Cooling CFD Analysis of a Car Batter Pack with Circular Cells

Abstract

The 18650 battery cell is known to be reliable and cost effective, but it has a design limitation and low electric capacity compared to pouch-type cells. Because its economy is superior, an 18650-cell-type battery pack is chosen. A reliable temperature is very important in automobile battery packs. Therefore, in this study, the temperature stability of the battery pack is predicted using CFD simulation. Following 3C discharge tests, the results for the heat generation of the battery cell are compared to the simulation results. Based on these results, a natural convection condition, forced convection condition, direct cell-cooling condition, cooling condition on the upper and lower surfaces of the battery pack, and cooling condition using air channels are all simulated. The results indicate that the efficiency and the performance of the air-channel-type cooling system is good.