Multi-Physics Equivalent Circuit Models for a Cooling System of a Lithium Ion Battery Pack

Lithium (Li)-ion battery thermal management systems play an important role in electric vehicles because the performance and lifespan of the batteries are affected by the battery temperature. This study proposes a framework to establish equivalent circuit models (ECMs) that can reproduce the multi-ph...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Batteries
Main Authors: Takumi Yamanaka, Daiki Kihara, Yoichi Takagishi, Tatsuya Yamaue
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-08-01
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2313-0105/6/3/44
Description
Summary:Lithium (Li)-ion battery thermal management systems play an important role in electric vehicles because the performance and lifespan of the batteries are affected by the battery temperature. This study proposes a framework to establish equivalent circuit models (ECMs) that can reproduce the multi-physics phenomenon of Li-ion battery packs, which includes liquid cooling systems with a unified method. We also demonstrate its utility by establishing an ECM of the thermal management systems of the actual battery packs. Experiments simulating the liquid cooling of a battery pack are performed, and a three-dimensional (3D) model is established. The 3D model reproduces the heat generated by the battery and the heat transfer to the coolant. The results of the 3D model agree well with the experimental data. Further, the relationship between the flow rate and pressure drop or between the flow rate and heat transfer coefficients is predicted with the 3D model, and the data are used for the ECM, which is established using MATLAB Simulink. This investigation confirmed that the ECM’s accuracy is as high as the 3D model even though its computational costs are 96% lower than the 3D model.
ISSN:2313-0105