Advanced thermal management of lithium-ion battery using fin-enhanced PCM: A CFD study

Abstract

The study investigates the thermal behavior of a lithium-ion battery, particularly 18650 LiFePO₄ cell, at different discharge rates through computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. An advanced battery thermal management system (BTMS) utilizing phase change material (PCM) and hybrid nanocomposite PCM (HNPCM) was examined to reduce temperature elevation and improve thermal uniformity. HNPCMs exhibited enhanced thermal conductivity, increasing by 359.09 % compared to pure PCM; nevertheless, the somewhat diminished latent heat of melting constrained energy absorption. Simulations indicated the peak surface temperatures for fin-only designs as 315.3 K, 318 K, and 320.81 K; for PCM/fin configurations as 314.16 K, 316.36 K, and 318.64 K; and for HNPCM/fin configurations as 313.67 K, 315.52 K, and 317.4 K at 12 C, 16 C, and 20 C, respectively. Notwithstanding minimal melting during operation, the HNPCM/fin configuration exhibited the most efficient heat regulation. The findings indicate that the HNPCM/fin configuration consistently surpassed the PCM/fin and fin-only arrangements at all discharge rates. At discharge rates of 12 C, 16 C, and 20 C, maximum reductions in surface temperature of 6.64 %, 8.73 %, and 11 %, respectively, were attained in comparison to setup without a BTMS. This study highlights the promise of improved BTMS designs, especially those employing HNPCMs, in facilitating safer and more efficient operation of lithium-ion batteries. Subsequent research should concentrate on enhancing fin-and-housing configurations, integrating low-melting-point phase change materials, and investigating small, scalable battery thermal management system designs for electric vehicle applications.