While thermal runaway characterization and prediction is an important aspect of lithium-ion battery engineering and development, it is a requirement to ensure that a battery system can be safe under normal operations and during failure events. This study investigated the current existing literature regarding lithium-ion battery thermal runaway characterization and predictive modeling methods. A thermal model for thermal runaway prediction was adapted from the literature and is presented in this paper along with a comparison of empirical data and predicted data using the model. Empirical data were collected from a Samsung 30Q 18650 cylindrical cell and from a large 20 Ah pouch cell format using accelerated rate calorimetry. The predictive model was executed in a macro-enabled Microsoft Excel workbook for simplicity and accessibility for the public. The primary purpose of using more primitive modeling software was to provide an accurate model that was generally accessible without the purchase of or training in a specific modeling software package. The modes of heat transfer during the thermal runaway event were studied and are reported in this work, along with insights on thermal management during a thermal runaway failure event.

This study investigates the technical feasibility and quantifies the technical potential of using a chemical-absorption heat pump to upgrade thermal energy from nuclear reactors to be used for high temperature thermal processes. Presently, high temperature industrial process heat is produced on-site through combustion of fossil fuels or use of grid electricity by resistance heating. These two methods either generate significant amounts of greenhouse gas emissions or waste large amounts of energy through multiple thermal-electrical conversions. Co-location of a small modular reactor (SMR) and an industrial thermal process can significantly improve energy efficiency with less carbon emissions. Chemical heat pumps can be used to create a thermal pathway between the nuclear reactor and the industrial process when there is a temperature mismatch. In this work, we present a calcium oxide hydration reaction based chemical heat pump paired with a lithium bromide-water absorption cycle to efficiently boost heat from a nuclear reactor for high temperature thermal processes. A steady state thermodynamic analysis reveals second law efficiencies above 0.7 for input temperatures of 325°C to 375°C and output temperatures from 500°C to 800°C. The system size is greatly dependent on the dehydration temperature from the nuclear reactor and pressure drop between the dehydration bed and LiBr - H₂O absorber.