A new quantitative approach for safety assessment of lithium battery by establishing potential field model

The quantitative assessment of lithium battery safety is crucial for ensuring the stable and efficient operation of electric vehicles. Current evaluation methods are constrained by the complex mechanical, electrical, and thermal characteristics of lithium batteries, and although many approaches have achieved quantitative safety characterization, challenges remain regarding continuous safety evaluation, computational burden, and effective multi-signal integration. To overcome these limitations, this paper introduces a novel method for quantifying lithium battery safety using potential field theory. This approach establishes a battery safety domain model based on monitorable signals, particularly expansion signals. The model has the potential to be integrated into future battery management systems (BMS) to trigger an alarm when the safety value falls below a user-defined threshold, determined by the tolerance and behavioral characteristics of the cells. The feasibility and applicability of this model are validated under simulated driving conditions, offering a lightweight and continuously quantifiable assessment framework for lithium battery safety in automotive applications.