A numerical investigation of novel segmented PCM blocks filled with different phase change material cooling for Lithium-Ion battery

Phase Change Material (PCM) embedded systems have gained attention for their latent heat absorption and release capabilities in Battery Thermal Management. However, conventional PCM-cooled battery systems often exhibit low heat absorption rates, resulting in temperature irregularities and uneven melting. To overcome these challenges, this study introduces an innovative cooling system using segmented PCM blocks, each storing different types of PCMs. The PCM block is divided into three or four parts, employing distinct PCMs based on the observed heat propagation pattern during high-current discharging. A three dimensional numerical investigations are conducted in ANSYS Fluent using the MSMD battery model to explore three segmented and four segmented PCM blocks, comparing them with a single PCM block. The parametric variations considered in this work include varying PCM block thickness, PCM types, and discharging rates. Results show that increasing PCM thickness controls temperature rises but also raises the system's weight. The study demonstrates that incorporating different PCMs in four segmented block maintains battery temperature at 319 K, with uniform distribution across the surface. The proposed PCM-based battery thermal management system reduces system weight by 17.84 % and enhances PCM heat absorption by 32.59 % compared to a conventional PCM block system when discharging at a high current rate of 4C to stay within the safe operating temperature range.