Lithium-ion batteries with forced air cooling: Simulation and laboratory tests

Abstract

Sales and total population of electric vehicles are continuously increasing. Their production and maintenance should be supported by high amount of powerful and reliable battery cells. Various lithium-ion batteries comprise the major part of battery units for vehicles. This article is devoted to development of forced air cooling of battery module for hybrid tractor unit. Cooling of overall module has been significantly improved and temperature fields in all cells have been equalized by means of mathematical simulation. The model adequacy has been verified by laboratory tests of battery module of modified design. Temperature drop between single cells has been decreased more than by four times which reduces significantly probability of local overheating and thermal runaway. In the future the developed battery modules will be used in field tests of tractor unit with hybrid power unit.