Heat Pipe Integrated Cooling System of 4680 Lithium–Ion Battery for Electric Vehicles

Yong-Jun Lee, Tae-Gue Park, Chan-Ho Park, Su-Jong Kim, Ji-Su Lee and Seok-Ho Rhi ()
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Yong-Jun Lee: School of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Chungbuk National University, 1 Chungdae-ro, Cheongju 28644, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
Tae-Gue Park: School of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Chungbuk National University, 1 Chungdae-ro, Cheongju 28644, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
Chan-Ho Park: School of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Chungbuk National University, 1 Chungdae-ro, Cheongju 28644, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
Su-Jong Kim: School of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Chungbuk National University, 1 Chungdae-ro, Cheongju 28644, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
Ji-Su Lee: School of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Chungbuk National University, 1 Chungdae-ro, Cheongju 28644, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
Seok-Ho Rhi: School of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Chungbuk National University, 1 Chungdae-ro, Cheongju 28644, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 15, 1-50

Abstract: This study investigates a novel heat pipe integrated cooling system designed for thermal management of Tesla’s 4680 cylindrical lithium–ion batteries in electric vehicles (EVs). Through a comprehensive approach combining experimental analysis, 1-D AMESim simulations, and 3-D Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modeling, the thermal performance of various wick structures and working fluid filling ratios was evaluated. The experimental setup utilized a triangular prism chamber housing three surrogate heater blocks to replicate the heat generation of 4680 cells under 1C, 2C, and 3C discharge rates. Results demonstrated that a blended fabric wick with a crown-shaped design (Wick 5) at a 30–40% filling ratio achieved the lowest maximum temperature ( T max of 47.0 °C), minimal surface temperature deviation (Δ T surface of 2.8 °C), and optimal thermal resistance ( R th of 0.27 °C/W) under 85 W heat input. CFD simulations validated experimental findings, confirming stable evaporation–condensation circulation at a 40% filling ratio, while identifying thermal limits at high heat loads (155 W). The proposed hybrid battery thermal management system (BTMS) offers significant potential for enhancing the performance and safety of high-energy density EV batteries. This research provides a foundation for optimizing thermal management in next-generation electric vehicles.

Keywords: heat pipe; battery cooling; electric vehicles; thermal management; integrated cooling; thermal runaway (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: 2025
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