MDEC 2019

Ny bild

Advanced Safety System for Advanced Battery Technology

Lithium batteries Andre Barriault and Travis Battley

Safety Aspects In Battery Packs

MDEC 2019

Are Lithium batteries safe to use?

• Used daily by billions of people in many types of

applications
– Consumer electronic devices
– Power tools
– Medical devices
– Automotive applications
– Large-scale energy storage
• Statistical failure rate is low - The statistical failure
rate of this technology is very low. The risk of
failure is comparable to the same risk as getting
struck by lightning during a lifetime - it is rare.
• The risk of a battery failure can be minimized by
correct handling

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Battery packs for underground mining

Second generation battery electric vehicles

Launched 2018

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Scooptram ST14 Battery

Minetruck MT42 Battery

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Boomer E2 Battery

Second Generation

Loaders ST4, ST14, ST18

Drill Rigs MLE family

start with Boomer E2

Truck MT42

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Li-ion batteries
Epiroc´s battery pack design

Minetruck MT42 Scooptram ST14 MLE Carrier

Northvolt battery system safety

2020-01-14
© 2018 Northvolt AB, Strictly Confidential
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• Oscar Fors, President for Northvolt Battery Systems, says: “By meeting the highest functional
and safety standards required by the demanding environment in an underground mine, we
have developed a standard solution that can meet most industrial customer’s needs as well.”

© 2018 by Epiroc. All rights reserved. 11

State of the art safety

Protection against fire in battery cells Protection against rock-fall
• Safe cell chemistry • Thick top plate
• Small cells • Cooling system as crash buffer
• Cylindrical cells • Wire harness, hoses etc. as crash buffer
• Fuse and overpressure vent in each cell
• All cells water cooled and thermally insulated
“Mine-proof”
• Thermal insulation in several higher layers
• Thick steel casing
• Three levels of Battery Management System (BMS)
• Sealed (IP67) modules
• Condensation considered
Mechanical crash protection Protection against fire from outside • Designed for vibration level as machines
Thermal Management System • Fire suppression on machine and in battery pack • Redundancy in battery modules Limp-home mode

System design and cell houseing

Electrical protection (battery and machine)
Battery Management System
• HVIL – Never voltage with open connector or open cover
Battery disconnector (contactors) • Shielded cables
Short-circuit protection (fuse) • Insulation monitoring
• Automatic and manual contactors, with health
Cell design and packaging
monitoring
Cell chemistry

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Li-ion batteries
Battery building blocks for mining applications - From cell to pack

Cell Module Sub-pack Scooptram ST14

4.2 V 2 x 50V 800 V pack
800 V

× 672 = ×8= ×4=

Battery Pack Configurations

MLE - 2 sub-packs = 185 kWh ST14 - 4 sub-packs = 365 kWh MT42 - 5 subpacks = 465 kWh

~3300 kg ~3900 kg
~2000 kg

Cooling system
not included
in the pictures

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Li-ion batteries
General design - Cell chemistries

Typical applications for

Positive electrode material (cathode) different chemistries
Comment Generic name
Less stable than other alternatives LCO
High rate capability LMO
Improved stability compared to LCO NCA
Improved stability compared to LCO NMC*
High stability, but lower cell voltage LFP

Negative electrode material (anode)

Comment Generic name
Most common anode material C*
Extremely high capacity, but poor life time Si
High rate capability, but lower cell voltage LTO

Extremely high capacity, but safety issues Li

*NMC vs. Graphite is the increasingly popular combination

Battery validation

 Batteries are tested against severe abuse conditions in cell/module

and pack level.
 Passing these tests successfully defines battery safety performance.
Typical pass criteria is no explosion or catching fire.

Cell level:
 IEC 62133-2 or IEC 62660
 UN 38.3, 6th ed. (Transportation tests)
 UL 1642 (Standard for Safety for Lithium Batteries)

Battery system level:

 IEC 61619 (Safety requirements for secondary Lithium cells and batteries, for use in
industrial applications)

 UL 2580 (Batteries for use in Electric Vehicles)

2020-01-14
© 2018 Northvolt AB, Strictly Confidential
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Fuses
Fuses breaks the current when the contactors cannot

Fuses on all system levels:

• Pack Fuses
• Sub-pack fuses
• Wirebond fuses on each
cell in the module. Sub-pack and pack fuses

• The current Interrupt Disc

inside cell breaks current
in case of pressure build
up.
• 24 volt control system has Current interrupted if
fuses. pressure builds up

Cells connected via wirebonds

Module
672 cells, 12 kWh 2x44V, 50 kg

Fuses to each cell

Cooling channel

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Battery Management System (BMS)

The brain and nerve system of the battery pack

Rig Control
The BMS is an advanced System (RCS)
BMS Master Unit (BMU)
control system that keeps the
battery in a safe operation
condition.
BMS BMS Cooling System
The BMS monitors: slave slave control unit
• Voltage unit unit
• Current
• Temperature
• Other electrical safety
functions

Battery Battery
Sub-pack Sub-pack
8 module 8 module

RIG CONTROL SYSTEM (RCS)

ONE SYSTEM FOR ALL EPIROC PRODUCTS

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Underground Rock Excavation

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A1

Contactors

• The 800 volt connections on sub-

pack and pack have contactors.
• The contactors open in potentially
unsafe scenarios.
• Examples of when contactors
opens are:
- Ground fault.
- HVIL broken (next page).
- Operation outside specified
voltage, current, or temp. region. Sub-pack Pack
contactor contactor

High Voltage Interlock Loop (HVIL)

Contactors open when dangerous voltage is accessible

• HVIL is an electric control loop

• Contactors open if the loop is broken.
• Switches that opens the HVIL are located at all
interface hatches and panels (see image, and next
slide).
• 800 volt contacts also have built in HVIL
• 800 volt contacts are finger proof

Vehicle Interface
This switch is pressed Hatch
out when the hatch is
opened, thereby
HVIL on connections opening the HVIL.

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Slide 21

A1 Author, 2019-03-13
 MDEC 2019

Contactors open when dangerous voltage is accessible

Hot zones protected by HVIL

2x External cooling system

(double) door
Number of HVIL in the different battery
packs:
• MLE Carrier: 3 HVIL circuit breakers
Pack cover
• Scooptram ST14: 6 HVIL circuit breakers
• Minetruck MT42: 7 HVIL circuit breakers
(highlighted in the image)

Electronics box
External cooling system hatch
Fuse hatch
Vehicle hatch
Overview of the HVIL protection in
the MT42 battery pack

Amphenol power connectors

2
4

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Isolation Monitoring Device (IMD)

Protection from ground faults

• The Isolation Monitoring

Device (IMD) detects the
resistance between:
- Plus (+) and chassis
- Minus (-) and chassis
• Ground fault is detected by
a low resistance.
• In case of ground fault the IM
contactors opens and D
operators and service
personal are protected
from dangerous voltages.
800 volt
connection behind
the hatch

Manual Service Disconnect

An extra layer of safety during service

• A manual service disconnect (MSD) is

located on the user interface panel (see
image)
• Shall be put in its off position during
service.
• Contactors are maintained open when
MSD is, protecting personnel from
dangerous voltages.
• By accessing the service panel, the HVIL is
broken and contactors are open. The MSD
User Interface
adds an additional safety layer, making it
panel
impossible to accidently close the
contactors during service.
• 800 volt machine cables shall be locked on Manual Service
the machine as an additional safety Disconnect
precaution.
• An active discharge circuit discharge any
dangerous voltage on the machine side.

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Thermal management system

• MH built on top of the battery

• Drilling integrated into the battery
• Ensures batteries are working at optimal
temperature range
– Cooling or warming up
– On the vehicle and while charging
• Utilization temperature range
– Approved T 0 – 40°C
– Optimal ambient T 15 – 25°C
– Optimal battery T 20 – 30°C
• Charging preferably at cooler temperatures
– Optimal cell temperature 10 – 30°C
– Never below 0°C

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Enclosure and mechanical protection

Vibration damper feet

• The pack enclosure are

made of thick steel plates
that protect from Protective corners
mechanical impact attached to sub-pack

• A frame keeps sub-packs

in place inside the pack. Sub-pack

• Protective corners protect

the sub-packs
mechanically
• The sub-packs have
vibration dampening feet.

Sliding bars
MT42 pack, top view attached to pack

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The charging interface

Socket and cable, Scooptram ST14, Minetruck MT42 and MLE Carrier

Charging interface - CCS2.0

Battery pack
Charging interface features:
• Charging socket and charging cable are
finger proofed
• The socket and cable are energized Charging socket
only when connected
• Charging socket is protected by a
temperature sensor monitored by the
BMS Charger
• Charing cannot be initiated if the vehicle
is still running
• During charging the cooling system will Charging cable
be activated
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9

Batteries as a service

Instant seamless technology leap – pay per use

Predictable Service & Safety and Future tech Endless

running cost connectivity health proof warranty

30

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Monitoring

Connectivity
Information

Monitoring Warranty

Monitoring Warranty

Plan Service

Reset Fault Software

Codes Updates

Adjust BMS
Plan Service Parameters

Battery Training Matrix

Prototype Verification

Mechanic design

Machine operator
Control System

Electric design

CC Technician
PC Specialist

CC Specialist

CC Transport
CC Storage
PC Analytic
Other R&D

Production

Safety
Shipping
Storage

Sales

Electric
Battery Basics Driveline Battery Basics

Safety
Handling
Maintenance
Battery
Marketing Handling
Electrical Driveline

Marketing Battery
maintenance
GMG Guideline

Design for electrical safety

Electrical safety for workshop Personell

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United. Inspired.
Performance unites us, innovation inspires us,
and commitment drives us to keep moving forward.
Count on Epiroc to deliver the solutions you need
to succeed today and the technology to lead tomorrow.
epiroc.com

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