Calorimetry is a branch of thermodynamics that deals with heat transfer quantification. Heat can be transferred during a variety of processes, such as chemical reactions, phase changes, or dissolution of solutes in a solvent. Calorimetry follows the first law of thermodynamics, which states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred.
What is Calorimetry?
Calorimetry is an invaluable tool for a wide range of applications in science and industry. For example, in the chemical industry, calorimetry is routinely used to determine the potential risks of chemical reactions. Exothermic reactions can result in temperature and pressure inside the reaction where the process occurs. The results of this increase can be catastrophic, like causing explosions.
Accelerated Rate Calorimetry (ARC)
Adiabatic testing method used to analyse the thermal stability, decomposition, and runaway potential of chemicals, explosives, and batteries.
Isothermal Calorimetry
Isothermal calorimetry, a non-abusive and non-destructive technique, provides fundamental information to quantify accurately [1]:
- Endothermic and exothermic events, expressed in power (W) and energy (kJ)
- Heat release/uptake profiles during charge/discharge
- Thermal hotspots across cells and modules
- Changes in thermal behavior over repeated cycles (aging and degradation)
References
See also: Physics of Thermal Runaway, Thermal Runaway Modelling at Cell Level, Measuring Specific Heat Capacity