A Numerical Study on the Thermal Management of Cylindrical Lithium-ion Batteries by Immersion Cooling: Effect of Coolant Distribution

Authors

Alhussein M. Abdel-Hafeez, Department of Mechanical Power Engineering, Faculty of engineering, Assiut University, Assiut, 71515, Egypt.
Mohammed B. Effat, Department of Mechanical Power Engineering, Faculty of engineering, Assiut University, Assiut, 71515, Egypt.
O. Hassan, Department of Mechanical Power Engineering, Faculty of engineering, Assiut University, Assiut, 71515, Egypt.
N. Y. Abdel-Shafi, Department of Mechanical Power Engineering, Faculty of engineering, Assiut University, Assiut, 71515, Egypt.

DOI

10.70259/engJER.2024.851821

Abstract

Management of the temperature of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is critical for ensuring their safety and optimal performance. As the electric vehicle industry continues to evolve rapidly, the demand for efficient battery thermal management (BTM) technologies has grown. Among these, dielectric fluid immersion cooling (DFIC) has emerged as a particularly promising solution. In this study, we evaluate the impact of varying the coolant distribution on the performance of a cylindrical lithium-ion module comprising 20 cells. Coolant distribution was controlled by varying the number of coolant inlets from one to five, keeping the mass flow rate constant at 10 g/min. The performance of the batteries was modeled using a single-particle electrochemical-thermal model. The numerical results reveal that with five inlets, the maximum pressure drop between the inlets and outlets is reduced to 41.3% of the value observed with a single inlet, although this also results in an 18.5% increase in the maximum temperature difference between the two configurations. These results underscore the inherent trade-off between pressure management and temperature uniformity within the module, indicating that while additional inlets can significantly reduce pressure drop, they may simultaneously lead to less consistent thermal conditions throughout the system.

Recommended Citation

Abdel-Hafeez, Alhussein M.; Effat, Mohammed B.; Hassan, O.; and Abdel-Shafi, N. Y. (2024) "A Numerical Study on the Thermal Management of Cylindrical Lithium-ion Batteries by Immersion Cooling: Effect of Coolant Distribution," Journal of Engineering Research: Vol. 8: Iss. 5, Article 7.
DOI: 10.70259/engJER.2024.851821
Available at: https://digitalcommons.aaru.edu.jo/erjeng/vol8/iss5/7