Thermal Analysis of Lithium-Ion Battery Packs and Thermal Management Solutions

Lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries have been gaining recognition as the primary technology for energy storage in motive applications due to their improved specific energy densities, charge retention capabilities and long cycling life.However, during utilization, Li-ion cells tend to self-heat due to the effects of internal resistance.In larger battery packs, where cells are typically stacked together and compressed for mechanical stability, a significant amount of heat could be generated.This could lead to an excessive rise in the temperature of the cells, potentially resulting in accelerated degradation.Therefore, the design and implementation of a thermal management system (TMS) is critical to effectively dissipate the heat generated in a battery pack and ensure that the cells are operating in the desired temperature range specific to the application.In addition, the TMS must be designed to mitigate the non-uniformities in the temperature distributions inside the pack.