Topology optimization of two-phase flow boiling cold plates for lithium-ion battery thermal management

Two-phase flow boiling cold plates are attractive for lithium-ion battery thermal management because phase-change cooling provides high heat removal capability and improved temperature uniformity. This study develops a topology optimization framework for two-phase flow boiling cold plates in lithium-ion battery thermal management. The framework combines a SIMP-based material interpolation strategy with a porous-medium mixture formulation and an evaporation–condensation phase-change model, while introducing a pseudo-3D reduced-order model for computationally efficient topology generation. The optimized designs evolve into vein-like branching channels that improve flow distribution, suppress local dryout, and reduce overheating risk. Parametric analyses show that the optimal channel layout varies with filter radius, pressure constraint, heating power, and evaporation–condensation coefficient. This demonstrates an adjustable thermo-hydraulic tradeoff and adaptive topology evolution under different operating conditions. Reconstructed 3D simulations show that the topology-optimized cold plate outperforms straight-fin and pin-fin baselines in thermal-hydraulic performance under refrigerant boiling conditions. At an inlet temperature of 30 °C, the maximum cell temperature is 37.54 °C, the maximum temperature difference is 4.57 °C, and the pressure drop is 4.1 Pa, corresponding to reductions of 40.9 %, 36.3 %, and 28.3 % compared with a straight-fin design. These results demonstrate the potential of the proposed topology-optimized flow boiling cold plates for compact and high-power battery thermal management.