Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Investigation on battery thermal management based on phase change energy storage technology

  • Original
  • Published:
Heat and Mass Transfer Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Electric vehicles are gradually replacing some of the traditional fuel vehicles because of their characteristics in low pollution, energy-saving and environmental protection. In recent years, concerns over the explosion and combustion of batteries in electric vehicles are rising, and effective battery thermal management has become key point research. Phase change materials (PCM) can absorb or release a large amount of latent heat during the phase change process while maintaining a constant temperature (phase change temperature). In this paper, STAR-CCM+ software is used to carry out three-dimensional simulation of single cell and battery packs with PCM to investigate changing characteristics of battery temperature rise and temperature difference during the cooling and heat preservation process. At the same time, temperature rise and temperature difference of battery are analyzed under different ambient temperatures, convection heat transfer coefficients and phase change latent heats of PCMs. In summer, at an ambient temperature of 30 °C, when using PCM, the battery cell temperature can be reduced by 4 °C in 1800 s, which is about 8.6% lower than that without PCM. In winter, at an ambient temperature of −5 °C, the PCM with a melting point about 20 °C can keep the battery cell temperature drop of no more than 28% within 6700 s at a higher convection coefficient of 5 W/m2·K. Comparing the temperature of the battery pack with that of the battery cell, in the summer with an ambient temperature of 30 °C, the temperature of the battery pack decreased by 13.3 °C in 3600 s, while in the winter with an ambient temperature of −30 °C, the temperature of the battery pack increased by 14.3 °C in 5700 s. The use of phase change materials is conducive for batteries in electric vehicles to dissipate heat in summer and preserve heat in winter.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16
Fig. 17
Fig. 18
Fig. 19
Fig. 20
Fig. 21
Fig. 22
Fig. 23

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

A:

Convective heat transfer area between the battery and the environment (m2).

C:

Discharge rate.

Cp :

Average specific heat capacity of the battery (J/(kg·K).

\( {\mathrm{C}}_{\mathrm{p}}^{\mathrm{p}\mathrm{cm}} \) :

Specific heat capacity of the PCM (J/(kg·K).

gi :

Acceleration of gravity in the i-direction (m/s2).

h:

Heat transfer coefficient (W/m2·K).

Href :

Sensible heat enthalpy (kJ).

H:

Total enthalpy (kJ).

kb :

Thermal conductivity of battery (W/m2·K).

kPCM :

Thermal conductivity of PCM (W/m2·K).

P:

Static pressure (Pa).

mPCM :

Mass of PCM.

Si :

Power source item (N/m3).

T:

Temperature (°C).

Ta :

Ambient temperature (°C).

Tb :

Battery surface temperature (°C).

Tm :

Melting point of PCM (°C).

Tref :

Temperature at the initial moment (°C).

η a :

Apparent viscosity (Pa·s).

γ :

Latent heat of PCM (kJ/kg).

β :

Percentage of a liquid phase in PCM.

\( \frac{\partial T\ }{\partial n\ } \) :

Temperature gradient.

References

  1. Lyu Y, Siddique ARM, Majid SH et al (2019) Electric vehicle battery thermal management system with thermoelectric cooling. Energy Rep 5:822–827. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egyr.2019.06.016

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Greco A, Cao D, Jiang X et al (2014) A theoretical and computational study of lithium-ion battery thermal management for electric vehicles using heat pipes. J Power Sources 257:344–355. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2014.02.004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Wilke S, Schweitzer B, Khateeb S et al (2017) Preventing thermal runaway propagation in lithium ion battery packs using a phase change composite material: an experimental study. J Power Sources 340:51–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2016.11.018

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Akinlabi HAA, Solyali D (2020) Configuration, design, and optimization of air-cooled battery thermal management system for electric vehicles. Renew Sust Energ Rev 125:109815. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2020.109815

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Behi H, Karimi D, Behi M et al (2020) A new concept of thermal management system in li-ion battery using air cooling and heat pipe for electric vehicles. Appl Therm Eng 174:115280. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applt-hermaleng.2020.115280

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Cen JW, Li ZB, Jiang FM (2018) Experimental investigation on using the electric vehicle air conditioning system for lithium-ion battery thermal management. Energy Sustainable Dev 45:88–95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esd.2018.05.005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Yuksel T, Litster S, Viswanathan V et al (2017) Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle LiFePO4 battery life implications of thermal management, driving conditions, and regional climate. J Power Sources 338:49–64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2016.10.104

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Wiriyasart S, Hommalee C, Sirikasemsuk S (2020) Thermal management system with nanofluids for electric vehicle battery cooling modules. Case Stud Therm Eng 18:100583. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csite.2020.100583

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Jarrett A, Kim Y (2011) Design optimization of electric vehicle battery cooling plates for thermal performance. J Power Sources 196:10359–10368. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2011.06.090

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Ianniciello L, Biwolé PH, Achard P (2018) Electric vehicles batteries thermal management systems employing phase change materials. J Power Sources 378:383–403. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2017.12.071

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Bejan AS, Labihi A, Croitoru CV et al (2018) Experimental investigation of the charge/discharge process for an organic PCM macroencapsulated in an aluminium rectangular cavity. E3S Web Conf 32:01004. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/20183201004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Labihi A, Aitlahbib F, Chehouani H et al (2017) Effect of phase change material wall on natural convection heat transfer inside an air filled enclosure. Appl Therm Eng 126:305–314. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2017.07.112

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Choudhari VG, Dhoble AS, Panchal S (2020) Numerical analysis of different fin structures in phase changematerial module for battery thermal management system and its optimization. Int J Heat Mass Transf 163:120434. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2020.120434

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Lv YF, Situ WF, Yang XQ et al (2018) A novel nanosilica-enhanced phase change material with anti-leakage and anti-volume-changes properties for battery thermal management. Energy Convers Manag 163:250–259. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2018.02.061

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Gholaminia V, Rahimi M, Ghaebi H (2020) Heat storage process analysis in a heat exchanger containing phase change materials. J Energy Storage 32:101875. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.est.2020.101875

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Putra N, Sandi AF, Ariantara B et al (2020) Performance of beeswax phase change material (PCM) and heat pipe as passive battery cooling system for electric vehicles. Case Stud Therm Eng 21:100655. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csite.2020.100655

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Karthikeyan S, Ravikumar K, Kumaresan G et al (2020) Enthalpy based mathematical modelling for thermal energy storage filled with paraffin encapsulated balls as storage material. Mater Today Proc:2214–7853. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2020.09.433

  18. Erchiqui F, Annasabi Z (2019) 3D hybrid finite element enthalpy for anisotropic thermal conduction analysis. Int J Heat Mass Transf 136:1250–1264. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2019.02.096

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Pan AG, Wang JB, Zhang XJ (2014) Change heat transfer characteristics using effective heat capacity method and enthalpy method. Res Cent Digit Manuf Technol 31(02):315–319. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2020.09.433

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Huo YT, Pang XW, Rao ZH (2020) Heat transfer enhancement in thermal energy storage using phase change material by optimal arrangement. Int J Therm Sci:106736. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijthermalsci.2020.106736

  21. Wu CX, Zhang GQ, Ke XF et al (2017) Simulation of heat dissipation with phase change material for prismatic power battery. Fac Mater Energy 41(03):360–363. https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1002-087X.2017.03.008

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Shen XZ, Zhang RY (2006) Study progress and application of phase change energy storage materials. Energy Conserv Technol 05:460–463. https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1002-6339.2006.05.020

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Li LM, Zhuang CL, Zhang HY et al (2011) Validity Analysis for Applying Enthalpy Method to Solve the Phase Change Heat Conduction Problem. China Acad J Electron Publishing House 27(03):58–91. https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1672-7843.2011.03.011

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Mazman M, Cabeza LF, Mehling H (2008) Heat transfer enhancement of fatty acids when used as PCMs in thermal energy storage. Int J Energy Res 32:135–143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrefrig.2020.05.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Hong W.H (2019) Application of phase change material in thermal management of Lithium ion power battery dissertation, University of Zhejiang

    Google Scholar 

  26. Zhang D (2008) Thermal stability of fatty acid molecular alloy used as phase change material. J Build Mater 03:283–287. https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1007-9629.2008.03.006

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by Research funds of the Maritime Safety Administration of the People’s Republic of China(2012_27), and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (3132019305).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Refrigeration & Cryogenics Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian, 116026, China

    Hongtao Gao, Meiqi Chen, Jiaju Hong & Yuchao Song

  2. Fluids & Thermal Engineering Research Group, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK

    Yuying Yan

Authors
  1. Hongtao Gao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Meiqi Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jiaju Hong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yuchao Song
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Yuying Yan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hongtao Gao.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Gao, H., Chen, M., Hong, J. et al. Investigation on battery thermal management based on phase change energy storage technology. Heat Mass Transfer (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-021-03061-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-021-03061-6

Search

Navigation