Heat Transfer in Lead‐Acid Batteries Designed for Electric‐Vehicle Propulsion Application

Mathematical analysis has been carried out for the heat transfer in lead--acid batteries designed for use in electric vehicles. This analysis has shown that the heat generated in the battery during recharge cycles may cause a noticeable rise of battery temp. in the absence of proper thermal management. The results have shown that the ratio of the temp. rise during charge is closely related to the ratio of the energy densities of the two batteries. Of the cooling methods examined, electrolyte circulation along the battery plates was found to be the most effective in removing heat and providing a uniform temp. field. Numerical solutions are provided for the engineering evaluation of heat removal design during battery cycling processes.14 refs.--AA