Effect of using a heatsink with nanofluid flow and phase change material on thermal management of plate lithium-ion battery

Abstract

The thermal management of a lithium-ion battery employing a heatsink is evaluated in this study.The heatsink employs nanofluids (NFs) and phase change material (PCM) and has a revolutionary shape. The NFs flows through a helical microchannel (MCH) into the heatsink. A number of pin-fins with a spiral arrangement are used in the heatsink. The MCHs are filled with nano-PCM containing graphene nanoparticles. This study is performed in a time interval of 0 to 500 s at the Reynolds number (Re) range of 100 to 500. NFs outlet temperature (T-O), maximum (T-M) and average temperature (T-A) of PCM, heat transfer coefficient (HTC) and amount of molten PCM at different times, and different Re are estimated. COMSOL Multiphysics software is employed to do the simulations. The results demonstrate that the amount of molten PCM is enhanced except for Re = 500 until all the PCM inside the heatsink is melted. At Re ≥ 500, the PCM melting process does not occur within the heatsink and the PCM remains solid. The output temperature of NFs and PCM temperature are intensified with time. An increment in the Re reduces the amount of NFs temperature at the outlet as well as the T-A and T-M of PCM inside the heatsink. The amount of HTC between PCM and NFs depends on Re and increases over time.