to trigger mitigations and offer crucial details about the combustibility and toxicity hazards from these failures, information that is vital for the safety of those on the front lines. The researchers will share their findings with everyone who needs this knowledge as part of UL Research Institutes’ commitment to open science.

“Research is the foundation of scientific advancement,” said Chris Cramer, Ph.D., UL Research Institutes interim president and chief research officer. “As a global safety science leader, we embrace our responsibility to help build a safer, healthier, more sustainable world, but we cannot do this alone. We rely on collaborative research and discovery from the scientific community. Today, we celebrate ten brilliant minds and the recipients of the Discoveries in Safety Science Grants Program for their work dedication to advance a better future for all.”

Through the Discoveries in Safety Science Grants Program, UL Research Institutes will fund 10 research projects up to $200,000 per year for up to three years in a variety of safety science focus areas including sustainability, individual and societal health and promoting safety at the human-digital interface.

For more information on the UL Research Institutes Discoveries in Safety Grants Program, visit ul.org/research/partnerships/discoveries-in-safety-grants.

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