Thermal Management of Small-Scale Li-ion Battery Module Using Graphite Matrix Composite with Phase Change: Effect of Discharge Rate

Abstract

An experimental study is performed to investigate the performance (thermally and electrically) of a small-scale li-ion module (3s2p) using passive thermal management strategy of phase change material (PCM)/graphite matrix. The PCM/graphite matrix was obtained by impregnating the graphite matrix (bulk density: 75 g L-1) with phase change material (paraffin/organic, RT-35). The performance tests of a li-ion module are conducted at 1C and 1.6C discharge rates for graphite matrix composite with phase change (phase change composite or PCM/graphite matrix) and also air cooling, comparatively. To illustrate the performance of the PCM/graphite matrix, transient temperature variations, thermal imaging, discharge capacity, and energy capacity are achieved comprehensively. The results illustrate that graphite matrix composite with phase change has a significant contribution to melting heat transfer, operating temperature, utilized capacity, and energy capacity compared to air cooling. Effective thermal conductivity of PCM/graphite matrix is increased 35 times by comparison with pure paraffin. Operating temperature and temperature gradient throughout the li-ion surface decrease by 22 % and 43 % compared to the air cooling, respectively, for high discharge rate. Operating time and energy capacity is increased 33 % and 28% compared to natural air cooling, respectively, for high discharge rate. It is also disclosed that dominant heat transfer mechanism is conduction depending on micro/nano-size porous structure of graphite matrix.

Keywords

• Battery
• cooling
• graphite
• li-ion
• phase change material (PCM)
• thermal management

Supporting Institution

TÜBİTAK

Project Number

2180111

Thanks

This study was financially supported by TUBITAK TEYDEB with project number 2180111.

References

1. Alhusseny A, Al-Zurfi N, Nasser A, Al-Fatlawi A, Aljanabi M, 2020. Impact of using a PCM-metal foam composite on charging/discharging process of bundled-tube LHTES units. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 150: 119320.
2. Arshad A, Jabbal M, Yan, Y, 2020. Thermophysical characteristics and application of metallic-oxide based mono and hybrid nanocomposite phase change materials for thermal management systems. Applied Thermal Engineering, 181: 115999.
3. Aydin O, Avci M, Yazici MY, Akgun M, 2018. Enhancing storage performance in a tube-in shell storage unit by attaching a conducting fin to the bottom of the tube. Isı Bilimi ve Teknigi Dergisi-Journal of Thermal Science And Technology, 38(2): 1-13.
4. Greco A, Jiang X, Cao D, 2015. An investigation of lithium-ion battery thermal management using paraffin/porous-graphite-matrix composite. J. Power Sources, 278: 50–68.
5. He J, Yang X, Zhang G, 2019. A phase change material with enhanced thermal conductivity and secondary heat dissipation capability by introducing a binary thermal conductive skeleton for battery thermal management. Applied Thermal Engineering, 148: 984-991.
6. Jiang GW, Huang JH, Fu YS, Cao M, Liu MC, 2016. Thermal optimization of composite phase change material/expanded graphite for li-Ion battery thermal management. Thermal Engineering, 108: 1119-1125.
7. Kang S, Choi JY, Choi S, 2019. Mechanism of heat transfer through porous media of inorganic intumescent coating in cone calorimeter testing. Polymers, 11(2): 1-16.
8. Kizilel R, Lateef A, Sabbah R, Farid MM, Selman JR, Al-Hallaj S, 2008. Passive control of temperature excursion and uniformity in high-energy Li-ion battery packs at high current and ambient temperature. Journal of Power Sources, 183(1): 370-375.

9. Kizilel R, Sabbah R, Selman JR, Al-Hallaj S, 2009. An alternative cooling system to enhance the safety of Li-ion battery packs. Journal of Power Sources, 194(2): 1105-1112.
10. Landini S, Leworthy J, O’Donovan TS, 2019. A review of phase change materials for the thermal management and isothermalisation of lithium-ion cells. Journal of Energy Storage, 25: 100887.
11. Liu H, Wei Z, He W, Zhao J, 2017. Thermal issues about Li-ion batteries and recent progress in battery thermal management systems: A review. Energy Conversion and Management, 150: 304-330.
12. Mallow A, Abdelaziz O, Graham S, 2018. Thermal charging performance of enhanced phase change material composites for thermal battery design. Int. J. Thermal Science, 127: 19-28.
13. Mills A, Farid M, Selman JR, Al-Hallaj S, 2006. Thermal conductivity enhancement of phase change materials using a graphite matrix. Thermal Engineering, 26(14-15): 1652-1661.
14. Py X, Olives R, Mauran S, 2001. Paraffin/porous-graphite-matrix composite as a high and constant power thermal storage material. Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer, 44(14): 2727–2737.
15. Somasundaram K, Birgersson E, Mujumdar AS, 2012. Thermal–electrochemical model for passive thermal management of a spiral-wound lithium-ion battery. Journal of Power Sources, 203: 84-96.
16. Wilke S, Schweitzer B, Khateeb S, Al-Hallaj S, 2017. Preventing thermal runaway propagation in lithium-ion battery packs using a phase change composite material: an experimental Study. J. Power Sources, 340: 51-59.
17. Wu W, Yang X, Zhang G, Ke X, Wang Z, 2016. An experimental study of thermal management system using copper mesh-enhanced composite phase change materials for power battery pack. Energy, 113: 909-916.
18. Wu W, Yang X, Zhang G, Chena K, Wang S, 2017. Experimental investigation on the thermal performance of heat pipe-assisted phase change material-based battery thermal management system. Energy Conversion and Management, 138: 486-492.
19. Yazici MY, Avci M, Aydin O, 2014. Effect of eccentricity on melting behavior of paraffin in a horizontal tube-in-shell storage unit: An experimental study. Solar Energy, 101: 291-298.
20. Zhang S, Feng D, Shi L, Wang L, Jin Y, 2021. A review of phase change heat transfer in shape-stabilized phase change materials (ss-PCMs) based on porous supports for thermal energy storage. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 135: 110127.
21. Zichen W, Changqing D, 2021. A comprehensive review on thermal management systems for power lithium-ion batteries. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 139: 110685.
22. Zou T, Liang X, Wang S, Gao X, Zhang Z, Fang Y, 2020. Effect of expanded graphite size on performances of modified CaCl2⋅6H2O phase change material for cold energy storage. Microporous and Mesoporous Materials, 305: 110403.