Lithium-ion cell thermal runaway is a hazardous condition in which a cell undergoes rapid exothermic decomposition reactions. It leads to a rapid temperature rise and causes the cell to eventually lose mechanical and thermal stability. At the moment of thermal runaway, temperatures are commonly observed in excess of 1000 °C. This condition can be induced by mechanical failure, thermal failure, electrical abuse, and internal defects. 

Cell-to-cell propagation (thermal runaway propagation) occurs when the heat from a single thermal runaway cell raises the temperature of adjacent cells beyond critical temperature thresholds, triggering a chain reaction that spreads throughout the battery pack. Without effective thermal management, this self-sustaining failure can lead to complete battery pack failure, fire, or explosion, posing significant safety risks in aerospace, defense, electric vehicles, and other high-reliability applications.

Thermal Runaway Shield™ (TRS) is an advanced passive thermal management solution designed to prevent thermal runaway propagation in lithium-ion battery packs. Developed to meet the safety demands of aerospace, defense, and electric vehicle applications, TRS acts as a vaporizing thermal capacitor, effectively mitigating the spread of thermal runaway between battery cells. By introducing a coolant to the trigger cell area, the system leverages an endothermic vaporization process that absorbs excess heat. It prevents adjacent cells from exceeding 100 °C, a critical threshold well below the 130 °C danger zone where propagation becomes likely. The lightweight, NASA-tested solution, enhances the safety and reliability of battery packs ranging from 10s to 1000s of cells, making it ideal for most lithium-ion battery applications.