Thermal behavior of small lithium-ion battery during rapid charge and discharge cycles

Abstract

The secondary batteries for electric vehicles (EV) generate much heat during rapid charge and discharge cycles at current levels exceeding the batteries’ rating, such as when the EV quickly starts consuming battery power or when recovering inertia energy during sudden stops. During these rapid charge and discharge cycles, the cell temperature may increase above allowable limits. We calculated the temperature rise of a small lithium-ion secondary battery during rapid charge and discharge cycles. The heat-source factors were measured again by the methods described in our previous study, because the performance of the battery reported here has been improved, showing lower overpotential resistance. Battery heat capacity was measured by a twin-type heat conduction calorimeter, and determined to be a linear function of temperature. Further, the heat transfer coefficient, measured again precisely by the method described in our previous study, was arranged as a function of cell and ambient temperatures. The temperature calculated by our battery thermal behavior model using these measured data agrees well with the cell temperature measured by thermocouple during rapid charge and discharge cycles. Also, battery radial temperature distributions were calculated to be small, and confirmed experimentally.