Integrating electrochemical and thermal models for improved lithium-lon battery energy storage system heat dissipation

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are widely used in electrochemical battery energy storage systems (BESS) because of their high energy density, lack of memory effects, low self-discharge rate, and long cycle life. However, inadequate heat dissipation during their discharge process can significantly degrade battery performance. The improvement of BESS efficiency depends on the optimization of thermal management structures. In this work, we integrate the pseudo-two-dimensional (P2D) electrochemical model with a three-dimensional thermal model to analyze the heat generation and transfer processes within the BESS. The simulation results are closely aligned with the experimental results in terms of voltage and temperature rise curves. Under air cooling conditions of 293.15 K and 3 m·s⁻¹, the BESS has a maximum temperature of 308.60 K and a temperature difference of 9.22 K, ensuring safe operation. At 1 C, we suggest that enlarging the inlet and outlet areas improves the air-cooling efficiency, and transitioning environmental air-cooling temperatures after 2400 s of discharge effectively reduces the temperature difference and the energy consumption of the cooling equipment. This work provides valuable theoretical insights for optimizing the thermal design of BESS.