Numerical Assessment of Cooling Systems for Thermal Management of Lithium-Ion Batteries

The chapter delves into the critical role of thermal management in lithium-ion batteries, highlighting the importance of maintaining optimal operating temperatures to prevent thermal runaway and extend battery life. It reviews various thermal management systems and their advantages, with a particular focus on phase change material-based passive cooling and hybrid PCM/liquid configurations. The authors develop a simplified thermal model using COMSOL Multi-physics® to simulate the thermal distribution of lithium-ion batteries, validating their results with experimental data from charging/discharging cycles. The model takes into account key physical properties and heat generation mechanisms, providing a detailed analysis of temperature distribution under different operating conditions. The chapter concludes by proposing novel materials and hybrid systems for effective thermal management under high current conditions, offering valuable insights for professionals in the field.