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Abstract
In this work, a hybrid battery thermal management system using active cooling and Phase Change Material (PCM) has been studied. The additional weight of PCM poses design challenges, and hence its optimization is required. In this regard, a PCM enclosure of a cylindrical structure with six cylindrical cells is considered in 6-row and 1-column arrangement in the present work. The thermal performance of the proposed system is numerically investigated with different thicknesses of PCM layers at constant heat generation and coolant (air) flow rates. It is found that the battery thermal management with only PCM shows unsatisfactory performance under extended severe operating conditions. However, the addition low-flow convectional cooling improved the performance and the system’s reliability. It is found that for the proposed system, PCM thickness of 1 mm for the first battery cell and 2 mm for the subsequent battery cells help in better heat dissipation showing minimal thermal non–uniformity (1.1 °C) and reduced maximum temperature (39.6 °C) within the battery pack. Consequently, the optimized system shows 68.3% reduction in PCM mass as compared to the case of uniform thickness of the PCM.
Acknowledgments
We would like to acknowledge the support of Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani campus, Pilani (BITS Pilani) for the present work under the Research Initiation Grant (RIG).
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Kundrapu Ayyappa Swamy
Kundrapu Ayyappa Swamy is a Ph.D. Research Scholar at Department of Mechanical Engineering, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, Pilani Campus, Rajasthan, India. His research interest includes battery thermal management using numerical and experimental studies.
Saket Verma
Saket Verma is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering of Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani, Pilani Campus, Rajasthan, India. He completed his Doctoral research from Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT-Delhi), India. His research interest includes applied thermodynamics, thermal management in vehicles, Hhydrogen based hybrid energy systems, and unconventional engines.
Lakshit Mittal
Lakshit Mittal is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani (BITS Pilani). He was an intern at Mercedes Benz Research and Development, India (MBRDI), Aero-Thermal Department. He also won the Bright Idea Competition organized by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, India (DSIR).