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Design considerations to prevent thermal hazards in cylindrical lithium-ion batteries: An analytical study
Luleå University of Technology, Department of Engineering Sciences and Mathematics, Fluid and Experimental Mechanics.ORCID iD: 0000-0001-9779-7447
Luleå University of Technology, Department of Engineering Sciences and Mathematics, Fluid and Experimental Mechanics.ORCID iD: 0000-0001-8235-9639
Luleå University of Technology, Department of Engineering Sciences and Mathematics, Fluid and Experimental Mechanics.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-1033-0244
2021 (English)In: Journal of Energy Storage, ISSN 2352-152X, E-ISSN 2352-1538, Vol. 38, article id 102525Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Lithium-ion batteries have a high energy content, which makes them a great option for mobile storage applications. However, there are some serious concerns regarding their performance in terms of uncontrolled overheating. In this study, an analytical thermal model is developed based on the integral transform technique to predict the temperature field in a cylindrical lithium-ion cell. The temperature rise and the thermal gradient, as the significant parameters for the safety and performance assessment of lithium-ion batteries, are investigated for the lithium-ion cell. Moreover, the thermal behavior of the lithium-ion cell is comprehensively studied for different thicknesses of the component layers. It is found that the optimum thickness of the positive active material, the negative active material, the positive current collector, and the negative current collector for the efficient thermal operation of the lithium-ion cell is 180, 34, 21, and 20 μm, respectively. Furthermore, the performance of the optimized jelly-roll is assessed for the different types of cylindrical lithium-ion cells. The results indicate that the 21700 cell has the best thermal performance for use in high charge/discharge applications.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Elsevier, 2021. Vol. 38, article id 102525
Keywords [en]
Lithium ion battery, Thermal evaluation, Temperature distribution, Heat conduction, Analytical model
National Category
Energy Engineering
Research subject
Fluid Mechanics
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-83679DOI: 10.1016/j.est.2021.102525ISI: 000670222300006Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85104054964OAI: oai:DiVA.org:ltu-83679DiVA, id: diva2:1544365
Note

Validerad;2021;Nivå 2;2021-04-15 (alebob);

Finansiär: STandUp for Energy

Available from: 2021-04-15 Created: 2021-04-15 Last updated: 2024-06-13Bibliographically approved
In thesis
1. Heat transfer in ordered porous media with application to batteries
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Heat transfer in ordered porous media with application to batteries
2023 (English)Licentiate thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

Environmental concerns, resource depletion, energy security, technological advancements, and global policies are just a few of the variables influencing the global energy perspective. In the case of technological advancement, lithium batteries play a key role in the development of a more sustainable energy infrastructure. The high energy density and long lifespan of lithium batteries make them ideal for usage in a broad range of applications, such as portable electronics, electric vehicles, and grid-scale energy storage for renewable energy sources. However, there are certain possible concerns regarding the safe operation and performance of lithium batteries, most of which are associated with the temperature sensitivity of lithium batteries. Hence, battery thermal management systems are an essential component of a battery package for regulating the temperature level in lithium batteries to avoid the aging process, poor performance, and safety issues.  

Many studies have been conducted to develop battery thermal management systems with improved cooling performance. Within this framework, Paper A in this licentiate thesis considers how the design of a lithium battery cell may be improved to reduce the thermal load on the thermal management system. An analytical model based on the integral transform technique is developed to accurately and efficiently predict the thermal behavior of a cylindrical lithium battery cell. Following model validation, the thermal behavior of cylindrical lithium-ion battery cells with different jelly-roll layers and can sizes are compared. The results demonstrate that 21700 cylindrical battery cells outperform other types of cylindrical battery cells in terms of thermal performance. Furthermore, the thermally optimal thicknesses for positive active material, negative active material, positive current collector, and negative current collector are 180, 34, 21, and 20 um, respectively.

After learning about design considerations to reduce thermal issues in lithium-ion battery cells and developing a proper tool for further studies, the focus was set on the flow behavior surrounding a cylindrical battery cell in an air-based cooling system. The cooling system under consideration is a wall-bounded cross-flow heat exchanger, the most common air-based cooling system for battery applications. Despite the importance of the cooling system in battery safety, few studies have been conducted to investigate the thermo-flow characteristics of wall-bounded cross-flow heat exchangers. Hence, in the battery research field, it is common to estimate the performance of wall-bounded cross-flow heat exchangers using the thermal characteristics of free cross-flow heat exchangers due to their geometrical similarities. In Paper B, this assumption is scrutinized by comparing the thermo-fluid characteristics of free and wall-bounded cross-flow heat exchangers. According to the results, flow through both heat exchangers shows almost similar thermo-fluid behavior in areas sufficiently far from the bounding walls. A turbulence model study suggests that the k-kl-omega transition model is a time-efficient and reliable turbulence model for capturing thermo-fluid characteristics in such heat exchangers. Moreover, it is observed that the two different heat exchangers have an almost identical area-averaged heat transfer rate despite the local changes in Nusselt number along the height of cells. This finding shows that it is possible to do two-dimensional simulations for applications that only require an area-averaged heat transfer rate on the battery cells.

The findings in Paper A and Paper B may be used to investigate the cooling performance of a battery thermal management system with a practical design. Hence, in Paper C, a comprehensive yet simplified model is developed that can be used to study the thermal field of lithium battery cells in a large-scale air-based battery thermal management system. The model consists of the CFD model derived in Paper B, which predicts the flow behavior around cells in the inner region of the battery package, and the analytical model described in Paper A, which determines the thermal field within the battery cells. The area-averaged heat transfer coefficient interconnects the models, and a system of equations is employed to estimate the row-to-row variation of the thermal field. The model is employed to assess the effect of transverse and longitudinal pitch ratios on the thermal performance of an air-based battery thermal management system used in a hybrid electric vehicle.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Luleå: Luleå University of Technology, 2023
Series
Licentiate thesis / Luleå University of Technology, ISSN 1402-1757
Keywords
battery thermal management system, heat exchanger, cylindrical lithium-ion battery, cross-flow, analytical model, URANS model, thermal evaluation, wall effect, spacing effect, temperature distribution
National Category
Fluid Mechanics
Research subject
Fluid Mechanics
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-95485 (URN)978-91-8048-262-2 (ISBN)978-91-8048-263-9 (ISBN)
Presentation
2023-03-31, E632, Luleå University of Technology, Luleå, 09:00 (English)
Opponent
Supervisors
Funder
StandUp, 197140
Available from: 2023-02-02 Created: 2023-02-02 Last updated: 2025-02-09Bibliographically approved
2. Heat transfer in ordered porous media with application to batteries
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Heat transfer in ordered porous media with application to batteries
2024 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

In recent decades, promising technological advancements in clean energy production and green transportation, driven by the depletion of oil resources, energy security issues, environmental challenges, and associated health concerns, have moved the world closer to a sustainable energy outlook. However, this approach has led to a high reliance on electricity and the need for optimized electricity storage systems. Among different options, lithium battery systems have gained considerable attention, particularly for electric vehicles, owing to their superior properties, such as high energy density, fast charging capacity, and long lifespan, making them compatible with both stationary and mobile applications. Nevertheless, the safe and long-term operation of lithium battery systems depends on their working temperature, as the aging process of batteries accelerates with the temperature rise, and at critical temperatures, the exothermic reactions within battery cells might lead to thermal runaway and explosion. This necessitates employing a suitable strategy to regulate the temperature within lithium batteries, which could be quite challenging due to design restrictions related to geometry, coolant selection, cost, weight, and battery system size, especially at fast charging/discharging rates. Hence, it is essential to initially have a thorough understanding of how the system operates under different working conditions and then employ an effective strategy to improve its performance. 

In this framework, the present thesis first investigates the thermal behavior of a single cylindrical battery cell with varying geometrical parameters for the jelly roll. The study is based on a mathematical model predicting the temperature field within the cell to identify design considerations at the cell level to minimize thermal issues for the battery thermal management system. The best balance between thermal concerns and capacity was found for 21700 cylindrical cells, wherein the optimum thicknesses for the positive active material, the negative active material, the positive current collector, and the negative current collector were 180, 34, 21, and 20 μm, respectively. The thesis then shifts focus to the module-level study, evaluating the performance of air-based battery thermal management systems that meet many design criteria for battery applications but present challenges due to the low thermal conductivity of air as a coolant medium. The thermofluid characteristics of the air-based cooling system under discussion were investigated using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations and compared to free cross-flow heat exchangers. The study suggests the  k-kl-ω transition model as a computationally efficient and fairly accurate turbulence model for such heat exchangers. Moreover, it was determined that under certain conditions, two-dimensional models of free cross-flow heat exchangers could replace computationally demanding three-dimensional models for wall-bounded cross-flow heat exchangers intended for battery cooling. These findings serve as a basis for developing a novel approach for modeling the performance of large air-cooled battery systems, termed the simplified modeling approach.

The simplified modeling approach consists of three sub-models, including a CFD model to simulate heat and flow characteristics around a cell in a periodic flow region, a set of approximate equations to determine the heat transfer rate for each row along the battery module, and an analytical model to predict the temperature field within individual cells. The employment of these sub-models, along with their independent functioning, significantly reduces computing costs. This model was employed to investigate cell spacing within an air-cooled battery module. At a constant mass flow rate to the system, the study suggests that maintaining transverse and longitudinal center-to-center distances of 1.7D and 0.9D between the cells, respectively, results in a fair balance between the maximum temperature rise and temperature gradient within the module. Following this, the model was combined with an empirical capacity degradation model to study how cell spacing and cooling conditions affect the number of cycles a battery module can operate. According to the study, proper cell spacing may extend the lifetime of the battery module by up to 55%. However, this life cycle extension comes at the cost of greater power consumption, which significantly raises cyclical costs, especially in densely packed battery modules. To address this issue, splitter plates were integrated into the design of densely packed battery modules. It was observed that splitter plates with lengths comparable to wake size could mitigate the maximum temperature rise and capacity degradation process within the batteries without causing extra cyclical costs. 

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Luleå: Luleå University of Technology, 2024
Series
Doctoral thesis / Luleå University of Technology 1 jan 1997 → …, ISSN 1402-1544
Keywords
battery thermal management system, cylindrical battery, heat transfer, simplified modeling approach, CFD, analytical model, jelly roll, cell spacing, splitter plate, lifespan
National Category
Fluid Mechanics
Research subject
Fluid Mechanics
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-107346 (URN)978-91-8048-602-6 (ISBN)978-91-8048-603-3 (ISBN)
Public defence
2024-09-27, A109, Luleå University of Technology, Luleå, 13:00 (English)
Opponent
Supervisors
Available from: 2024-06-13 Created: 2024-06-13 Last updated: 2025-02-09Bibliographically approved

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Moosavi, AminLjung, Anna-LenaLundström, T. Staffan

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