Nano-enhanced phase change material using salt hydrate and cooper nanoparticles for battery thermal management system: Buoyancy-driven approach

Using computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulation for battery thermal management system (BTMS) enables give a correct understanding of controlling battery temperature. The use of phase change material (PCM) is a popular option for managing the battery temperature in a certain range due to the solid-liquid transition, in which salt hydrate was used in this study. Also, adding nanoparticles with high thermal conductivity can compensate the low thermal conductivity of PCM, in which copper nanoparticles were used as PCM reinforcement in current work. In addition, the buoyancy force was considered in liquid phase, making the numerical results closer to physical ones. The present work focuses were on the effects of volume fraction of copper nanoparticle and discharge rate on battery temperature and melting fraction. Evidence indicated that the appropriate distance between the LIBs could set 0.1D, 0.2D, and 0.4D for C-rate of 2, 4, and 6, respectively. Additionally, most impacts of cooper nanoparticle with 3 % volume fraction was observed only in high SOC, e.g. 3 % volume fraction reduced the melting fraction from 38.5 % to 34.5 % in SOC = 100 %. Also, increase in C-rate from 2 to 6 warmed up LIB from 304 K to 319 K when zero volume fraction. •Using phase change material as passive technique for battery thermal management system.•Adding metal nanoparticles as a thermal conductivity booster for PCM, called Nano-enhanced phase change material.•Combination of salt hydrate (CaCl2.6H2O) and cooper nanoparticles to manage the temperature of a lithium-ion battery.•Considering buoyant force in liquid phase of PCM as a convective heat transfer mechanism.