Performance investigation and design optimization of a battery thermal management system with thermoelectric coolers and phase change materials

In this work, a novel battery thermal management system (BTMS) integrated with thermoelectric coolers (TECs) and phase change materials (PCMs) is developed to ensure the temperature working environment of batteries, where a fin framework is adopted to enhance the heat transfer. By establishing a transient thermal-electric-fluid multi-physics field numerical model, the thermal performance of the BTMS is thoroughly examined in two cases. The findings demonstrate that increasing the TEC input current, fin length, and thickness is beneficial for reducing the maximum temperature and PCM liquid fraction. Nevertheless, although the increase in fin length can lower the temperature difference, the influence of fin thickness and TEC input current on the temperature difference is tiny. Based on the numerical findings, the optimal fin length and thickness of 7 mm and 3 mm are obtained. In this situation, when the TEC input current is 3 A, the maximum temperature, temperature difference, and PCM liquid fraction in Case 1 are 315.10 K, 2.39 K, and 0.002, respectively, and those are respectively 318.24 K, 3.60 K, and 0.181 in Case 2. The configuration of Case 1 outperforms that of Case 2, due to the fewer TECs and greater distance from the battery pack to the TEC within Case 2. When experiencing a higher battery discharge rate, the TEC input current should also be correspondingly increased to ensure the temperature performance of the battery. The relative findings contribute to new insights into battery thermal management.