Lithium-ion Battery Thermal Management Research Articles

An innovative approach for the passive cooling of batteries: An empirical investigation of copper deposition on polyurethane foam for the enhancement of phase change material

A proof-of-concept utilising Copper-Plated Polyurethane Foam (CPPF) and Phase Change Material (PCM) for passive thermal management of lithium-ion batteries is demonstrated in this study. The aim of this research is to assess the effectiveness of CPPF when utilised as a constituent substance in PCM/Foam composites. Six distinct configurations of PCM/Foam composites are presented in this work using 10-pore-per-inch foam. A total of four deposition foam samples were produced. Of these, three were created by gradually increasing the immersion time in an electroless copper plating solution. For the fourth sample, an electroless plating technique was utilised for 80 min, followed by an electroplating procedure to deposit an additional layer of copper. The evaluation entails examining each plated sample in comparison to a copper foam that is commercially available with a purity level of 99.99 %. The findings reveal that the electroless-plated specimens exhibit improved effectiveness after being subjected to a prolonged plating period of 80 min. The electroplated sample exhibited the greatest degree of effectiveness, as evidenced by a 64.4 % reduction in battery cell surface temperature(10.98 °C), which is almost identical to the 64.5 % decrease in temperature (11.03 °C) observed with commercial foam but coupled with 88.1 % decrease in mass. The results suggest that the CPPF-PCM composites offer effective passive cooling properties for batteries.

Expression of Concern for article entitled “Thermal management of lithium-ion batteries with simultaneous use of hybrid nanofluid and nano-enhanced phase change material: A numerical study”

Expression of Concern for article entitled “Thermal management of lithium-ion batteries with simultaneous use of hybrid nanofluid and nano-enhanced phase change material: A numerical study”

Preparation and Application of Composite Phase Change Materials

With the popularity of lithium-ion batteries, thermal runaway accidents occur frequently. The importance of thermal management was becoming increasingly prominent. In this paper, a new composite phase change material (CPCM) was developed and applied to the thermal management of lithium-ion batteries. The chemical and microstructure of the material were deeply analyzed by scanning XRD and SEM. The thermal stability of the material was tested by using DSC and TG techniques. The thermal conductivity was exhaustively analyzed. The experimental results showed that CPCM containing 9% Aluminum phenylphosphinate exhibits optimal thermal storage performance and flame retardant efficiency, which effectively delayed and reduced the risk of thermal runaway in lithium batteries.

A pourable, thermally conductive and electronic insulated phase change material for thermal management of lithium-ion battery

Phase change materials have been widely studied for the applications in the thermal management of lithium-ion batteries. However, the complicated and high-cost pre-pressing and molding assembly processes are usually required, which makes it difficult to be industrialized. Hence, it is necessary to develop an easy-to-pour, highly thermally conductive, and electrically insulated phase change material to meet the requirements of lithium-ion battery. In this study, a pourable phase change material with high thermal conductivity and electrical insulation (PCPM) was prepared based on the electrostatic self-assembly of expanded graphite (EG) and boron nitride (BN). It was found that the volume resistivity of the PCPM could be effectively improved by coating functionalized EG (f-EG) with functionalized BN (f-BN), and when f-EG: f-BN was 1:3, the volume resistivity was increased by 6.18 times compared to that of the PCPM prepared without coating f-BN. Meanwhile, PCPM possessed a lower viscosity of 398.11 cP compared to the PCPM without f-BN, and lower viscosity results in the desired fluidity of the product as a potting material. Compared to pure polymer matrix (PUR), the thermal conductivity of the PCPM with 35 % m-EG@PA (f-EG: f-BN = 1:2) was increased by 200.4 % to 0.6011 W/(m· K). The results of the heating experiment of the simulated battery indicated that the thermal management efficiency of PCPM was significantly higher than that of PUR. At the end of the heating period, the surface temperature of the battery module with PCPM was 5.12 ℃ lower than that of the module with PUR at the end of heating, and 2.41℃ lower than that of the module with commercial high thermal conductive potting compound.

Optimization of fin parameters in cooling systems for temperature uniformity enhancement in battery module applications with offset strip fins

The efficient thermal management of Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) stands as a critical factor in ensuring the reliable operation of electric vehicles. For managing multiple LIB modules, a common approach involves utilizing a cold plate for mounting. It has been suggested that this interspersed design proves more effective, especially for large-scale battery packs, in achieving smoother overall cooling performance and temperature uniformity. Consequently, we need a new cold plate design that not only enhances thermal performance for batteries emitting higher thermal loads but also ensures more uniform temperature distributions across battery surfaces, all while maintaining simplicity in manufacturability. In this study, we introduce a new cold plate design employing offset strip fins (OSFs) cores. We assess its thermal and hydraulic performance using objective functions such as the Colburn factor ( j ) and Fanning friction factor ( f ). Through optimization techniques, we determine the optimal shape parameters that maximize heat transfer rates on the cold plate, with only a marginal increase in pressure drop. This optimized configuration is then compared with both the baseline common cold plate and a reference OSFs cold plate. The results show a significant reduction of up to 32.3% in maximum temperature differences, signifying an improved temperature uniformity achieved with this new design.

Flame retardant composite phase change materials with MXene for lithium-ion battery thermal management systems

A high-quality thermal management system is crucial for addressing the thermal safety concerns of lithium ion batteries. Despite the utilization of phase change materials (PCMs) in battery thermal management, there is still a need to raise thermal conductivity, shape stability, and flame retardancy in order to effectively mitigate battery safety risks. This study investigates a flame-retardant PCM composed of polyethylene glycol, expanded graphite, MXene, APP (ammonium polyphosphate), and ZHS (Zinc hydroxy stannate). The properties of the PCM and its thermal management performance during the operation of batteries are explored and evaluated. The results demonstrate that the incorporation of MXene enhances both the enthalpy of phase transition and thermal conductivity of PCM. Furthermore, the synergistic flame retardancy of APP and ZHS increases the carbon residue content, enabling PCM to achieve a V0 flame retardant rating. PCM exhibits a noticeable cooling effect on the battery temperature, reducing the highest temperature of the battery module to 57.03 °C during 3C discharge while maintaining a temperature difference of within 5 °C. This research contributes valuable insights into the potential use of PCMs with MXene in thermal management systems for batteries, with the aim of improving lithium batteries safety during operation.

Design and optimization of a hybrid cooling configuration combining PCM and liquid cooling for Li-ion battery using data-based response surface approximation model

Effective thermal management is crucial for safe operation of electric vehicles. This study proposes a novel hybrid cooling system that using phase change material (PCM) and liquid cooling to address issues such as leakage, non-uniform temperatures under high discharge rates. A comprehensive 3D model was developed to analyze the influence of geometric parameters on the cooling system. Response surface approximation modeling was used to optimize the layout parameters of the PCM. The results show that the hybrid cooling outperforms other methods, maintaining the cell temperature with 35 ℃ and the temperature difference within 4 ℃. The thickness of the PCM is a significant factor, as it increases heat storage capacity and reduces temperature; however, exceeding a certain threshold leads to increased thermal resistance. A non-uniform PCM layout can reduce the temperature difference by 26 %. An optimal PCM thickness of 2.5 mm to 3 mm ensures that the maximum temperature remains below 32.5 ℃, with a temperature difference within 2 ℃. The lowest temperature difference is achieved with a vertical layout height of 70 mm and a horizontal layout thickness of 3 mm. These findings are valuable for enhancing the thermal management of lithium-ion battery.

Recent Advances in Thermal Management Strategies for Lithium-Ion Batteries: A Comprehensive Review

Effective thermal management is essential for ensuring the safety, performance, and longevity of lithium-ion batteries across diverse applications, from electric vehicles to energy storage systems. This paper presents a thorough review of thermal management strategies, emphasizing recent advancements and future prospects. The analysis begins with an evaluation of industry-standard practices and their limitations, followed by a detailed examination of single-phase and multi-phase cooling approaches. Successful implementations and challenges are discussed through relevant examples. The exploration extends to innovative materials and structures that augment thermal efficiency, along with advanced sensors and thermal control systems for real-time monitoring. The paper addresses strategies for mitigating the risks of overheating and propagation. Furthermore, it highlights the significance of advanced models and numerical simulations in comprehending long-term thermal degradation. The integration of machine learning algorithms is explored to enhance precision in detecting and predicting thermal issues. The review concludes with an analysis of challenges and solutions in thermal management under extreme conditions, including ultra-fast charging and low temperatures. In summary, this comprehensive review offers insights into current and future strategies for lithium-ion battery thermal management, with a dedicated focus on improving the safety, performance, and durability of these vital energy sources.

Review on the Lithium-Ion Battery Thermal Management System Based on Composite Phase Change Materials: Progress and Outlook

Review on the Lithium-Ion Battery Thermal Management System Based on Composite Phase Change Materials: Progress and Outlook

Lithium-ion battery thermal management system using MWCNT-based nanofluid flowing through parallel distributed channels: An experimental investigation

In the present research, a newly designed liquid-based battery thermal management system (BTMS) for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is developed and its thermal performance at different discharge rates (C-rates) is experimentally examined. The influence of various performance parameters such as the number of channels, flow configurations, working fluids, and C-rates on the cooling performance of the proposed BTMS is evaluated. Pure water, binary fluid (70 % water + 30 % ethylene glycol (EG)), and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)-based nanofluids at different volume fractions (ϕv) (0.15 %, 0.30 %, and 0.45 %) in the binary fluid are used in this study and their cooling effectiveness to keep battery temperature within ideal ranges is compared. The experiments are performed at 0.5C, 1.2C, and 2.1C rates and it is discovered that nanofluids provide superior cooling performance compared to water and binary fluid mixture. Results demonstrate that the cooling performance is enhanced with the number of channels, nanoparticle concentration, and flow configurations. Nanofluid with 0.45 % ϕv of MWCNTs shows the maximum drop in battery temperature which is about 8.7 °C for configuration I, 11.8 °C for configuration II, and 17.1 °C for configuration III, respectively. Among all the flow configurations, configuration III gives the best cooling effectiveness and lowers the average temperature of cells by 10–17.01 °C using different working fluids. Configuration III also enhances the battery temperature uniformity and maintains the maximum temperature deviation within the battery module (∆Tmax) inside 1.5–2.4 °C for different working fluids at a 2.1C rate, which is well below 5 °C, and hence it helps to prevent the thermal runaway (TR) condition. Additionally, nanofluid with 0.45 % ϕv increases pressure drop (Δp) by 23.98 % and 17.91 % compared to water for single and dual channel arrangements, respectively.

Cooling and preheating performance of dual-active lithium-ion battery thermal management system under harsh conditions

A dual-active battery thermal management system (DA-BTMS) combining liquid cooling with thermoelectric cooling is proposed to improve thermal management. Through numerical simulation and physical experiments, the optimal configuration of the system is determined by comparing three different thermoelectric cooler (TEC) arrangements, and the effects of the TEC’s input current and coolant mass flow rate on the batteries’ heat dissipation are investigated. In addition, the TEC’s cold and hot ends can be interchanged to preheat the battery in a cold environment by reversing the input current. The optimal step-preheating strategy is put forward aiming at the preheating of batteries. The results show that, the DA-BTMS with pure liquid cooling can easily control the temperature within an ideal temperature range with the optimal coolant mass flow rate of 0.59 g/s at a discharge rate of 2C and ambient temperature of 40 °C. While the discharge rate is 3C, DA-BTMS can still reliably keep the system under the action of TEC auxiliary cooling. At an over-high ambient temperature of 50 °C, the system maximum temperature sharply decreases from 50 °C to 42.32 °C at a discharge rate of 2C with the optimal input current of TEC 1.6 A owning to the refrigeration action of TEC. The Step-preheating method is put forward and the optimal strategy is determined, which can ensure the preheating rate of 0.77 °C/min for the battery pack. The proposed system not only improves the space utilization of the battery pack but also maintains the maximum temperature of the battery module in a suitable range under harsh cold and hot ambient conditions. Compared with the conventional pure TEC cooling method, it can effectively save energy consumption.

Investigating the impact of fluid flow channels and cooling fluids on thermal management of lithium-ion battery: a simulation study

Investigating the impact of fluid flow channels and cooling fluids on thermal management of lithium-ion battery: a simulation study

Flame-retardant composite phase change material with silicone resin and melamine phosphate for battery thermal safety

<p>With the prosperity of electric vehicles (EVs), the thermal management of lithium-ion battery (LIB) is crucial for ensuring the safety of drivers on EVs. Composite phase change material (CPCM) with high latent heat has a great promising prospect in battery thermal management systems (BTMS). However, the thermal management efficiency of CPCM is limited due to the leakage, low thermal conductivity and flammability. Herein, the novel multifunctional CPCM with paraffin (PA), epoxy resin (ER), expanded graphite (EG), methyl MQ silicone resin (MQ) and melamine phosphate (MP) (PEE/MQ/MP3) has been prepared, which can achieve well anti-leakage, high flame-retardant and thermal conductivity, enhancing the thermal safety for battery module. The results reveal that PEE/MQ/MP3 with MQ and MP at a ratio of 1:2 can exhibit optimum flame retardant performance. The total heat release peak, smoke production rate, carbon monoxide production and carbon dioxide production are 169 MJ/m<sup>2</sup>, 0.05 m<sup>2</sup>/s, 0.005 g/s and 0.38 g/s, respectively. The battery module with PEE/MQ/MP3 displays excellent thermal management performance, delaying thermal propagation. Even after ten cycles at a 3 C rate, the maximum temperature is controlled below 50 ��C and the maximum temperature difference is maintained with 5 ��C. Besides, the thermal propagation processes of battery modules reveal that PEE/MQ/MP3 can absorb and transfer heat in the first stage timely and quickly, efficiently suppressing the thermal hazard occurrence. Therefore, this study has proposed a multifunctional flame-retardant CPCM as an effective solution to enhance the thermal safety of battery modules, thus ensuring the safety of EV drivers.</p>

The effect of outer container geometry on the thermal management of lithium-ion batteries with a combination of phase change material and metal foam

The use of PCM for thermal management of the batteries has an important place among passive cooling methods because it does not require pump or fan power. In battery cooling applications with PCM, it was aimed to increase the thermal conductivity of the PCM and to cool the battery better by using fins, nanoparticles, and metal foam. The novelty of this study is to investigate the effect of outer container geometry on battery temperature in battery cooling with PCM + metal foam composition. In this direction, five different container geometries affecting the heat transfer by conduction and convection were analyzed. The parametric study was carried out for different values of convection heat transfer coefficient, heat generation in the battery, PCM amount, and porosity. The lowest battery temperature for a given discharge time was obtained in triangular container geometry. With the use of a triangular container, the battery temperature was reduced between 0.4 % and 14.42 % compared to the use of a circular container, depending on the parameter values. The analysis findings revealed that the outer container geometry is more effective in the thermal management of the battery for conditions with low convection heat transfer coefficient and high heat generation.

A numerical and statistical study to determine the effect of thermophysical properties of phase change material for lithium-ion battery thermal management

Lithium-ion batteries’ performance is quite sensitive to temperature, leading to capacity fade, acceleration of aging effect, and possible thermal runaway. The temperature of lithium-ion batteries increases under operating conditions of high discharge rates. The heat released by the battery can be effectively removed using phase change material (PCM). The thermophysical properties of the PCM affect the heat removal performance of the PCM. In this study, the effect of thermophysical parameters such as thermal conductivity, latent heat, specific heat, and density on maximum battery temperature and battery temperature uniformity was numerically investigated. The dominant factors for PCM to prevent temperature increase in a prismatic LiMn2O4 lithium-ion battery were identified by orthogonal design to improve the thermophysical properties of PCM. The thermophysical properties of PCM were changed by incorporating the expanded graphite. Based on what was observed in the current study, the influence of the thermal conductivity of PCM was higher than other thermophysical properties, while the influence of the latent heat on both maximum battery temperature and temperature uniformity was negligible. Density was the second crucial factor that could help reduce the maximum battery temperature and keep the temperature distribution uniform. The results obtained from this study can allow the design of effective battery thermal management systems by improving the thermophysical properties of the PCM.

Lightweight hybrid lithium-ion battery thermal management system based on 3D-printed scaffold

Electric vehicles have been developed rapidly to alleviate energy shortages and environmental pollution. However, battery thermal management is still challenge to the complex structure, heavy weight, and limited heat dissipation under harsh conditions. To address these issues, a honeycomb hybrid thermal management system, which integrates the multi-layered liquid-cooled channels into a 3D-printed metal scaffold to enhance the thermal exchange effect. The impacts of the coolant inlet and outlet arrangement, channel layer number, porosity, coolant flow rate, and continuous charge-discharge cycle on heat dissipation were numerically analyzed at 35 °C and discharge rate of 3C to evaluate the system cooling performance. The results show that the heat dissipation efficiency of the proposed system is greatly improved compared with that of the system with pure phase change materials. An 85 % porosity of 3D-printed metal scaffold performs excellent heat dissipation and low system weight, the system weight can be reduced by 60 % compared to a conventional system with aluminum solid cold plate with a same volume. The system's maximum temperature and temperature difference are kept at 48.1 °C and 2.6 °C, respectively. Additionally, the system performance was validated in the continuous charge-discharge cycle test. This work will help develop the lightweight BTMS with excellent thermal performance for electric vehicles.

Numerical analysis on the thermal management of phase change material with fins for lithium-ion batteries

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to improve the thermal management of lithium-ion batteries. The phase change material (PCM) cooling does not require additional equipment to consume energy. To improve the heat dissipation capacity of batteries, fins are added in the PCM to enhance the heat transfer process.Design/methodology/approachComputational fluid dynamics method is used to study the influence of number of vertical fins and ring fins (i.e. 2, 4, 6 and 8 vertical fins, and 2, 3, 4 and 5 ring fins) and the combination of them on the cooling performance.FindingsThe battery maximum temperature can be decreased by the PCM with vertical or ring fins, and it can be further decreased by the combination of them. The PCM with eight vertical fins and five ring fins reduces the battery maximum temperature by 5.21 K. In addition, the temperature and liquid-phase distributions of the battery and PCM are affected by the design of the cooling system.Practical implicationsThis work can provide guidelines for the development of new and efficient PCM cooling systems for lithium-ion batteries.Originality/valueThe combination of PCM and fins can be used to reduce the battery maximum temperature and temperature difference.

A Review of Cooling Technologies in Lithium-Ion Power Battery Thermal Management Systems for New Energy Vehicles

The power battery is an important component of new energy vehicles, and thermal safety is the key issue in its development. During charging and discharging, how to enhance the rapid and uniform heat dissipation of power batteries has become a hotspot. This paper briefly introduces the heat generation mechanism and models, and emphatically summarizes the main principle, research focuses, and development trends of cooling technologies in the thermal management of power batteries in new energy vehicles in the past few years. Currently, the commonly used models for battery heat generation are the electrochemical-thermal model and the electrical-thermal model. Scholars have conducted more research based on multidimensional electrochemical-thermal/electrical-thermal models because taking the actual characteristics of the battery into account can provide a more comprehensive and systematic description. Among various cooling technologies, the air-cooling system boasts the most economical manufacturing costs and a compact, reliable structure. The heat transfer coefficient of the liquid-cooling system is very high, while the temperature remains uniform in the PCMs cooling system during the material phase transition process. Against the background of increasing energy density in future batteries, immersion liquid phase change cooling technology has great development prospects, but it needs to overcome limitations such as high cost and heavy weight. Therefore, the current lithium-ion battery thermal management technology that combines multiple cooling systems is the main development direction. Suitable cooling methods can be selected and combined based on the advantages and disadvantages of different cooling technologies to meet the thermal management needs of different users.

Experimental study on the effect of phase change material on thermal runaway characteristics of lithium-ion battery under different triggering methods

Although paraffin (PA) is a commonly used phase change material (PCM) for lithium-ion battery thermal management, its flammability may increase the risk of thermal runaway. This paper investigates the influence of PA on the thermal runaway, and the highly effective flame retardant hexa-phenoxy-cyclotriphosphazene (HPCP) was employed to suppress PA combustion and mitigate the thermal runaway hazard. Penetration and heating were used to induce thermal runaway. The battery surface temperature, the material temperature and the flame condition were recorded. The results show that penetration caused more violent reactions than heating, the battery temperature of penetration was 25 % higher than that of heating, while heating led to more harmful flame with a flame temperature over 1000 °C. PA delayed the onset of thermal runaway by 58.7 %, however, the higher temperature and longer burning time were a sign of increased danger. HPCP inhibited PA combustion, reducing the burn time by 35.7 %, while HPCP/PA delayed thermal runaway and controlled the battery flame, with a minimum of 43.5 % reduction in flame height. This study may provide a reference for the safe design of thermal management system for lithium-ion battery.

Numerical Simulation of Immersed Liquid Cooling System for Lithium-Ion Battery Thermal Management System of New Energy Vehicles

Power batteries generate a large amount of heat during the charging and discharging processes, which seriously affects the operation safety and service life. An efficient cooling system is crucial for the batteries. This paper numerically simulated a power battery pack composed of 8 lithium-ion cells immersed in the coolant AmpCool AC-110 to study the effects of different coolants, different discharge rates, different coolant mass flow rates, different inlet temperatures and different inlet and outlet settings on the maximum temperature, the maximum temperature difference, the pressure drop, and the required pump power in the battery pack. Among the five coolants studied, W-E in water-based fluids has the best cooling effect, but because of high electric conductivity, it requires special considerations to avoid electric leakage. Increasing the mass flow rate of the coolant can significantly decrease Tmax and ΔTmax, but when the mass flow rate is already high, the decrease is limited and not obvious. Both Δp and the required pump power increase as the mass flow rate increases, and the required pump power increases faster. The inlet temperature will affect the physical properties of the coolant, and choosing the appropriate inlet temperature can not only decrease ΔTmax, but also decrease Δp and the required pump power in the battery pack. The range of 25~27 °C of the coolant AC-110 inlet temperature is recommended. For different inlet and outlet settings, the two-inlet two-outlet setting used in Case 7 has the best cooling effect, and the results indicate uniform distribution is very important to decrease temperature.