Optimized Air-Conditioning Strategy Employing a Circular-Vent-Hole-Assisted Battery Thermal Management System for Electric Vehicles

Lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles (EVs) are highly sensitive to temperature variations, and excessive heat accumulation can adversely affect their performance, lifespan, and safety. Therefore, an effective battery thermal management system (BTMS) is essential for maintaining safe operating conditions. This study proposes a novel air-cooled BTMS incorporating circular vent holes in an acrylic enclosure to enhance airflow distribution and convective heat transfer around LiNiCoMnO2 batteries. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was developed to investigate the effects of discharge rate (1C–2C), inlet air velocity (1.0–3.0 m/s), and inlet air temperature (25–35 °C) on thermal behavior. The results indicate that the proposed BTMS effectively maintains battery temperatures below the critical limit of 40 °C. Optimal cooling performance was achieved at inlet air temperatures of 25–35 °C, 25–30 °C, and 25 °C for discharge rates of 1C, 1.5C, and 2C, respectively. The proposed design provides a simple, effective, and practical BTMS solution for EV applications. These findings confirm that the combination of forced air cooling and optimized vent design significantly improves thermal management performance.