Comparison of a novel mini-channel design with other coolant channel designs for liquid cooling type of battery thermal management system: A numerical study
Devesh Kumar, Arunkumar Samanta, Tanmay Dutta
Abstract
• BTMS with novel mini-channel is compared to three common indirect liquid-cooled BTMS. • BTMS with serpentine channel, wavy channels, jacketed cells, and mini-channel are studied. • Serpentine channel and wavy channels are found unsuitable under given conditions. • Performance of BTMS with jacketed cells and mini-channels are the most appropriate. The thermal management of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) in electric vehicles (EVs) is critically dependent on the design of coolant channels. An optimized channel design not only enhances thermal regulation but also contributes to reduced operational costs. While numerous studies have examined individual channel configurations, a systematic comparative analysis of battery thermal management system (BTMS) performance using different coolant channel designs under high C-rate conditions remains limited. To address this gap, the present study performs a comprehensive numerical investigation of BTMS performance using four distinct water-cooled channel designs, referred to as Models 1 through 4. Each configuration accommodates an identical arrangement of twenty LIB cells to maintain consistency across comparisons. Simulation results reveal that all models maintain the maximum temperature (T max ) within the safe operational limit even at a high discharge rate of 5C. However, Model 1 exhibits an excessive temperature difference (ΔT), surpassing the recommended threshold. Further analysis under varying ambient temperatures and Reynolds numbers shows that both Models 1 and 2 experience ΔT and T max values beyond acceptable limits. In terms of energy efficiency, Model 2 demonstrates the highest pump power consumption. Considering both thermal management effectiveness and energy consumption, Model 4 emerges as the most suitable coolant channel design for BTMS applications under harsh conditions, whereas Model 1 is the least favourable. These findings provide valuable insights for the development of more efficient and reliable thermal management strategies for high-performance EV battery systems.