Experimental investigation on thermal performance of silica cooling plate‐aluminate thermal plate‐coupled forced convection‐based pouch battery thermal management system

The power battery as an indispensable part of electric vehicle has attracted much attention in recent years. Among these, the lithium‐ion battery is the most important option due to the high energy density, good stability, and low discharge rate. However, the thermal safety problem of lithium‐ion battery cannot be ignored. Therefore, it is very necessary to explore an effective thermal management system for battery module. Here, a thermal silica cooling plate‐aluminate thermal plate (SCP‐ATP) coupling with forced convection air cooling system as a thermal management system is proposed for improving the cooling performance of pouch battery module. The results reveal that the heat dissipating performance and temperature uniformity of pouch battery module with SCP‐ATP are greatly improved compared with other thermal management systems. Moreover, the highest temperature can be controlled below 50°C, and the temperature differences can be maintained with 3°C when the SCP‐ATP coupling forced convection is utilized to enhance the heat transfer coefficient. Furthermore, considering the cooling effectiveness and consumption cost comprehensively, the optimal air velocity of the SCP‐ATP coupling forced convection cooling system is 9 m/s. In addition, the SCP‐ATP filling with different proportions of acetone has also been investigated for pouch battery module, indicating that 50% acetone exhibited a better heat transfer effect than the 30% one. Therefore, this research would provide a significant value in the design and optimization of thermal management systems for battery module.     

Prediction of thermal runaway and thermal management requirements in cylindrical Li‐ion cells in realistic scenarios

Li‐ion cells suffer from significant safety and performance problems due to overheating and thermal runaway. Effective thermal management can lead to increased energy conversion efficiency and energy storage density. Critical needs towards these goals include the capability to predict thermal behavior in extreme conditions and determine thermal management requirements to prevent thermal runaway. This paper presents an experimentally validated theoretical model to predict the temperature distribution in a cell in response to nonlinear heat generation rate that is known to occur during thermal runaway. This problem is solved by linearization of the nonlinear term over successive time intervals. Experimental measurements carried out on a thermal test cell in conditions similar to thermal runaway show good agreement with the theoretical model. Experimental measurements and model predictions indicate strong dependence of the fate of the cell on its reaction kinetics, thermal properties, and ambient conditions. Specifically, a sudden change in thermal runaway behavior is predicted once the ambient temperature crosses a certain threshold, consistent with past experimental observations. The impact of increasing cell thermal conductivity on improved thermal runaway performance is quantified. Results presented here provide a fundamental understanding of thermal runaway, and may lead to improved performance and safety of Li‐ion–based energy conversion and storage systems.     

Performance of serpentine channel based Li-ion battery thermal management system: An experimental investigation

Thermal management of large-scale Li-ion battery packs is of great significance to their safety and life cycle, which would impact their applicability in electric vehicles. Of the many strategies developed for this purpose, indirect liquid cooling has already demonstrated quite high potentials in thermal regulation of such battery systems. In this study, a compact lightweight serpentine wavy channel configuration was chosen to construct an indirect liquid cooling system for a battery module of cylindrical Li-ion cells. The serpentine channel has a number of six internal minichannels. Experimental test data were used to conduct a comprehensive thermal analysis to examine the highest temperature, the maximum temperature difference, and the heat accumulation percentages, and so forth within the battery pack. Results have revealed the ability of the cooling system to maintain the module temperature within appropriate working conditions for electric vehicle applications for most cycling tests including two driving cycles. Furthermore, the analysis insights raised by this study could be useful in understanding the cooling performance of the liquid-based thermal management systems for electric vehicles.     

Modeling of steady‐state and transient thermal performance of a Li‐ion cell with an axial fluidic channel for cooling

Thermal management of Li‐ion cells is an important technological problem for energy conversion and storage. Effective dissipation of heat generated during the operation of a Li‐ion cell is critical to ensure safety and performance. In this paper, thermal performance of a cylindrical Li‐ion cell with an axial channel for coolant flow is analyzed. Analytical expressions are derived for steady‐state and transient temperature fields in the cell. The analytical models are in excellent agreement with finite‐element simulation results. The dependence of the temperature field on various geometrical and thermal characteristics of the cell is analyzed. It is shown that coolant flow through even a very small diameter axial channel results in significant thermal benefit. The trade‐off between thermal benefit and reduction in cell volume, and hence capacity due to the axial channel, is analyzed. The effect of axial cooling on geometrical design of the cell, and transient thermal performance during a discharge process, is also analyzed. Results presented in this paper are expected to aid in the development of effective cooling techniques for Li‐ion cells based on axial cooling. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Thermal management system of lithium‐ion battery module based on micro heat pipe array

Temperature affects the performance of electric vehicle battery. To solve this problem, micro heat pipe arrays are utilized in a thermal management system that cools and heats battery modules. In the present study, the heat generation of a battery module during a charge‐discharge cycle under a constant current of 36 A (2C) was computed. Then, the cooling area of the condenser was calculated and experimentally validated. At rates of 1C and 2C, the thermal management system effectively reduced the temperature of the module to less than 40°C, and the temperature difference was controlled less than 5°C between battery surfaces of the module. A heating plate with 30‐W power effectively improved charge performance at low temperature within a short heating time and with uniform temperature distribution. Charge capacity obviously increased after heating when battery temperature was below 0°C. This study presents a new way to enhance the stability and safety of a battery module during the continuous charge‐discharge cycle at high temperatures and low temperatures accordingly.     

Multi‐objective design optimization for mini‐channel cooling battery thermal management system in an electric vehicle

Lithium‐ion battery packs have been generally used as the power source for electric vehicles. Heat generated during discharge and limited space in the battery pack may bring safety issues and negative effect on the battery pack. Battery thermal management system is indispensable since it can effectively moderate the temperature rise by using a simple system, thereby improving the safety of battery packs. However, the comprehensive investigation on the optimal design of battery thermal management system with liquid cooling is still rare. This article develops a comprehensive methodology to design an efficient mini‐channel cooling system, which comprises thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, and structural analysis. The developed methodology mainly contains four steps: the design of the mini‐channel cooling system and computational fluid dynamics analysis, the design of experiments and selection of surrogate models, formulation of optimization model, and multi‐objective optimization for selection of the optimum scheme for mini‐channel cooling battery thermal management system. The findings in the study display that the temperature difference decreases from 8.0878 to 7.6267 K by 5.70%, the standard temperature deviation decreases from 2.1346 to 2.1172 K by 0.82%, and the pressure drop decreases from 302.14 to 167.60 Pa by 44.53%. The developed methodology could be extended for industrial battery pack design process to enhance cooling effect thermal performance and decrease power consumption.     

Liquid cooling based on thermal silica plate for battery thermal management system

To achieve safe, long lifetime, and high‐performance lithium‐ion batteries, a battery thermal management system (BTMS) is indispensable. This is especially required for enabling fast charging‐discharging and in aggressive operating conditions. In this research, a new type of battery cooling system based on thermal silica plates has been designed for prismatic lithium‐ion batteries. Experimental and simulations are combined to investigate the cooling capability of the BTMS associated to different number of cooling channels, flow rates, and flow directions while at different discharge C‐rates. Results show that the maximum temperature reached within the battery decreases as the amount of thermal silica plates and liquid channels increases. The flow direction had no significant influence on the cooling capability. While the performance obviously improves with the increase in inlet flow rate, after a certain threshold, the gain reduces strongly so that it does not anymore justify the higher energy cost. Discharged at 3 C‐rate, an inlet flow rate of 0.1 m/s was sufficient to efficiently cool down the system; discharged at 5 C‐rate, the optimum inlet flow rate was 0.25 m/s. Simulations could accurately reproduce experimental results, allowing for an efficient design of the liquid‐cooled BTMS.     

Experimental and numerical investigation of heat transfer in Li‐ion battery pack of a hoverboard

Li‐ion cells are used for energy storage and conversion in electric vehicles and a variety of consumer devices such as hoverboards. Performance and safety of such devices are severely affected by overheating of Li‐ion cells in aggressive operating conditions. Multiple recent fires and accidents in hoverboards are known to have originated in the battery pack of the hoverboard. While thermal analysis and measurements have been carried out extensively on large battery packs for electric vehicles, there is relatively lesser research on smaller devices such as hoverboards, where the extremely limited thermal management design space and the critical importance of user safety result in severe thermal management challenges. This paper presents experimental measurements and numerical analysis of a novel approach for thermal management of the battery pack of a hoverboard. Measurements indicate that temperature rise in cells in the pack can be as large as 30°C at 4C discharge rate, which, although unlikely to be a standard discharge rate, may result from a malfunction or accident. A novel thermal management approach is investigated, wherein careful utilization of air flow generated by hoverboard motion is shown to result in significant temperature reduction. Measurements also indicate the key role of the metal housing around the battery pack in thermal management. Measurements are found to be in good agreement with finite element simulations, which indicate that the battery pack can be cooled as effectively in presence of a perforated metal casing as without the casing at all. Experimental data and simulation model presented here offer critical insights into the design of hoverboard thermal management and may result in safer, high performance hoverboard battery packs.     

Experimental and numerical studies on air cooling and temperature uniformity in a battery pack

In this paper, a passive technique is examined by adding an inlet plenum to reduce the maximum temperature and improve temperature uniformity in a simple battery pack. The inlet plenum changes the direction of the flow and dramatically reduces the issues of air recirculation and dead‐air regions between adjacent cells. The dimensions of the plenum and Reynolds number were optimized to enhance cooling and temperature uniformity at the cell and pack level. The results indicated that by increasing the Reynolds number to 7440, the maximum temperature decreased by 18.3% and the temperature uniformity increased 54.6%. However, there was no significant change in the maximum temperature and temperature uniformity beyond the Reynolds number of 7440. The developed battery pack achieved the desired temperature uniformity at the cell and pack level to less than 5°C.     

An experimental investigation of liquid cooling scheduling for a battery module

The thermal safety of electric vehicle battery modules attracts public concern; controlling the severe temperature rise and ensuring uniform temperature distribution are essential to addressing this problem. In this research, a liquid cooling-based cooling structure equipped with minichannels is proposed to prevent a battery module's overheating. A novel cooling scheduling study is proposed to arrange the coolant flow rates at different cooling stages. The temperature rise, temperature difference, and energy consumption of all the cooling schedules are measured in experiments. Experimental findings indicate that appropriate cooling scheduling achieves the thermal objectives and reduces energy consumption through scheduling the coolant flow rate in the cooling process. A comprehensive cooling schedule selection is carried out to select the optimal cooling schedule with the highest cooling efficiency through evaluating both the thermal and energy consumption objective parameters under different discharging current rates (0.5C, 1C, and 1.5C). The optimal cooling schedule maintains the maximum temperature of the battery module within 26°C, 32°C, and 40°C under 0.5C, 1C, and 1.5C discharging current rates, respectively. Moreover, the temperature SD and the energy consumption of the liquid cooling-based battery pack can be controlled within 3.5°C and 40 J, respectively.     

Electrical‐thermal behaviors of a cylindrical graphite‐NCA Li‐ion battery responding to external short circuit operation

Large amount of heat generated during an external short circuit (ESC) process may cause battery safety events. An experimental platform is established to explore the battery electrothermal characteristics during ESC faults. For 18650‐type nickel cobalt aluminum (NCA) batteries, ESC fault tests of different initial state of charge (SOC) values, different external resistances, or different ambient temperatures are carried out. The test case of a smaller external resistance is characterized by a shorter ESC duration with a faster cell temperature rise, whereas the case of a larger external resistance will last for a longer duration, discharge more electricity, and terminate in a slightly higher temperature. The tested batteries of high initial SOCs generally have higher temperature rise rates, smoother changes at the output current/voltage curves, but a smaller discharged capacity. The batteries of low initial SOCs can be overdischarged by the ESC operations. At low temperatures, say 0°C, the ESC process outputs much less electricity than the process at high temperatures, eg, 30°C. The initial low temperature has little effect on reducing the battery overheat due to ESC operations. The battery thermal behavior is of hysteresis property; analysis of heat generations reveals the subsequent increase of battery surface temperature after the completion of ESC discharge is due to the battery material abusive reaction heats. It is found from analytical and numerical analyses that there can have approximately 30°C temperature difference between the battery core and its surface during ESC operations. The interruption of ESC operation is very probably caused by the high battery core temperature, which leads to the destruction of solid‐electrolyte interface (SEI) film.     

Experimental study of a direct evaporative cooling approach for Li-ion battery thermal management

A desirable operating temperature range and small temperature gradient is beneficial to the safety and longevity of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, and battery thermal management systems (BTMSs) play a critical role in achieving the temperature control. Having the advantages of direct access and low viscosity, air is widely used as a cooling medium in BTMSs. In this paper, an air-based BTMS is modified by integrating a direct evaporative cooling (DEC) system, which helps reduce the inlet air temperature for enhanced heat dissipation. Experiments are carried out on 18650-type batteries and a 9-cell battery pack to study how relative humidity and air flow rate affect the DEC system. The maximum temperatures, temperature differences, and capacity fading of batteries are compared between three cooling conditions, which include the proposed DEC, air cooling, and natural convection cooling. In addition, a DEC tunnel that can produce reciprocating air flow is assembled to further reduce the maximum temperature and temperature difference inside the battery pack. It is demonstrated that the proposed DEC system can expand the usage of Li-ion batteries in more adverse and intensive operating conditions.     

Thermal analysis of a Li‐ion battery module under realistic EV operating conditions

The thermal behavior of a Li‐ion battery module that belongs to the battery system of an actual electric vehicle prototype was numerically investigated. Realistic driving loads and passive cooling conditions were considered. A combination of a vehicle dynamics model, an equivalent electric circuit battery model, and a 3D finite‐element thermal model was used in the analysis. Temperature and electric potential measurements, performed at the cell and module levels, were first used for model calibration. Electric currents, associated with the ARTEMIS driving cycles, were then calculated and applied in the battery model to predict the heat sources for the thermal model. It was found that the temperature increase corresponding to urban transportation requirements in European countries is tolerable. Nevertheless, road and highway applications would result in a temperature increase that accelerates cell ageing, and an active cooling strategy is required. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Investigation on thermal management performance of wedge‐shaped microchannels for rectangular Li‐ion batteries

The performance of power battery is a significant factor affecting the overall quality of electric vehicles. To optimize the thermal management effect of battery pack, cold plate with wedge‐shaped microchannels was proposed in this paper. On the basis of the models of the independent cold plate and the battery‐cooling module, the effects of outlet aspect ratio, flow rate, and branching structure on the heat dissipation performance of the cold plate were studied at first. Afterwards, the effects of cooling surface, flow rate, and branching structure on the temperature distribution of the battery module were simulated. The results showed that the wedge‐shaped channels provided a good cooling efficiency and surface temperature uniformity. When the wedge‐shaped channel was used in thermal management of the battery module, the side‐cooling method reduced the temperature difference of batteries by more than 35.71% compared with front cooling under the mass flow rate of 2 × 10^?5 kg/s. At a discharge rate of 3.5 C, the flow rate of 1 × 10^?4 kg/s controlled the battery temperature to within 45°C, and the branching structure designed for the module successfully decreased the maximum temperature difference from 7.27°C to 4.67°C, which has been reduced by approximately 35.78%.     

Numerical investigation on integrated thermal management for lithiumion battery pack with phase change material and liquid cooling

为满足3 C放电倍率下电池组散热要求,提出了PCM\液冷复合式散热方案,利用有限元分析了液体流速、流道排列方式、铝制框架鳍宽和环境温度对电池组温度的影响。结果表明,增加流速可优化电池组散热性能,但当流速大于0.08 m/s时,流速的增加对散热系统无明显优化;各流速下Type I散热方式效果均为最优且电池组满足散热要求;鳍宽为2 mm时可将电池组最高温度进一步降低1.6℃;当环境温度从38℃增至42℃时,复合式散热系统体现了良好的热稳定性能。     

Thermal management of lithium‐ion batteries for electric vehicles

Thermal issues associated with electric vehicle battery packs can significantly affect performance and life cycle. Fundamental heat transfer principles and performance characteristics of commercial lithium‐ion battery are used to predict the temperature distributions in a typical battery pack under a range of discharge conditions. Various cooling strategies are implemented to examine the relationship between battery thermal behavior and design parameters. By studying the effect of cooling conditions and pack configuration on battery temperature, information is obtained as to how to maintain operating temperature by designing proper battery configuration and choosing proper cooling systems. It was found that a cooling strategy based on distributed forced convection is an efficient, cost‐effective method which can provide uniform temperature and voltage distributions within the battery pack at various discharge rates. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Thermal analysis of high‐power lithium‐ion battery packs using flow network approach

High‐power applications of lithium‐ion batteries require efficient thermal management systems. In this work, a lumped capacitance heat transfer model is developed in conjunction with a flow network approach to study performance of a commercial‐size lithium‐ion battery pack, under various design and operating conditions of a thermal management system. In order to assess the battery thermal management system, capabilities of air, silicone oil, and water are examined as three potential coolant fluids. Different flow configurations are considered, and temperature dispersions, cell‐averaged voltage distributions, and parasitic losses due to the fan/pump power demand are calculated. It is found that application of a coolant with an appropriate viscosity and heat capacity, such as water, in conjunction with a flow configuration with more than one inlet will result in uniform temperature and voltage distributions in the battery pack while keeping the power requirement at low, acceptable levels. Simulation results are presented and compared with literature for model validation and to show the superior capability of the proposed battery pack design methodology. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Thermal simulation of high‐power Li‐ion battery with LiMn1/3Ni1/3Co1/3O2 cathode on cell and module levels

Thermal modeling of temperature rise in high‐power Li‐ion battery cells and modules is presented here. Simulation results are validated by experiments. Results indicate that entropy heat generation plays a significant role in heat generation of Li‐ion battery cells and should be included in simulation as a function of state of charge (SOC). Simulation results utilizing measured overpotential resistance and entropy heat generation provide the best fit when compared to experimental results. Resistance data provided by supplier shows significant difference compared with measured data and should be critically examined for any module design purposes. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Li‐ion battery dynamics model parameter estimation using datasheets and particle swarm optimization

Dynamics modeling is of fundamental importance to Li‐ion battery design and manufacturing. Accurate dynamics models established can be used to optimize the operation strategy, manage the life cycle, and thus ensure the economic and safe operation of the batteries. The Li‐ion dynamics model examined in this paper has integrated both empirical and electrochemical aspects, and it has been specifically validated for electric vehicle applications using experimental data. Previously, the model parameter estimation was done by manually picking three key points from the discharge curve obtained from the datasheet. The approach is quite subjective and error prone. The resulted model may deviate greatly from the experimental curve. To address this issue, this paper proposes to use particle swarm optimization to more objectively estimate the model parameters. Results from case studies show that the proposed approach provides more accurate estimation of the true parameters, and thus the new approach can more precisely capture the battery dynamics. In addition, this approach is generic because it is independent of specific battery chemistries and applicable to many different types of Li‐ion batteries. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Performance assessment of a passive core cooling design for cylindrical lithium‐ion batteries

Battery thermal management (BTM) system is an indispensable component for large‐sized lithium‐ion battery packs used in aerospace and automotive applications. Besides providing a proper temperature range for batteries to operate, thus improving their efficiency, lifespan, and safety, the BTM system also needs to be well designed with considering the cost, weight, and practicability. In this paper, an internal passive BTM system is proposed for the cylindrical Li‐ion batteries. The design embeds a phase change material (PCM) filled mandrel inside the battery to achieve the cooling effect. A thermal test cell is first fabricated and tested in a wind tunnel under different cooling scenarios, and it is also used to verify a numerical thermal model. The proposed BTM system is further examined through the model and found to be able to create a preferable environment for batteries to operate. Specifically, the core BTM system consumes less PCM and achieves lower temperature rises and more uniform temperature distributions than an external BTM system. The proposed design can also exert its full latent heat to manage the heat generated from the battery without having a thermally conductive matrix, which is usually composite with PCM in external BTM systems. In addition, experiments show that the battery equipped with the proposed BTM system is ready for intensive cycling tests.