Thermal behavior of nickel–metal hydride battery during charging at a wide range of ambient temperatures

The thermal behavior of D-type Ni–MH battery during charging was investigated at a wide range of ambient temperatures in this work. The temperature measurement of the battery was conducted by using a thermal infrared imager put in a high–low temperature chamber. The ambient temperatures were controlled to −10, 0, 10, 20, 30, and 40 °C during charging. The battery was charged to SOC of 110% in the rate of 1C, 3C, and 5C. Real-time infrared thermal images of battery surface were obtained during charging, as well as temperature change curves. The maximum surface temperature of the battery at the end of charging was stimulated at a higher ambient temperature by curve fitting. It is indicated that the temperature gradient on battery surface will increase with charging rate increase, and the rate of actual temperature rise is almost unrelated to ambient temperature. The simulating result shows that the maximum surface temperature would be over 101 °C if the battery is charged in the rate of 5C under an ambient temperature of 70 °C, which may lead to a safe accident.