Celina J. Mikolajczak, P.E.

A mechanical engineer by training, Ms. Mikolajczak specializes in the thermal sciences; particularly, the areas of heat transfer, fire propagation, smoldering, pyrolysis, metal ignition and burning, and fire suppression. She has conducted studies on the specific fire hazards related to batteries, sources of smoldering ignition, and oxygen systems. Ms. Mikolajczak has investigated the cause and origin of fires that have occurred in a variety of settings, including industrial structures, residential structures, automobiles, and wildlands. In addition, she has conducted numerous investigations on the causes of fires initiated by batteries in consumer products such as laptops, cell phones, MP3 players, and toys. These investigations have often included detailed examination of batteries and battery manufacturing processes in order to identify use patterns or manufacturing issues that could lead to battery failures. She has also conducted studies to assess heat exposure damage to industrial machinery, and the potential for skin burns resulting from contact with hot solid materials.

Prior to joining Exponent, Ms. Mikolajczak was a Research Assistant at the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department of Princeton University. She studied the pyrolysis chemistry of aromatic hydrocarbons, an area relevant to emissions from the burning of practical fuels, and designed and constructed a high temperature laminar flow reactor for investigation of the pyrolysis chemistry of aromatic fuels. As part of her graduate work, Ms. Mikolajczak taught mechanical design, introductory combustion, and mathematics classes. Prior to attending Princeton University, Ms. Mikolajczak was a Field Engineer with Schlumberger Well Services in Louisiana. In this capacity, she directed wireline-logging operations at customer well sites. The resulting logs were critical to client assessments regarding oil and gas production and capacity.

Mikolajczak C, Harmon J, Wu M. Lithium plating in commercial lithium-ion cells: Observations and analysis of causes. Proceedings, Batteries 2009 – The International Power Supply Conference and Exhibition, French Riviera, September 30–October 2, 2009.

Harmon J, Godithi R, Mikolajczak C, Wu M. Computed tomography imaging as applied to primary cell evaluation. Battery Power Products and Technology 2009; 13(5):15.

Stewart S, Horn Q, Mikolajczak C, White K, Budiansky N, Wu M. Optimizing design, charging algorithm, and predicting useful life by electrochemical modeling. Proceedings, The 9th International Advanced Automotive Battery & EC Capacitor Conference, Long Beach, CA, June 10–12, 2009.

Mikolajczak C, Harmon J, Stewart S, Arora A, Horn Q, White K, Wu M. Mechanisms of latent internal cell fault formation: Screening and real time detection approaches. Proceedings, Space Power Workshop, Manhattan Beach, CA, April 20–23, 2009.

Hayes T, Mikolajczak C, Megerle M, Wu M, Gupta S, Halleck P. Use of CT scanning for defect detection in lithium ion batteries. Proceedings, 26th International Battery Seminar & Exhibit for Primary & Secondary Batteries, Small Fuel Cells, and Other Technologies, Fort Lauderdale, FL, March 16–19, 2009.

Mikolajczak C, Stewart S, Harmon, J, Horn, Q, White K, Wu M, Mechanisms of latent internal cell fault formation and opportunities for detection. Proceedings, 2008 NASA Aerospace Battery Workshop, Huntsville, AL, November 18–20, 2008.

Mikolajczak C, Stewart S, Harmon, J, Horn, Q, White K, Wu M. Mechanisms of latent internal cell fault formation. Proceedings, 9th BATTERIES Exhibition and Conference, Nice, France, October 8–10, 2008.

Harmon J, Li H, Tang S, Mikolajczak C, Wu M. Pre-manufacture safety analysis: battery cell responses to simulated pack and system impact loading. Proceedings, 2nd IEEE International Interdisciplinary Conference on Portable Information Devices, August 17–20, 2008.

Mikolajczak CJ, Taylor PM. A method for assessing the potential for a dermal burn hazard from malfunctioning consumer electronic devices. J Burn Care Res 2008; 29(2):338–345.

Mikolajczak C, Harmon J, Hayes T, Megerle M, White K, Horn Q, Wu M. Li-ion battery cell failure analysis: The significance of surviving features on copper current collectors in cells that have experienced thermal runaway. Proceedings, 25th International Battery Seminar & Exhibit for Primary & Secondary Batteries, Small Fuel Cells, and Other Technologies, Fort Lauderdale, FL, March 17–20, 2008.

Mikolajczak CJ, Hayes T, Megerle MV, Wu M. A scientific methodology for investigation of a lithium ion battery failure. IEEE Portable 2007 International Conference on Portable Information Devices, IEEE No. 1-4244-1039-8/07, Orlando, FL, March 2007.

Mikolajczak CJ, Moore CD. The aircraft cargo hold environment: The implications of a fire on lithium-ion battery shipments. IEEE AESS Systems Magazine, pp. 23–28, October 2002.

Mikolajczak CJ, Moore CD. The aircraft cargo hold environment: The implications of a fire on lithium-ion battery shipments. Proceedings, 17th Annual Battery Conference on Applications and Advances, Long Beach, CA, pp. 209–214, 2002.

Mikolajczak CJ, Wornat MJ, Vernaglia BA, Kalish MA. Detection of Benz[f]indene among the pyrolysis products of coal and anthracene. Energy and Fuels 1999; 13(5):1092–1096.

Mikolajczak CJ, Wornat MJ, Dryer FL, Fringer OB, Held TJ. A flow reactor study of 1-Methyl-Naphthalene pyrolysis using a new condensed species sampling probe. Fall Technical Meeting, East, States Sec. Combustion Institute, Hilton Head, SC, pp. 183–186, December 1996.

Published Abstracts of Presentations

Mikolajczak CJ, Swart J. Lithium ion batteries: Assessment and investigation. IEEE Product Safety Engineering Society, Santa Clara Valley Chapter Meeting, Santa Clara, CA, November 2005.

Mikolajczak CJ, Livesey CE, Guran S, Wornat MJ. A high temperature laminar flow reactor for the pyrolysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. 27th International Symposium on Combustion, Boulder, CO, July 1998.

Selected Invited Presentations

Mikolajczak C, Hayes T, Wu M. Lithium-ion cell faults & HEV cells. 2009 EV Li-Ion Battery Forum (Shanghai), Post-Conference Workshop, September 4, 2009.

Mikolajczak C, Stewart S, Harmon, J, Horn, Q, White K, Wu M. Mechanisms of latent internal cell fault formation. Extended talk at the Extended Battery Life Workshop Meeting, Taipei, Taiwan, October 22, 2008.

Mikolajczak C, Wu M. Toward detection of internal cell faults prior to thermal runaway: Summary and update. The Extended Battery Life Workshop Meeting, Redmond, Washington, DC, July 15, 2008.

Mikolajczak C, Wu M. Toward detection of internal cell faults prior to thermal runaway: Update. The Extended Battery Life Workshop Meeting, Milpitas, CA, April 21, 2008.

Mikolajczak CJ, Slee D, Wu M. Improving lithium ion battery safety. Presented at the Extended Battery Life Working Group Meeting, Tokyo, Japan, February 7, 2007.

Mikolajczak CJ. Causes of Li-Ion internal cell faults. Presented at the IEEE 1625 Meeting , San Jose, CA, November 15, 2006.

Mikolajczak CJ. Causes of Li-ion internal cell faults. Presented at the Portable Rechargeable Battery Association Membership Meeting, Dallas, TX, October 12, 2006.

Mikolajczak CJ, Hayes T, Megerle MV, Wu M. Li-Ion internal cell faults. Presented at the Extended Battery Life Working Group Meeting, San Jose, CA, October 4, 2006.

Mikolajczak CJ, Moore D. The aircraft cargo hold environment: The implications of a fire on Lithium-Ion battery shipments. 17th Annual Battery Conference on Applications and Advances, Long Beach, CA, January 2002.

Mikolajczak CJ, Fringer OB, Held TJ, Wornat MJ, Dryer FL. A new condensed species sampling probe for flow reactor studies of polycyclic aromatic compounds. 26th International Symposium on Combustion, Naples, Italy, July 1996.

Technical Reports

Anderson L, Mikolajczak CJ, Long RT, Paustenbach D. A review of CBHF proposed Technical Bulletin 603. Exponent, April 2003.

Mikolajczak CJ, Moore D. A study of passenger aircraft cargo hold environments. Exponent Failure Analysis Associates, Inc., May 2001.

Mikolajczak CJ, Taylor P, Heberer C. Cell phone usage at gasoline stations. Exponent Failure Analysis Associates, Inc., December 1999.

Conducted numerous failure analysis investigations of lithium ion, lithium polymer, nickel metal hydride, lead acid, and lithium primary batteries. In many instances the failed batteries have been severely damaged, and investigation methods were developed to identify the point of failure so that changes could be made in manufacturing processes to prevent further failures

Conducted design reviews of lithium ion and lithium polymer cells and battery packs.

Conducted numerous studies related to fire and transport safety of lithium ion batteries and batteries of other chemistries.

Prepared and presented material for Consumer Product Safety Commission meetings discussing whether various products should or should not be recalled due to a potential safety hazard.

Conducted studies on smoldering ignition of fabrics and upholstered furnishings. These studies have focused on the effect of alkali metal ion concentration within the fabric and substrate fibers, and have included developing fabrics with controlled alkali metal ion concentrations and cigarette ignition propensity values.

Conducted contact burn hazard assessments on a variety of consumer electronic devices where field failures were causing exterior surfaces to heat. The assessments were conducted to determine whether a field failure would posed a burn hazard to a consumer. Examples of the devices examined include: mobile phones, MP3 players, plug in air fresheners, and computer accessories.

Studied apparel fabric flame ignition behavior to determine whether specific items of clothing complied with various flammability standards.

Investigated the cause of fires in enriched oxygen environments, and particularly the kindling chains that were associated with ignitions. In some cases, these fires have involved the ignition of metal components such as medical oxygen regulators.

Conducted fire cause and origin investigations on fires that have occurred in a variety of settings including residential, commercial, industrial, laboratory, vehicle, and wild-land locations. Some identified causes have included arson, overheating equipment, electrical arcing, candles, and sparks caused by friction.

• The Combustion Institute (member)
• American Society of Mechanical Engineers (member)
• National Fire Protection Association (member)