Conjugate heat transfer analysis of a pouch cell li-ion battery pack using mini channel cold plates with a U-shaped configuration

In this study, a cold plate with U-shaped channels is investigated to cool the adjacent pouch cell Li-ion batteries. The U-shaped cold plate consists of two parallel sets of channels with seventeen mini channels to cover the whole surface area of the batteries. The thermal management system is evaluated based on the maximum and uniformity of the surface temperature of the batteries. The important geometrical features of the U-shaped channels are studied toward a higher performance of the system. The cold plates are designed based on the electrical requirements for placing the bus bar as well as the safety of the battery pack operation. The material of the cold plate is PEEK which can tolerate the expansion of the pouch cell batteries during charging. The results show that for the flow rate of 1 LPM and flow inlet temperature of 25 °C and the heat input of 16 W for the batteries, the average and maximum surface temperature of the batteries are achieved at 28°C and 30°C, respectively, showing the acceptance of the employed U-shaped cold plate. A uniform temperature distribution of the battery’s surface is achieved. By increasing the heat generation to 32 W, the average and maximum temperatures raise to 31 °C and 35 °C, respectively.