Thermal performance of battery thermal management system coupled with phase change material and thermoelectric elements

A hybrid active & passive full-temperature BTMS (Battery Thermal Management System) combined TEE (Thermoelectric Element) and PCM (Phase Change Material) for thermal management of the lithium-ion battery operating in extreme environments in Central and Southern China region is shown in this study. In hot environment, phase transition of PCM occurs and stores the heat generated in the process of battery discharge in the form of latent heat. The refrigeration effect produced by TEE is used to prevent PCM from heat storage saturation. In cold environment, the heating effect produced by TEE is used to preheat the battery, and PCM controls the temperature rise during the battery discharge and the thermal insulation after discharge. The results show that under the effect combined with CPCM (Composite Phase Change Material) and TEE, the maximum temperature of the battery can be controlled below 318.15 K when discharging at high rate (3C) in hot environment, and the maximum temperature difference can be controlled within 3 K during the discharging process of the battery module. As to the preheating performance, RTR (Rate of Temperature Rise) can reach 0.808–1.333 K/min, and the maximum temperature difference can be controlled within 5 K during preheating. The full-temperature BTMS can provide a comfortable thermal environment of 293.15–318.15 K for the batteries under ambient conditions of 268.15–313.15 K. Especially in the cooling performance, the maximum temperature of the battery can reduce about 10 K by combining TEE and CPCM compared with using PCM cooling.