Novel integration of dual evaporator loop heat pipe for improved electric vehicle battery thermal regulation

Abstract

The Battery Thermal Management System (BTMS) plays a crucial role in ensuring the efficient and safe operation of Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) and/or Electric Vehicles (EVs). Among various heat transfer techniques, Loop Heat Pipes (LHPs) have demonstrated their potential for effective heat transfer from Li-ion batteries due to their high heat transfer rates over a longer distance. The conventional design of LHPs poses challenges for constructing robust battery pack modules, particularly in electric vehicles (EVs). This complexity arises from the separation of liquid and vapor lines at either the top or bottom of the evaporator, along with the inclusion of a compensation chamber. Furthermore, the evolving requirements of BTMS highlight the necessity for efficient heat removal from multiple locations. To address these requirements, a novel Dual Evaporator Loop Heat Pipe (DE-LHP) has been developed as a BTMS solution featuring separate vapor and two liquid lines positioned at the uppermost section of each cylindrical evaporator. The developed DE-LHP is tested as a BTMS solution with a 3S4P battery module (10Ah capacity) at different charging and discharging rates (1C, 1.5C, and 2C) in surrounding temperatures ranging from 30 °C to 45 °C. When the thermal performance of the DE-LHP-equipped BTMS was compared to a module without BTMS, a drop in maximum cell temperature was noted. At an ambient temperature of 35 °C, the DE-LHP BTMS achieved temperature reductions of 22.8 %, 22.6 %, and 18.8 % at charging rates of 1C, 1.5C, and 2C, respectively. In addition, at a threshold temperature of 60 °C, the module with DE-LHP BTMS demonstrated enhanced discharging capability from 41 % State of Charge (SOC) to 0 % SOC for a 1.5C discharging rate and from 59 % SOC to 0 % SOC for a 2C discharging rate compared to the module without BTMS. Furthermore, when the module was exposed to ambient temperatures ranging from 30 °C to 45 °C, the DE-LHP BTMS maintained a temperature difference across the battery module of less than 3.5 °C for all charging rates and 1C and 1.5C discharging rates.