Experimental Study of a Passive Thermal Management System Using Expanded Graphite/Polyethylene Glycol Composite for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Zhenggang Xia, Chaoen Li, Hang Yu () and Zhirong Wang
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Zhenggang Xia: School of Mechanical Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 201804, China
Chaoen Li: School of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Ningbo University of Technology, Ningbo 315016, China
Hang Yu: School of Mechanical Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 201804, China
Zhirong Wang: School of Safety Science and Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 210009, China

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 23, 1-18

Abstract: Modern energy batteries are mainly used in pure electric vehicles. The stability of battery operation relies heavily on thermal management systems for which phase-change batteries have become an effective solution. In this study, we designed a battery thermal management system divided into two parts: a shaped phase-change material (PCM) module and a battery module. In the qualitative PCM module, polyethylene glycol was used to absorb heat, expanded graphite (EG) was used as the thermally conductive agent, and copper foam formed the support skeleton. The battery module comprised an 18650 lithium-ion battery with an enthalpy of 155 J/g. In our experiments, we applied PCMs to the battery modules and demonstrated the effectiveness of composite PCM (CPCM) in effectively lowering the temperature of both battery packs and minimizing the temperature discrepancies among individual batteries. At a gradually increasing discharge rate (1C/2C/3C), the battery’s T max could be lowered and the temperature could be de creased at various positions. It was evident that the battery temperature could be effectively preserved using CPCM. The findings of this study lay a foundation for future research on battery thermal management. Finally, the copper foam and EG contributed significantly to the prevention of leakage.

Keywords: phase-change material; copper foam; battery thermal management system; 18650 lithium-ion power battery (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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