Numerical study of thermal characteristics of energy storage battery packs

doi:10.11949/0438-1157.20250259

Abstract

Abstract:

The domestic and international markets have a huge demand for green electricity, leading to the widespread application of large-scale industrial and commercial energy storage systems. However, batteries face challenges such as poor thermal stability, increased side reactions under high-temperature conditions, and the risk of thermal runaway. To more effectively control the operating temperature of battery packs within the optimal range of 20—35℃, the numerical simulation study was conducted on three key factors that significantly affect the temperature characteristics of battery packs, using an experimental calibration simulation model. The three factors are different aspect ratio hole types, the layout of the liquid cooling plates, and different inlet water flow rates. The research results show that the hole-type flow channels with different aspect ratios have little effect on the battery pack temperature, but have a greater impact on the liquid flow field pressure drop and energy consumption. Compared to the simple bottom cooling method, the layout of bottom+two side liquid cooling plates can significantly reduce the maximum temperature of the battery cells by 21.8%, while greatly improving the uniformity of the cell temperatures by 68.1%. The moderate bottom cooling water flow rate of 10—12.5 L/min can effectively constrain the high temperature of the battery cells through convective heat transfer and improve the temperature uniformity of the battery pack. The liquid flow pressure drop and the energy consumption of the liquid cooling system are also relatively low. Taking into account the three factors of hole shape W/H=3, the layout of the bottom and two side liquid cooling plates, and a water flow rate of 12.5 L, the battery pack exhibits the best performance in terms of maximum temperature rise and temperature uniformity. The cooling effect of the single bottom and two side cooling factors is very close to that of the multi-factor cooling performance, with a difference of only 0.1℃. In the multi-factor comprehensive cooling process of batteries, the cooling factors of a single bottom and two sides play a dominant role.

Key words: thermal stability, numerical simulation, suitable temperature, convective heat transfer, flow field pressure drop, system energy consumption

摘要：

国内外市场对绿色电能的极大需求，使大型工商业储能系统投入广泛应用，但电池存在热稳定性差、高温条件下副反应增加且易突发热失控的问题。为了更有效地将电池组的工作温度控制在最适宜温度区间20 $~$ 35℃，采用实验标定仿真模型方法开展对电池组温度特性有较大影响的3个关键因素（不同宽高比孔型、不同液冷板布局方式和不同进口水流量）的数值模拟研究。研究结果表明，不同宽高比孔型流道对电池组温度影响较小，但对液流场压降和能耗影响较大；底部+两侧液冷板布局相比单纯底部冷却能够显著降低电芯的最高温度，降幅21.8%，大幅提升电芯均温性，提升幅度达68.1%；适中底部冷却水流量10~12.5 L/min，能够有效通过对流换热约束电芯高温，改善电池组温度均匀性，并且液流压降和液冷系统能耗也较低。综合考虑孔型W/H=3、底部+两侧液冷板布局及12.5 L/min水流量这3个因素，电池组的最大温升和均温性表现最好，单个底部+两侧冷却因素与多因素冷却性能极为接近，差距仅0.1℃，在电池多因素综合冷却降温过程中发挥了主导性作用。

关键词: 热稳定性, 数值模拟, 适宜温度, 对流换热, 流场压降, 系统能耗

CLC Number:

TK 123

Wendi CHENG, Daquan ZHANG. Numerical study of thermal characteristics of energy storage battery packs[J]. CIESC Journal, 2025, 76(11): 6066-6076.

程闻笛, 张大全. 储能电池包的热特性数值研究[J]. 化工学报, 2025, 76(11): 6066-6076.

Figures/Tables 23

Fig.1 Physical model of energy storage battery pack

Table 1 Specifications of semi-solid lithium batteries

Contents	Value
Nominal capacity/（A·h）	280
Mass/kg	5.5
Energy density/(W·h/kg)	$≥ 165$
Direct current internal resistance/mΩ	0.50 (10 s，25℃，25% SOC)
Dimensions (width×thickness×height)/mm	173.8 $×$ 71.6 $×$ 204
Charging cut-off voltage/V	3.65
Discharge cut-off voltage/V	2.5

Table 1 Specifications of semi-solid lithium batteries

Contents	Value
Nominal capacity/（A·h）	280
Mass/kg	5.5
Energy density/(W·h/kg)	$≥ 165$
Direct current internal resistance/mΩ	0.50 (10 s，25℃，25% SOC)
Dimensions (width×thickness×height)/mm	173.8 $×$ 71.6 $×$ 204
Charging cut-off voltage/V	3.65
Discharge cut-off voltage/V	2.5

Table 2 Physical property parameters of main components of battery pack

Type	Density/(kg/m³)	Specific heat/( $J / (k g ∙ K)$ )	Thermal conductivity/（ $W / (m ∙ K)$ ）
Cell	2152	1051.1	λ_th=1.04， λ_w，λ_h=21.05
Liquid cooling plate	2680	880	237
Thermal silica gel	2420	967	2.1
Coolant	1065	3394	0.419
PC board	1200	1340	0.194

Table 2 Physical property parameters of main components of battery pack

Type	Density/(kg/m³)	Specific heat/( $J / (k g ∙ K)$ )	Thermal conductivity/（ $W / (m ∙ K)$ ）
Cell	2152	1051.1	λ_th=1.04， λ_w，λ_h=21.05
Liquid cooling plate	2680	880	237
Thermal silica gel	2420	967	2.1
Coolant	1065	3394	0.419
PC board	1200	1340	0.194

Fig.2 Internal flow channel structure of liquid cooling plate

Fig.3 Cross-section of liquid cooling plate flow channel

Fig.4 Bottom and side liquid cooling plates cooling

Table 3 10 s pulse discharge internal resistance

SOC	Internal resistance/mΩ
SOC	-20℃	-10℃	0℃	10℃	25℃	35℃	45℃	55℃
0	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
5	5.34	3.66	1.73	1.24	0.57	0.46	0.34	0.23
10	5.05	3.47	1.63	1.18	0.53	0.43	0.33	0.22
15	4.75	3.29	1.56	1.13	0.51	0.42	0.32	0.23
20	4.46	3.11	1.50	1.09	0.49	0.40	0.32	0.23
25	4.17	2.93	1.45	1.06	0.47	0.39	0.31	0.23
30	3.88	2.76	1.41	1.03	0.46	0.39	0.31	0.23
35	3.64	2.59	1.38	1.00	0.45	0.38	0.30	0.23
40	3.43	2.46	1.34	0.98	0.44	0.37	0.30	0.23
45	3.24	2.33	1.32	0.96	0.43	0.37	0.30	0.23
50	3.14	2.24	1.29	0.94	0.43	0.36	0.29	0.23
55	3.12	2.20	1.27	0.93	0.42	0.36	0.29	0.23
60	3.09	2.18	1.25	0.92	0.42	0.36	0.29	0.23
65	3.05	2.15	1.24	0.91	0.43	0.37	0.30	0.23
70	3.01	2.13	1.23	0.91	0.42	0.36	0.30	0.23
75	2.97	2.10	1.22	0.90	0.41	0.35	0.29	0.23
80	2.93	2.07	1.21	0.89	0.41	0.35	0.29	0.23
85	2.88	2.04	1.19	0.87	0.40	0.34	0.29	0.23
90	2.83	2.00	1.17	0.86	0.39	0.34	0.28	0.23
95	2.79	1.97	1.16	0.85	0.39	0.33	0.28	0.23
100	2.77	1.97	1.17	0.86	0.39	0.34	0.29	0.23

Fig.5 Calculation domain and boundary conditions

Fig.6 Comparison of simulation and experimental data at different discharge rates

Fig.7 Location of temperature monitoring point on cell top cover

Fig.8 Variation of temperature rise on top cover of cells with different aspect ratio hole shapes

Fig.9 Variation of liquid flow pressure drop with different aspect ratio hole shapes

Fig.10 Variation of energy consumption in liquid cooling systems with different aspect ratio hole types

Fig.11 shows variation in maximum temperature of cell’s top cover corresponding to different cooling ways

Fig.12 Global temperature variation of battery pack

Fig.13 Heat transfer power of battery packs corresponding to different cooling ways

Fig.14 Variation of maximum temperature of top cover of cell with different inlet water flow rates

Fig.15 Changes in pressure drop of liquid cooling system corresponding to different water flow rates

Fig.16 shows changes in energy consumption of liquid cooling system at moment of discharge cutoff corresponding to different water flow rates

Fig.17 Variation of maximum temperature difference on top cover of cell with different inlet water flow rates

Fig.18 Changes in reduction of maximum temperature difference of battery pack corresponding to increase in water flow rate

Fig.19 Variation of maximum temperature of cell corresponding to single-factor and multi-factor cooling ways

Fig.20 Global temperature changes of battery pack under influence of single-factor and multi-factor interactions

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