Thermal assessment of lithium-ion battery pack system with heat pipe assisted passive cooling using Simulink

Abstract

This study explores a novel application of heat pipes as passive cooling devices, addressing complex electric resistance behaviors in lithium-ion batteries, which lead to manufacturing and thermal safety issues. The aim is to effectively manage battery temperatures, thereby reducing manufacturing and operational costs. An innovative heat generation model was designed based on the Equivalent Circuit Model, leveraging Simulink and MATLAB to predict battery pack power. This intricate electrochemical calculation process is integrated and validated with system-level thermal modeling to compare the viability of heat pipe specifications and to forecast cooling availability via simulation. This research presents both numerical and experimental validations for voltage, state of charge, and cell temperatures. Crucially, we found that in high power output scenarios, such as at rates from 4C to 8C, the use of a heat pipe can reduce the temperature deviation between the cell and the ambient environment to less than three degrees. Furthermore, this paper discusses battery pack system configurations to compare thermal resistance between active and passive cooling systems. This study's novelty lies in its integrated approach to thermal management using heat pipes in the context of lithium-ion batteries, an aspect that has not been extensively explored in previous literature yet. It points to a new direction for future passive cooling strategies in battery pack thermal management.