Battery thermal management using phase-change material

The implementation of phase-change materials (PCMs) provides battery thermal management system (BTMS) an excellent cooling solution that improves battery reliability, safety, lifespan, and performance. This chapter reviews the properties of common PCM, the utilization of it in BTMS, and thermal modeling of BTMS with PCM. First, the classification of PCM is introduced and thermal properties of different PCMs are reviewed. However, the poor cycle performance caused by leakage, low thermal conductivity, and fire safety concerns limit the usage of PCM. Therefore, methods for improving these shortcomings of PCM are completely discussed. Moreover, the utilization of PCM in BTMS is reviewed, and both the cooling and prewarming performances of batteries using PCM are discussed. Finally, two case studies of PCM-based battery cooling systems are discussed, along with their detailed modeling methods and simulation results. In Case-1, a transient 2D model was built for a square lithium-ion battery, which utilized paraffin infused with copper foam. The foam-PCM composite mode of thermal management significantly lowered the battery surface temperature to a safe level, unlike the air convection and adiabatic modes. In Case-2, the cooling structure that combines PCM and high thermal conductive heat pipe was simulated using a lumped numerical model. The model considers the heat generation by the batteries and dissipation through the PCM and heat pipe. The connection between the battery temperature and the PCM's melting process is explained.