Battery Thermal Management System

 Battery Thermal Management System And cooling methods

SUBMITTED BY: - ME-A B3 Grp-2

Upendra Dani (55)

Vishwajeet Desai (64)

Nivedita Deshmukh (66)

Swanand Deshmukh (69)

Saurabh Dhirde (76)

UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF: 

  PROF. (DR.) D.B Hulwan

Battery Thermal Management System

Battery cooling is directly proportional to the heat generated inside them; it is critical to understand where the heat is coming from. A thermodynamic energy balance was used to generate a formula for the heat generated within a battery. He considers four processes that have an impact on this balance. The first is the electrical power generated within the battery, and the second is reversible reactions and the entropic heating that results from them. The reaction in a typical Lithium-ion battery is shown below. The square represents the lithium-ion battery's empty site [4].

πΏπ‘–πΆπ‘œπ‘‚2 + 𝐢6 ∎πΆπ‘œπ‘‚2 + 𝐿𝑖𝐢6

The third process is the heat produced by the mixing as the concentration of the battery changes as the reaction progresses. The heat dissipated from the phase changes of the materials is the final process in the energy balance. In most publications, the Bernoulli equation is simplified and presented as:  

π‘ž = 𝐼(π‘ˆπ‘‰) − 𝐼(𝑇 πœ•π‘ˆ πœ•π‘‡)

The heat of mixing and phase change are ignored in this phrase. The first term represents the overpotentials and ohmic losses that occur during charge transfer at the interface. The second term is the reaction's reversible entropic heat.

Heat Generated and C-rate.


Figure 1-Relation between C-rate & temp.

C-rate is a relative measure of battery performance. For example, a C-rate of one indicates that the cell is operating at full capacity, a C-rate of 0.5 indicates that the cell is operating at half capacity, and so on.

As the amount of current drawn from the battery increases, C-rate increases proportionally to the heat generated in the battery. As Q (Irreversible)= I^2R, it generates more heat, with an exponential increase as current drawn increases. There is also a negative relationship between C- Rate and temperature. Lowering the temperature of the cell increases its internal resistance, preventing it from operating at its maximum C-Rate and resulting in performance loss.

Thermal management impact on battery performance

The performance of a lithium-ion cell is highly dependent on its temperature. The optimal operating temperature for lithium batteries is 15-35 °C. Operators outside of this range will have a negative impact on battery performance and lifetime. The main consequences of incorrect battery temperatures are discussed here.

1. Degrading performance

High cell temperatures increase the internal resistance of the cell, reducing output power. Furthermore, higher temperatures will result in a greater loss of cycle performance. Cycle loss is the loss of cell capacity when it is cycled (e.g., charged then discharged). In comparison, cells that operate at higher temperatures have a greater capacity loss after each cycle.


Figure 2-Temperature v/s internal resistance

2. Temperature distribution

More heat will be generated in battery packs as their size and charge/discharge rate increase. If this heat is not properly dissipated, it will build up inside the battery packs. Furthermore, convective heat transfer is greater at the pack's outer surfaces. As a result, the temperature distribution inside the battery packs will be uneven. As previously discussed, the performance of a cell is highly dependent on its temperature. This means that temperature inequity will result in capacity variability between cells. This will result in a vicious cycle in which the cells with the proper temperature must deliver more power to compensate for the low performing cells, which will result in an increase in cell temperature. Furthermore, because lithium cells have a low tolerance for overcharging, the overall charging capacity of a battery pack is limited to the lowest performing cell.

3. Thermal Runaway

When the temperature of the cell exceeds a certain threshold, a series of undesirable exothermic reactions occur, raising the temperature even higher. This chain reaction will continue, resulting in a phenomenon known as thermal runaway. If a thermal runaway is not properly managed, the large amount of heat and gas produced can result in fire and explosion. Thermal runaway can happen for a variety of reasons, including high temperature, overcharge, short-circuiting, and nail penetration. The focus of this review has been on thermally caused incidents.  At around 90oC, thermal runaway begins.


Figure 5-Thermal Runaway

Thermal Analysis Performed-

We Performed an analysis on 30 Li-ion Samsung 18650 cells at ambient temperature 25 deg C, and heat disceptation rate of 3.375 joules/sec (Referred from a research article.), and inlet air speed of a cooling fan i.e. 4m/s from fan data sheet. And at outlet keeping atmospheric pressure. The geometry selected is like a tube structure with inlet and exit on either sides with cells with 2.5 mm spacing in between them for air passage.


Figure 4- Geometry


Figure 5- Temp distribution


Figure 6- Airflow


Figure 7-Temperature difference between first and last row of cell.

Battery thermal management system (BTMS)

Inappropriate battery temperature has a negative impact on battery performance, lifetime, and safety. As a result, a BTMS is required for each battery system. A BTMS's primary responsibility is to keep the batteries in the optimal temperature range and to maintain an even temperature distribution in the battery pack. Following that, other factors such as weight, size, reliability, and cost must be considered based on the application of the battery packs.

 

The battery is the most important component of EVs, as it goes through several charge and discharge cycles in an external environment over the course of its life. Because the performance of lithium-ion batteries is closely related to temperature, it is critical to understand how heat is generated inside the battery. Heat generation within Li-ion batteries is a complex process that necessitates an understanding of how the rate of electrochemical reaction varies with time and temperature, as well as how current flows in the battery.

 

Fig-8 BTMS 

 

Liquid Cooling System  

Because liquid cooling has a higher heat conductivity and heat capacity, it performs very well. It has its own advantages, such as ease of assembly and a compact structure. Liquid cooling aids in keeping the battery pack at the proper temperature. Increases in coolant flow rate or plate thickness can improve average temperature and temperature uniformity. Any fluid's cooling performance is determined by its thermal conductivity and viscosity. Water has the highest specific heat, but it cannot be used alone and must be mixed with glycol. Glycol and water mixture is a cheap and well-known cooling fluid. This mixture contains 50% glycol, 45% water, and 5% additives, which may include antifreeze, corrosion inhibitor, dye, and antioxidant.  Glycol has a high specific heat capacity and excellent heat transfer properties. Indirect cooling is provided by water-glycol systems. The glycol is pumped through the pipes that surround the battery. The supply pumps are used to deliver this water-glycol mixture. Heat transfer is achieved in BTMS using liquid cooling by installing discrete tubing around the battery cells with a jacket around the battery cells that places the heated liquid or cooled plate to the battery cell surface or by submerging the cells in a dielectric fluid.

 

There are two kinds of glycol that can be used:

1. Ethylene Glycol (EG): This is an antifreeze used in the cooling of automobile engines.

2. Propylene Glycol (PG): PG has the same benefit as EG. Furthermore, PG is thought to be non-toxic.

Battery cooling is divided into two types:

1. Passive cooling

2. Active cooling based on the control strategies.

In passive cooling, the coolant is cooled using air via a parallel flow heat exchanger, whereas in active cooling, the coolant is cooled using refrigerant via an internal heat exchanger. A radiator serves as the heat sink for cooling in passive cooling. The heat transfer fluid is circulated by the pumps within a closed system in passive liquid cooling. The circulating fluid will absorb heat from the battery pack and dissipate it through the radiator.


Fig.No 9: Passive liquid cooling system



Fig.No 10: Active liquid cooling system

 

 

There are two loops in active cooling. The lower loop is referred to as the secondary loop, while the upper loop is referred to as the primary loop. The primary loop is analogous to the loop in a passive cooling system, in which the heat transfer fluid is circulated by a pump. The air conditioning loop is the secondary loop in active cooling. In this case, instead of being a radiator, the upper heat exchanger acts as an evaporator for cooling and connects both loops. When the heating operation begins, the 4-way valve is activated, and the upper heat exchanger begins to function as a condenser, while the lower heat exchanger functions as an evaporator.

[1] Indirect liquid cooling (TESLA & Chevrolet)



Figure 11-Tesla and Chevrolet cooling

Water is used as one of the most efficient coolants in a variety of industrial applications. The main issue with directly cooling batteries with water is the potential for short-circuiting. To prevent electrical conduction with the cells while maintaining high thermal conductivities, indirect methods are used. Adding an electrical resistance will also increase thermal resistance, but if controlled, it will have little effect on cooling. In their vehicles, EV manufacturers such as GM and Tesla use indirect cooling. Figure 7 shows how GM uses cold plates between each prismatic cell.  The cold plates are thin and have several microchannels running through them. Figure 5 shows Tesla's use of wavy tubes running between cylindrical cells. To fill the space between the cells and cooling channels, a thermally conductive but electrically isolating material was used. Although the wavy tubes appear ineffective due to the small heat transfer contact area, they are safer mechanically and electrically. All coolant connections are made outside of the battery enclosure, removing potential leak points.

[2] Direct liquid cooling (Immersion) (Koenigsegg’s Regera and Aston Martin’s Valkyrie):

Direct cooling, also known as immersion cooling, cools the cell uniformly across its entire surface. This reduces hot/cold spots in the cell and improves cell performance. A dielectric coolant with low viscosity and high thermal conductivity and thermal capacity should be used for direct cooling. Immersion cooling is becoming more popular in data centre servers and power electronics. The use of immersion for BTMS is still uncommon in the mass-produced EV market. This is most likely due to financial and safety concerns. As of today, immersion cooling for batteries has only been used for concept high-performance EVs and EV racing, according to the authors.  3M (Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company) manufactures dielectric liquid for cooling purposes. 3M Novec 7200 Engineered Fluid, for example, is used by Xing Mobility for Electric Racing. The fluid has a boiling point of 76oC, which keeps the cells from overheating and causing thermal runaway. For the cells that will be submerged in liquid, they use modular containers.

Rimac, a manufacturer of electric hyper cars, is another company that uses immersion cooling technology. For extreme conditions, they partially submerge the cells in liquid. Other car manufacturers, including Koenigsegg's Regera and Aston Martin's Valkyrie, use their battery pack technology. As of now, immersion cooling for BTMS has been used only for concept high-performance EVs due to their high-power requirements, which can only be met by cooling. More improvements in leakage proofing the battery pack and lowering the cost of the dielectric liquids are required for this method to reach the mass market.


Figure 12-Xing battery module with immersion cooling

 

Air cooling (Toyota Prius and Nissan Leaf)-

Air is the most common method of cooling and has been widely used in a variety of industries. Air may not appear to be a good cooling medium due to its low heat capacity and thermal conductivity. However, because of its simplicity and low cost, it remains an appealing cooling solution. Toyota Prius and Nissan Leaf are two well-known examples.  Toyota Prius Air Cooled Battery Pack Cooling can be accomplished using both natural convection (passive cooling) and forced convection (Active cooling). Natural convection is only appropriate for low-density batteries, and blowers/fans are typically used to increase the convection coefficient.


Figure 13-Toyota Prius battery

As a result, cell temperatures at the pack outlet rise, resulting in an uneven temperature distribution. As a result, extra precautions must be taken to ensure uniformity, such as increasing the coolant medium speed, creating turbulence in the flow, and optimising the positioning of each cell. Wang et al. investigated various cylindrical cell arrangements and fan positioning. The best cooling performance was found when the fan was placed on top of the module, and the most desired arrangement in terms of cooling effect and cost was when the cells were arranged side by side in a square pattern.

Phase Change Materials (PCM):

PCM is a material that accumulates or emits heat by transitioning from one state to another at a specific temperature. This has been widely used in many industries, including civil and energy engineering, because it can absorb and release large amounts of heat through phase change processes while consuming no energy. As the energy density and load of batteries have increased in recent years, BTMS has used a powerful cooling system that employs numerous channels of liquid cooling loops. However, such a system has the disadvantage of increasing the system's complexity and the compressor's power consumption. The PCM cooling system is one way to mitigate these disadvantages; the cells are directly attached to the PCM, which is generally a solid material block machined or moulded so that the cells can be inserted. There are also two plates on the top and bottom, or right and left, sides of the PCM to dissipate the heat absorbed by the PCM. Heat is generated in the cells when the battery is charged or discharged, and this heat is transferred to the PCM, which is in direct contact with the cells due to the conduction phenomenon depending on the temperature difference absorbs heat as sensible heat first, then as latent heat until the end of the phase change process at a constant temperature, when it finally reaches the melting point as the temperature gradually rises. This means that it can withstand the battery's high thermal load without experiencing abnormal temperature rises or significant temperature unevenness.  

 


When only PCM is used as BTMS, however, it is difficult to operate continuously if the PCM is completely melted due to hot weather or continuous charge/discharge cycles of the battery. As a result, additional cooling systems that dissipate the heat generated by the PCM are critical. Although increasing the PCM mass delays the phase change completion time, it will not be able to reduce energy consumption, which is important when using PCM, because it increases the weight and reduces EV performance. As a result, the proper PCM mass must be determined. Another important consideration in the application of PCM to BTMS is the selection of the appropriate PCM. Within the battery's operating range, the proper PCM should have high latent heat, high heat capacity, high thermal conductivity, and phase change temperature. Furthermore, the PCM should be chemically stable and nontoxic, with little to no sub-cooling effect during the freezing process.

Conclusion-
Simulation of air cooling and thermal analysis for li-ion cell is done. A brief study of BTMS, its function and different types of cooling methodologies for cooling. Different types of cooling methods are operation specific and each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

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