Next‐Generation Fin‐Integrated Nano‐Enhanced Phase Change Material Solutions with Porous Copper Foam for Advanced Thermal Management of High‐C‐Rate Li‐Ion Batteries

This study presents a comprehensive numerical investigation into the thermal management of lithium‐ion battery packs using advanced hybrid and passive cooling strategies involving nano‐enhanced phase change materials (PCMs), internal aluminum fins, and copper metal foams. A 2D computational model of a three‐cell 18650‐format battery module embedded in paraffin RT44HC is developed in ANSYS Fluent, incorporating realistic discharge heat generation profiles (2C–4C), laminar water‐based convective flow (0.15 m s −1 ), and both co‐current and counter‐current flow orientations. The influence of Al 2 O 3 nanoparticles (3–9 vol%), extended fin geometries, and varying metal foam porosities (0.85–0.95) on key thermal metrics—peak temperature, temperature difference, PCM liquid fraction, and time to peak—is systematically examined. Grid and model validations against literature benchmarks confirm the accuracy of the enthalpy‐porosity method for resolving transient phase change dynamics. Results show that while pure PCM becomes insufficient at high discharge rates (4C), nano‐enhanced PCM reduces peak temperatures by up to 25 K. Copper foam further augments heat spreading, with 0.95 porosity yielding peak temperature reductions exceeding 30 K under passive conditions. Hybrid configurations that combine convective flow with nano‐PCM or fins demonstrate superior performance, maintaining temperatures below 317 K and reducing temperature gradients by up to 30%. Optimization identifies an optimal configuration of 0.83% nano‐PCM, 4 fins, and 95% porosity achieving a 770 s delay to peak temperature with a liquid fraction of 0.79.