Numerical Study on a Liquid Cooling Plate with a Double-Layer Minichannel for a Lithium Battery Module

Abstract

The liquid cooling system of lithium battery modules (LBM) directly affects the safety, efficiency, and operational cost of lithium-ion batteries. To meet the requirements raised by a factory for the lithium battery module (LBM), a liquid cooling plate with a two-layer minichannel heat sink has been proposed to maintain temperature uniformity in the module and ensure it stays within the temperature limit. This innovative design features a single inlet and a single outlet. To evaluate the performance of the liquid cooling system, we considered various discharge rates while taking into account the structure, flow rate, and temperature of the coolant. Our findings indicate that at a mass outflow rate of 20 g/s, a better cooling effect and lower power consumption can be achieved. An inlet temperature of 20 °C, close to the initial temperature of the battery string, may be the most appropriate because a higher temperature of the coolant will cause a higher temperature of LBM, so far as to exceed the safe threshold value. In the case of larger rate discharge, the design of a double-layer MCHS at the bottom and an auxiliary one at the side can effectively reduce the maximum temperature LBM (within 28 °C) and maintain the temperature difference in the single cell at approximately 4 °C. In the case of non-constant discharges, the temperature difference between cells increases with the maximum temperature. When the discharge rate is reduced, the large temperature difference helps the temperature to drop rapidly. This can provide guidance for the design of cooling systems for the LBM.