Analysis of the Heat Transfer Design and Thermal Management Performance for Battery Modules Combined with Liquid- and Forced-Air-Cooling Methods

Liquid-cooling techniques are commonly employed for battery thermal management (BTM) in commercial vehicles and energy storage applications, typically incorporating a cooling plate positioned beneath the casing of the battery pack. However, this heat transfer structural design results in smaller temperature drop in the terminal batteries located distantly from the plate, leading to an increased temperature difference. The integration of supplementary media into BTM systems holds the potential to enhance thermal management performance, thereby offering a viable solution to this issue. Herein, a fan is incorporated into the liquid-cooling system to induce air circulation and augment convective heat transfer onto the battery surface. In the findings, it is revealed that the implementation of a reverse airflow path beneath the cooling plate result in a temperature decreasing rate of 0.59 K min-1, indicating a notable enhancement of 23% compared to solely employing a liquid-cooling configuration. In the results, it is demonstrated that 1) reducing the inlet temperature can effectively enhance the rate of temperature reduction and 2) increasing the fan speed can reduce the temperature difference and promote temperature uniformity. In conclusion, in this present study, comprehensive guidelines and references are provided for the future design of BTM. Herein, a fan is incorporated into the liquid-cooling system to induce air circulation and augment convective heat transfer. The findings reveal that the implementation of a reverse airflow path beneath the cooling plate results in a temperature decreasing rate of 0.59 K min-1, indicating a notable enhancement of 23% compared to the liquid-cooling configuration.image (c) 2023 WILEY-VCH GmbH