scholarly journals Numerical Investigation on the Thermal Control of Lithium Batteries for Electric Cars Using Metal Foams and Phase Change Materials

2021 ◽  
Vol 1868 (1) ◽  
pp. 012015
Author(s):  
B Buonomo ◽  
O Manca ◽  
F Menale ◽  
S Nardini
Keyword(s):  
Phase Change ◽  
Numerical Investigation ◽  
Lithium Batteries ◽  
Phase Change Materials ◽  
Thermal Control ◽  
Metal Foams ◽  
Electric Cars

scholarly journals Lithium Batteries Cooling by Phase Change Material Partially Filled with Metal Foam

2021 ◽  
Vol 312 ◽  
pp. 03002
Author(s):  
Bernardo Buonomo ◽  
Fabio d’Alesio ◽  
Oronzio Manca ◽  
Ferdinando Menale ◽  
Sergio Nardini
Keyword(s):  
Control System ◽  
Phase Change ◽  
Phase Change Material ◽  
Lithium Batteries ◽  
Metal Foam ◽  
Thermal Control ◽  
Local Thermal Equilibrium ◽  
Electric Cars ◽  
Thermal Control System ◽  
Change Material

Electric cars can be a turning point for climate problems. One of the main problems of electric cars is the thermal control of the batteries, since below and above a certain temperature range, the vehicle’s range decreases abruptly, creating inconveniences to the owners of these cars. The thermal control of lithium batteries for electric cars must take into account both the problems of thermal rise due to the operation of the battery itself, and the climatic conditions outside the vehicle that negatively affect the performance of the car, reducing both the autonomy and the battery life. In this study, a thermal control system based on a phase change material (PCM) partially filled with metallic foam is investigated to evaluate its possible use in the cooling of lithium batteries. A two-dimensional model is considered to numerically study thermal control with different chargedischarge cycles. The metal foam partially fills the PCM. The governing equations, written assuming the local thermal equilibrium for the metal foam, are solved by the finite volume method using the ANSYS Fluent commercial code. Different cases are simulated for different values of the external convective heat transfer coefficient. The results, carried out for metal foams and PCM, are given in terms of temperature and liquid fraction. In addition, some comparisons with pure PCM and fully foam filled PCM are provided within the thermal control system to show the advantages of the composite thermal control system with PCM inside the metal foam.

Solid/Liquid Phase Change Heat Transfer in Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storage

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Zhou ◽  
C. Y. Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Energy Storage ◽  
Phase Change ◽  
Calcium Chloride ◽  
Thermal Energy ◽  
Thermal Energy Storage ◽  
Phase Change Materials ◽  
Metal Foams ◽  
Chloride Hexahydrate

Phase change materials (PCMs) have been widely used for thermal energy storage systems due to their capability of storing and releasing large amounts of energy with a small volume and a moderate temperature variation. Most PCMs suffer the common problem of low thermal conductivity, being around 0.2 and 0.5 for paraffin and inorganic salts, respectively, which prolongs the charging and discharging period. In an attempt to improve the thermal conductivity of phase change materials, the graphite or metallic matrix is often embedded within PCMs to enhance the heat transfer. This paper presents an experimental study on heat transfer characteristics of PCMs embedded with open-celled metal foams. In this study both paraffin wax and calcium chloride hexahydrate are employed as the heat storage media. The transient heat transfer behavior is measured. Compared to the results of pure PCMs samples, the investigation shows that the additions of metal foams can double the overall heat transfer rate during the melting process. The results of calcium chloride hexahydrate are also compared with those of paraffin wax.

Application of Phase Change Materials to Thermal Control of Electronic Modules: A Computational Study

1997 ◽  
Vol 119 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Pal ◽  
Y. K. Joshi
Keyword(s):  
Phase Change ◽  
Phase Change Materials ◽  
Cooling System ◽  
Computational Study ◽  
Power Level ◽  
Thermal Control ◽  
The Other ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Temperature Isotherm ◽  
Laminate Thickness

A computational model is developed to predict the performance of phase change materials(PCMs) for passive thermal control of electronic modules during transient power variations or following an active cooling system failure. Two different ways of incorporating PCM in the module are considered. One is to place a laminate of PCM outside the multichip module, and the other is to place the PCM laminate between the substrate and the cold plate. Two different types of PCMs are considered. One is n-Eicosene, which is an organic paraffin, and the other one is a eutectic alloy of Bi/Pb/Sn/In. Computations are performed in three dimensions using a finite volume method. A single domain fixed grid enthalpy porosity method is used to model the effects of phase change. Effects of natural convection on the performance of PCM are also examined. Results are presented in the form of time-wise variations of maximum module temperature, isotherm contours, velocity vectors, and melt front locations. Effects of PCM laminate thickness and power levels are studied to assess the amount of PCM required for a particular power level. The results show that the PCMs are an effective option for passive cooling of high density electronic modules for transient periods.

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