Experimental and numerical analysis of a hybrid cooling concept for an electric battery module

This paper introduces a novel hybrid thermal management concept, which use secondary coolants (air and water) to extract heat from a phase change material (paraffin), resulting in increased heat extraction capability of the paraffin and improvement the overall thermal performance of the battery module. This concept was analyzed using experimental and numerical studies. The experimental studies were conducted to obtain the temperature and heat flux profiles of the battery module. The numerical model is developed and validated using the experimental data obtained. The outcome of the study showed that the battery module temperature reached the phase change temperature threshold of the PCM in the fifth discharge cycle, and the through the use of latent heat the battery module temperature was maintained between 42 and 44 °C. Additionally, the thermal uniformity started to increase once the PCM started to change and the PCM utilization was ∼2.3 % after seven discharge cycles. Therefore, the proposed thermal management concept for the battery module can sustain the thermal environment needed for effective operation of the Lithium-ion batteries.