Performance analysis of a novel thermoelectric-based battery thermal management system

Abstract

To ensure the optimal operating temperature of lithium-ion batteries, a novel thermoelectric-based battery thermal management system coupled with water cooling and air cooling is proposed in this work. Also, a hydraulic-thermal-electric multiphysics model is established to assess the system's thermal behavior. Through numerical simulations, the effect of different cooling parameters, including TEC (thermoelectric cooler) input current, air convection heat transfer coefficient, and cooling water flow rate on thermal performance is comprehensively analyzed. The results show that the introduction of thermoelectric cooling into battery thermal management can amplify the cooling ability of traditional air cooling and water cooling, and the cooling power and COP (coefficient of performance) of thermoelectric coolers first increase and then decrease with the increase of input current. Under the air convection heat transfer coefficient of 50 W m−2 K−1, water flow rate of 0.11 m/s, and TEC input current of 5 A, the battery thermal management system reaches the optimal thermal performance, corresponding to the maximum temperature and temperature difference of 302.27 K and 3.63 K respectively. However, the cooling parameters of these three factors interact with each other, and it is vital to select appropriate cooling parameters to balance the thermal performance and energy consumption of the battery thermal management system. More importantly, this work provides a brand-new idea for the thermal management of batteries.