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Energy
EnergyProcedia 158
Procedia 00(2019)
(2017)4933–4940
000–000
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10th International Conference on Applied Energy (ICAE2018), 22-25 August 2018, Hong Kong,
10th International Conference on Applied Energy
China(ICAE2018), 22-25 August 2018, Hong Kong,
China
Active cooling based battery thermal management using composite
Active cooling
The 15thbased battery
phaseSymposium
International thermalon
change management
materials
District Heating and using composite
Cooling
phase change materials
Yanqi Zhaoaa, Boyang Zouaa, Chuan Liaa, and Yulong Dingaa*
Assessing
Yanqithe Zhaofeasibility
, Boyang Zou of, using
Chuan Li the heat
, and demand-outdoor
Yulong Ding *
temperatureSchool
function for a long-term district heat
United demand
School of Chemical Engineering, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
forecast
a

of Chemical Engineering,
a
University of Birmingham, Birmingham, Kingdom

Abstract
I. Andrića,b,c*, A. Pinaa, P. Ferrãoa, J. Fournierb., B. Lacarrièrec, O. Le Correc
Abstract
a
IN+ Center for Innovation, Technology and Policy Research - Instituto Superior Técnico, Av. Rovisco Pais 1, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
Thermal management systembVeolia is essential for lithium-ion
Recherche & Innovation, batteries in electric
291 Avenue Dreyfousvehicle to control
Daniel, operating
78520 Limay, temperature and temperature
France
Thermal
differences.management
Phase
c system
change
Département is essential
material
Systèmes (PCM) for
is lithium-ion
commonly
Énergétiques batteries
used
et Environnement in the-inIMTelectric
study of vehicle
battery
Atlantique, to control
thermal
4 rue operating
Alfredmanagement
Kastler, temperature
44300 system and temperature
Nantes,(BTMS).
France However,
differences.
with low thermal Phase change material
conductivity, pure(PCM)
PCMisiscommonly used for
not sufficient in the study of battery
transferring the heatthermal management
generated system
from battery (BTMS).
cells. However,
To resolve this
with low the
problem, thermal
thermalconductivity,
conductivity pure PCM was
of PCM is not sufficient
enhanced for cooper
using transferring
foam.the heat liquid
Active generated from
cooling wasbattery cells. To with
also combined resolve this
copper
problem,
foam/paraffinthe thermal
composite conductivity
phase changeof PCM was(CPCM)
material enhancedtousing providecooperextrafoam.
cooling Active liquid
ability. Thecooling
coolingwas
tubealso combined
is evenly with copper
distributed in the
Abstract
foam/paraffin
copper foam, and composite
a coolantphase change material
is circulated through (CPCM)
the tube. to The
provide
copper extrafoam
cooling
has ability.
a porosityTheofcooling
98% andtubepore
is evenly
size ofdistributed
20 ppi, andin the
copper
paraffinfoam,
has a and a coolant
melting point is
of circulated through the tube. The
25 °C. A three-dimensional coppermodel
numerical foam has a porosity
for the BTMS of 98%onand
based PCM pore size
and of 20liquid
active ppi, and the
cooling
District
paraffin
was performedheating
has a meltingnetworks
using point of
ANYSYS are25commonly
FLUENT. Theaddressed
impact ofinthethe
°C. A three-dimensional literature
numerical
velocity as one
ofmodel
liquid for ofand
the
inlet the
BTMS most effective
based
material on PCM
module solutions
on andBTMS
the for was
active decreasing
liquid cooling
examined the
greenhouse
was performed
regarding the gas emissions
using
evolution ANYSYS from
of thermal the
FLUENT. building sector.
The impact
management These
of
performance. systems
the velocity ofrequire
A significant liquid high and
inlet
improvementinvestments
material which
module
of thermal are returned
on the
management BTMS through
wasCPCM
using the and
examinedheat
sales.cooling
regarding
liquid Duethe to theobserved
evolution
was changed climate
of thermal
with conditions
14management
°C of lower cell and building
performance.
temperature. renovationimprovement
A significant policies, heat demand management
of thermal in the futureusing could decrease,
CPCM and
prolonging
liquid coolingthe wasinvestment
observed with return
14period.
°C of lower cell temperature.
The main©scope
Copyright 2018ofElsevier
this paper
Ltd.isAll
to assess the feasibility of using the heat demand – outdoor temperature function for heat demand
rights reserved.
©forecast.
2019 TheThe Authors. Published
district by Elsevier
of Alvalade, located Ltd.
in Lisbon (Portugal),committee
was used of as the
a case
Copyright
Selection © 2018
and Elsevier
peer-review Ltd.
underAllresponsibility
rights reserved. of the scientific 10th study. The district
International is consisted
Conference of 665
on Applied
This is an open
buildings that access
vary inarticle
both under the CC period
construction BY-NC-ND and license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
typology. Three weather scenarios th (low, medium,Conference
high) and on three district
Selection
Energy and
(ICAE2018). peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the 10
Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of ICAE2018 – The 10th International Conference on Applied Energy. International Applied
renovation
Energy (ICAE2018).scenarios were developed (shallow, intermediate, deep). To estimate the error, obtained heat demand values were
comparedBattery
Keywords: with results
thermalfrom a dynamic
management, heat
phase demand
change model,
material, previously
battery developed andactive
thermal characteristics, validated
coolingby the authors.
The results
Keywords: showed
Battery thatmanagement,
thermal when only phaseweather change
change is considered,
material, battery thermal the characteristics,
margin of error could
active be acceptable for some applications
cooling
(the error in annual demand was lower than 20% for all weather scenarios considered). However, after introducing renovation
1.scenarios,
Introduction the error value increased up to 59.5% (depending on the weather and renovation scenarios combination considered).
1.The value of slope coefficient increased on average within the range of 3.8% up to 8% per decade, that corresponds to the
Introduction
decrease
With highinenergy,
the number highofpower
heatingdensity
hours ofand 22-139h
long during
lifespan thefeatures,
heating season (depending
lithium-ion on the
batteries arecombination
widely adoptedof weather
as theand
renovation
With high scenarioshigh
energy, considered).
power On the other
density and fuelhand, lifespan
long function intercept
features, increased
lithium-ion for 7.8-12.7%
batteries per widely
decade (depending asonthethe
traction battery for battery electric (BEV), cell electric (FCEV) and plug-in hybrid are (PHEV) adopted
electric vehicles.
coupled scenarios).
traction batteryoffor The values
battery suggested
electric could be used to modify the function parameters for the scenarios considered, and
Requirements EVs include vehicle(BEV),
safety,fuel cell electric
immediate (FCEV)and
performance anddurability.
plug-in hybrid (PHEV) electric
The performance of EVs vehicles.
can be
improve the accuracy of heat demand estimations.
Requirements
improved of EVs
as the include
result vehiclepack
of battery safety, immediate performance
performance improvement,and
in durability. The performance
which controlling thermal of EVs can be
behaviour of
improved as the result of battery pack performance improvement, in which controlling thermal behaviour of
© 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Peer-review under responsibility of the Scientific Committee of The 15th International Symposium on District Heating and
Cooling.
* E-mail address: y.ding@bham.ac.uk
* E-mail address:
Keywords: y.ding@bham.ac.uk
Heat demand; Forecast; Climate change
1876-6102 Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Selection and
1876-6102 peer-review
Copyright under
© 2018 responsibility
Elsevier Ltd. All of the scientific
rights reserved. committee of the 10th International Conference on Applied Energy (ICAE2018).
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the 10th International Conference on Applied Energy (ICAE2018).
1876-6102 © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Peer-review under responsibility of the Scientific Committee of The 15th International Symposium on District Heating and Cooling.
1876-6102 © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of ICAE2018 – The 10th International Conference on Applied Energy.
10.1016/j.egypro.2019.01.697
2 Yanqi Zhao et al. / Energy Procedia 00 (2018) 000–000
4934 Yanqi Zhao et al. / Energy Procedia 158 (2019) 4933–4940

batteries is an essential point [1]. Lithium ion batteries must work within a strict temperature range, for instance 20-
55℃, operating out of this temperature range can cause severe problems to the battery[2]. In addition, the
temperature variation among all cells must not exceed 5 ℃.
The BTMS plays a vital role in controlling the thermal behaviour of batteries. PCMs are excellent candidates for
novel BTMS. Taking advantage of their high latent heat, PCMs can absorb a large quantity of heat generated from
the battery, without changing the temperature themselves. A PCM based BTMS can control the battery pack
operating in a desirable temperature range, also maintain temperature uniformity within all cells. Although most
PCMs have the shortage of low thermal conductivity, many researchers have introduced thermal conductive
enhancement materials like graphite [3], metal foam [4]and carbon fibre [5]into PCMs. The composite material
achieved significant improvement in thermal conductivity. Hussain et al. [6] developed graphene coated nickel foam
using chemical vapour deposition. Compared with paraffin, thermal conductivity of the developed material is
improved by 23 times while both its latent and specific heat are decreased by 30%. At 0.5C discharge rate,
temperature of battery surface is decreased by 17% compared with nickel foam. Jiang et al. [7] investigated the
battery thermal management performance of paraffin/expanded graphite(EG) with different mass fraction of EG.
Results showed that the performance of battery thermal management was significantly improved with the
incorporation of EG as the thermal conductivity of the CPCM is improved and the leakage of PCM is prevented.
The researchers believe that CPCM with 16-20 wt.% of EG is at its optimum condition due to its excellent thermal
management performance and stable shape. Pan et al. [8] considered using copper fibre/paraffin composite in the
BTMS, showing that the CPCM can effectively decrease the batter temperature and the temperature uniformity of
the battery pack was controlled within a difference of 2 ℃. Qu et al. [9] studied a passive BTMS using
paraffin/copper foam composite with a 2-D transient model. The results were also validated by experimental data.
The results showed that surface temperature of the paraffin/copper foam composite was significantly reduced
compared with isothermal and air convection modes. The natural convection of paraffin was also constrained in the
copper foam.
However, studies investigating the combination of active and passive cooling have been inadequate. In this paper, an
active cooling based BTMS using CPCMs was studied. The system is in direct contact with the battery, which can
maintain its operating temperature in a proper range, and keep temperature uniformity within singles cells and
battery packs. Thermal characteristics of the single battery at different discharge rate was also investigated. The heat
generation rate of the lithium ion battery was used as the input data source for the simulation.

2. Experimental

2.1. Thermal characteristics of single battery

Commercial 18650 lithium ion batteries (Panasonic NCR18650B) were chosen for the experiment due to their large
cell capacity. NCR18650B lithium ion battery has chemistry of LiNiCoAlO2, nominal capacity of 3.2Ah and
nominal voltage of 3.6V. Before the experiment, each cell was tested for its rated capacity using ampere–hour
integral method. Only batteries meet the nominal capacity were used for the experiment. To understand the thermal
characteristic of the lithium ion battery, all single cells were discharged at different current rates. The results were
used as the input data for the numerical model. In each charge/discharge cycle, the batteries were fully charged and
discharged. During the charging process, the battery was first charged in galvanostatic mode at a 0.5C rate (1.6A)
with a voltage cut-off limit of 4.2V, followed by a potentiostatic mode until current drops to 65mA. Through the
discharging process, the battery was discharged in galvanostatic mode at 1C rate (1.6A), 1.5C rate (4.8A) and 2C
rate (6.4A), respectively, until the voltage drops to 2.5V. Due to a safety consideration, the test will be manually
interrupted if the maximum temperature of the battery reaches 60 ℃.
The temperature increase of a single cell during the charging cycle was recorded using a thermocouple. One
additional thermocouple was used to record the ambient temperature. To ensure the accuracy of the experiment, the
battery was tested under an adiabatic condition by wrapping it with a thermal insulation material. Three batteries
were tested separately for experiment repeatability.
 Author name / Energy Procedia 00 (2018) 000–000 3
Yanqi Zhao et al. / Energy Procedia 158 (2019) 4933–4940 4935

2.2. Numerical model

The computational domain was divided into three parts: the material module, the copper pipe with 0.5mm thickness
and the heat transfer fluid filled in the copper pipe. As shown in Figure 1, a battery pack consisted of twenty 18650
lithium ion batteries is displayed in the module. The dimension of the cylindrical battery is 65mm in height and 18
mm in diameter. A copper pipe with 7mm inner diameter is placed in the module for the circulation of heat transfer
fluid. The boundary A was the interface between the domain 1 and the battery. There are 20 interfaces as 20 lithium
ion batteries are involved. The model was simplified, a constant heat flux of 344W/m2 was given in accordance with
2C discharge rate. The value of heat flux was the result of the thermal characteristic test on the single battery.
Boundary B and boundary C were the inlet and outlet of the heat transfer fluid, respectively. Boundary B was set as
velocity inlet, and boundary C was set as outflow. There were two interfaces, one was between domain 1 and
domain 2 and the other was between domain 2 and domain 3. Both interfaces were treated as the coupled wall.
Boundary D was set as an adiabatic wall. Several assumptions were also applied to the model:
 The boundary outside of domain 1 and domain 2 was adiabatic.
 The specific heat, thermal conductivity and viscosity of paraffin and heat transfer fluid were set as constant.
 The liquid motion of liquid phase paraffin was not considered in the model.

Figure 1 schematic of the proposed battery thermal management system

The initialization temperature of the entire module of all tests was set to an ambient temperature, which was 23 °C.
Two material systems were examined for domain 1. One was copper foam filled with paraffin, another one only
contained a commercial PCM, RT 25HC from Rubitherm, with a melting point at 25°C. Different fluid inlet velocity of
0 m/s, 0.01 m/s, 0.05 m/s and 0.1 m/s were tested in both type of material module.

3. Results and discussion

3.1. Thermal characteristics of the single battery

Thermal characteristic of the single battery, when it was charged and discharged at different current rates, were
given in Table 1. When the battery was discharged in the galvanostatic mode at a 2C rate (6.4A), there was a 43 ℃
of temperature increase. The discharging time was expected to be 30 minutes. However, after about 20 minutes of
4 Yanqi Zhao et al. / Energy Procedia 00 (2018) 000–000
4936 Yanqi Zhao et al. / Energy Procedia 158 (2019) 4933–4940

discharging, the temperature of the cell reached 60 ℃, which is the maximum operating temperature of the battery.
The experiment was then stopped manually. The specific heat of 18650 lithium-ion battery is about 823J/ k *kg
[10,11] and weight of the single cell is 48.5g, so the total heat generation was 1728J. The heat generation rate per
cell is 1.44W. From Ohm’s law:
(1)
The internal resistance of 0.035 Ω can be calculated. The surface area of the single battery was 4.185*10-3m2, so the
heat flux of the battery during 20 minutes of discharge was 344w/m2. A linear trend was achieved and the value can
be considered as the heat flux at a 2C rate of battery discharging.

Table 1 Thermal characteristics of the single battery

Charge/discharge Charge/discharge time Temperature increase Heat generation Heat generation rate Internal resistance
rate (C) (minutes) (℃) (J) (W) (Ω)

Charge at 0.5C rate 120 10 400 0.05 0.02

(1.6A)

Discharge at 1C 60 27 1077 0.3 0.03

rate (3.2A)

Discharge at 1.5C 40 41 1636 0.68 0.03

rate (4.8A)
Discharge at 2C 30 43 1728 1.44 0.035
rate (6.4A)

3.2. Simulation of the thermal management module

As shown in Figure 2, the melting process of pure paraffin started at the very beginning. After 1800s of operation,
the liquid fractions of the material module were the same, which is 0.35 at different fluid velocities. With copper
foam, the liquid fraction of the PCM increased to 0.4 without heat transfer fluid inlet. The liquid fraction decreased
with the increased inlet velocity as part of the generated heat that was taken by heat transfer fluid.

Figure 2 liquid fraction of PCM

The outlet temperature of the heat transfer fluid is shown in Figure 3. The outlet temperature of the heat transfer
fluid decreased with the increased inlet velocity. In the case of copper foam, the temperature of the outlet
temperature increased 1-2 °C. This was due to the improved thermal conductivity of the material module. The
 Author name / Energy Procedia 00 (2018) 000–000 5
Yanqi Zhao et al. / Energy Procedia 158 (2019) 4933–4940 4937

generated heat was taken by heat transfer fluid, which leads to the elevated temperature. The temperature stays
unchanged from 200s, which indicates the battery modules were at a steady state.

Figure 3 outlet temperature of heat transfer fluid

Figure 4 illustrates the temperature variation as a function of time of the battery surface. The results showed that the
temperature curves were identical with the same material at different fluid velocities. With paraffin only, after 1800s
of operation, the temperature of the battery surfaces reached 39 °C. Comparing with the initial temperature, there
was a 16 °C of temperature difference which is significant. Heat transfer rate inside the material module was at a
low point due to the low thermal conductivity. The generated heat from battery surface accumulated at boundary A,
and it cannot be dissipated to other parts of the PCM. Therefore, it caused a significant temperature increase. In the
case of copper foam and paraffin system, after 1800s of operation, the temperature of the surfaces was about 25 °C.
It indicates that the temperature of the battery surfaces was well controlled at the melting point of the PCM. This
was due to the significantly improved thermal conductivity.

Figure 4 temperature of battery surface

Temperature curve of the PCM in volume is displayed in Figure 5. The temperature curves of the paraffin in
volumes show similar results. With paraffin only, after 1800s of operation, the temperature of the material module
reached 27 °C. With copper foam/paraffin, after 1800s of operation, due to the significantly improved thermal
conductivity, the temperature of the material module in volume waswell controlled at its melting point 25 °C. .
6 Yanqi Zhao et al. / Energy Procedia 00 (2018) 000–000
4938 Yanqi Zhao et al. / Energy Procedia 158 (2019) 4933–4940

Figure 5 temperature of PCM in volume

The results of pure PCM with different inlet velocities were almost identical. Hence, only the contour of one set of
results is presented in Figure 6. The results showed that with only paraffin, after 1800s of operation, the temperature
of the battery surface at all four modes reached 39 °C. This was because the insufficient thermal management
performance of the battery thermal management module by using pure paraffin.

Figure 6 Contour of the static temperature of the battery thermal

module using pure PCM after 1800s of operation

Results with copper foam/paraffin are given in Figure 7. After 1800s of operation, the temperature of the material
module was about 25 °C. It indicates that the temperature of the battery pack was sufficiently controlled at the
melting point of the PCM. There was no temperature difference among the single cells. Part of the material module
which is close to the heat transfer fluid has a lower temperature with one degree of difference. This was due to the
elevated velocity of the heat transfer fluid.
 Author
Yanqi name / Energy
Zhao et Procedia
al. / Energy 00 (2018)
Procedia 000–000
158 (2019) 4933–4940 49397

Figure 7 Contour of the static temperature of the battery thermal

module using copper foam/paraffin after 1800s of operation

4. Conclusion and future work

The heat generation rate of lithium ion battery increases with its increased discharge rate. Thermal management system
with pure PCM cannot efficiently manage the battery temperature, even coordinate with the liquid cooling. The
temperature of the battery surface reached 39 °C. Heat transfer rate inside of the material module was at a low point
due to the low thermal conductivity. The heat generated from the battery accumulated close to the battery surface. It
cannot be dissipated to other part of the PCM and it leads a significant temperature increase. With the addition of
copper foam, the battery surface temperature can be maintained adequately. The battery surface temperature was reduced
14 °C compare with pure PCM module. The generated heat can be effectively transferred inside the module. The
thermal management module also shows excellent temperature uniformity. In addition, the liquid cooling can further
contribute on battery temperature reduction.
Current numerical model will be further optimized as future work. Temperatures curve of the battery when it is charged
and discharged at different rates will be the input data source for the CFD simulation. Instead of constant heat flux, it
provides more accurate results. The objective of future work is to find the optimum amount of the CPCM needed per
cell, and to optimize the design of the battery thermal management module.

References

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