Battery heat flow HIL for cooling system testing and optimization

The rapid adoption of Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) has been driven by growing environmental awareness and advancements in energy storage technologies. However, lithium-ion cells, central to BEVs, are highly sensitive to temperature variations, requiring effective thermal management to prevent degradation, ensure safety, and optimize performance. This work presents a novel method to replicate the thermal behaviour of a battery on liquid cooling systems using standard system components. By combining a virtual battery model with a physical system, the thermal behaviour of a real battery pack is accurately reproduced. This cost-effective, safety-compliant approach enhances the development of efficient thermal management systems for BEVs. The Hardware In the Loop (HIL) platform was developed with a PXI from National Instruments and a solid-state resistance of 1 kW, while a 4 kWh battery pack prototype refrigerated with a cold plate was used for validation.