Effect of mechanical vibration on phase change material based thermal management module of a lithium-ion battery at high ambient temperature

Phase change material (PCM) based thermal management is regarded as a promising method for cooling power systems of lithium-ion battery electric vehicles. The battery thermal management modules of electric vehicles usually work under vibration conditions and it has been widely recognized that mechanical vibration can enhance heat transfer. However, the knowledge on effects of mechanical vibration on PCM-based lithium-ion battery thermal management systems is still sparse. To bridge the knowledge gap, the effect of mechanical vibration on a PCM-based lithium-ion battery thermal management module with a high environment temperature is investigated comprehensively for the first time. A variety of parameters, such as PCM thickness, vibration amplitude and vibration frequency, are discussed in detail. Some new findings are reported: (1) mechanical vibration has a significant influence on the PCM-based lithium-ion battery thermal management module, especially for a PCM layer with a moderate thickness; (2) when the vibration amplitude increases over a certain high value, the influence of mechanical vibration becomes nearly insensitive to the variation of vibration amplitude; (3) the thermal performance does not depend on vibration frequency monotonically. The research can provide guidance for the design of thermal management modules of electric vehicles.