Thermal analysis of lithium-ion batteries using forced-air cooling and circular fin systems: A numerical study

Abstract

A novel cooling technique utilizing circular fins and smooth pipe design is demonstrated to tackle the issues of temperature rise and uneven temperature uniformity in typical air-cooled battery thermal management systems. The use of circular fins and the optimization of airflow routes markedly enhance heat dissipation, addressing the shortcomings of conventional rectangular channel layouts. The circular fins facilitate consistent airflow over the battery module, and the smooth circular tubing lowers flow resistance and improves heat transfer without adding complexity to the system. The design process commenced with the assessment of three fin configurations namely, longitudinal, spiral, and circular, utilizing computational fluid dynamics simulations. Circular fins exhibited superior performance, which was enhanced by modifying fin thickness, radius, and pitch gap at an airflow velocity of 5.26 m/s. The enhanced circular fin configuration achieved a temperature reduction of 1.95 % at a Reynolds number of 12,837, indicating superior performance. At a Reynolds number of 8558, the temperature rising by 2.4 %, indicating a less positive outcome. The substitution of the rectangular channel with a smooth circular pipe decreased the peak battery temperature from 36.579 °C to 33.895 °C, indicating a notable enhancement compared to conventional design. This redesigned battery thermal management systems exhibits enhanced thermal performance, homogeneity, and simplicity, providing a cost-efficient option for cylindrical battery modules.