Enhancing Thermal Performance and Cooling Solutions of Phase Change Material in Battery Thermal Management System: A Computational Analysis

Abstract

Batteries, particularly lithium-ion batteries, are sensitive to temperature changes. Battery thermal management systems (BTMS) are essential in various battery-powered applications, especially electric vehicles (EVs) and portable electronic devices. This study examines the importance of phase change material (PCM) in battery packs using numerical analysis. An examination is conducted on a battery pack consisting of 18 650 battery cells arranged in a 5 × 5 configuration. A comparative analysis is performed to evaluate the thermal efficiency of the battery pack with and without PCM. The study examines the influence of ambient conditions and charging rates on the selection of PCM for battery packs. A hybrid cooling solution utilizing PCM and a water tube has also been investigated against conventional passive PCM-based BTMS. Additionally, two types of fins, namely circular and spiral fins, are introduced to improve the heat transfer rate. PCM-based cooling systems are most effective when the ambient temperature is below the melting temperature of the PCM. However, when the ambient temperature exceeds the melting temperature of the PCM, this cooling system outperforms conventional PCM-based cooling. The maximum temperature is found as 319, 316.9, and 315.3 K using without fin, circular fin and spriral fina, respectively. The spiral fins are found more effective than circular fins under high ambient temperature. In conclusion, The PCM-with spiral-fin system demonstrates notable benefits in high-temperature environments.