INVESTIGATION OF LIQUID COOLING FOR LITHIUM-BASED BATTERIES: A NUMERICAL ANALYSIS WITH NANO ENHANCED PHASE CHANGE MATERIALS AND METAL FOAM

This study focuses on the essential aspects of thermal management in electric vehicles, concentrating on the significant challenges associated with the regulation of temperature of rechargeable electric batteries. Utilizing a three-dimensional cylindrical model of a lithium-polymer single battery module, this numerical investigation explores the thermal control mechanisms. The control strategy involves the utilization of phase change materials with metal foam. The cooling of the battery is further achieved through convective flow of a nanofluid mixture of Al2O3 in water utilizing various tube arrangements. The implementation of the model is carried out using the finite volume method. The study concerns the estimation of Nusselt’s number and heat transfer coefficient of the nanofluid mixture for different Reynolds numbers. The study involves the simulation of various cases involving two different phase change materials (PCM’s) namely RT25HC and RT35 which are embedded with metal foam having a porosity of 20 PPI using different nanofluid mass flow rates and concentrations for a C- rate of 1C. The study includes a detailed analysis of maximum surface temperature of the battery, average temperature recorded by the PCM materials and the liquid fraction of the chosen nano enhanced PCM’s.