An Enhanced Phase Change Material Composite for Electrical Vehicle Thermal Management

Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery cells are influenced by high energy, reliability, and robustness. However, they produce a noticeable amount of heat during the charging and discharging process. This paper presents an optimal thermal management system (TMS) using a phase change material (PCM) and PCM-graphite for a cylindrical Li-ion battery module. The experimental results show that the maximum temperature of the module under natural convection, PCM, and PCM-graphite cooling methods reached 64.38, 40.4, and 39 °C, respectively. It was found that the temperature of the module using PCM and PCM-graphite reduced by 38% and 40%, respectively. The temperature uniformity increased by 60% and 96% using the PCM and PCM-graphite. Moreover, some numerical simulations were solved using COMSOL Multiphysics® for the battery module.