Experimental study of two organic phase change materials in cylindrical containers for battery module thermal management: a comparative analysis

Abstract

Thermal runaway in battery Electric Vehicles (EV) is one of the most significant threats to their safety and overall performance. In this study, the use of saturated fatty acid and paraffin wax as phase change materials stored separately in a battery-like container, which acts as a thermal absorber for heat dissipation management, is analyzed. The melting characteristics between these two materials are relatively different, as shown from the Differential Scanning Calorimetry results. The fatty acid used in this study has a narrow melting point with its peak at 56°C, while the paraffin mixture has a wide range starting from as low as 37°C. The effect of such different profiles is translated to the difference in the measured temperature profiles. In passive thermal management based on PCM alone, the latent heat capacity is more important than having a melting range when the amount of PCM as heat absorber is strictly limited. However, when the PCM is evenly distributed, the paraffin tubes would have a better thermal profile than the fatty acid ones. Meanwhile, when the air blower is operated hence forming a hybrid thermal management system, there is almost no significant difference between the two PCM under investigation.

Phase Change Material Composite Battery Module for Thermal Protection of Electric Vehicles: An Experimental Observation

“…response toward heat dissipation [49]. The wide profile of the paraffin-filled module results in consistent heat absorption at a slow discharge rate.…”

“…As such, the following thermal performance discussion in this manuscript is limited to a composite without any reinforcement materials. response toward heat dissipation [49]. The wide profile of the paraffin-filled module results in consistent heat absorption at a slow discharge rate.…”

“…The overall measured latent heat capacity is 212.8 J/g, with at least two major peaks at 34.9 • C and 53.8 • C. The Caprylone sample, on the other hand, displays a distinct latent heat profile with a peak at 39.4 • C and an overall latent capacity of about 277 J/g. The different latent heat characteristics of both PCMs lead to a different response toward heat dissipation [49]. The wide profile of the paraffin-filled module results in consistent heat absorption at a slow discharge rate.…”

Thermal management design optimisation for electric vehicle battery modules

“…With a relatively similar measured latent capacity, paraffin (k = 212 kJ/kg; labelled "P" in Figure 5) could have a lower temperature trend than lauric acid (k = 205 kJ/kg, labelled "L"). This could be attributed to the broader melting profile and lower initial phase-change temperature of paraffin, as depicted in Figure 2, especially when the PCM tubes are more evenly distributed (Budiman et al, 2021). It is evident that a gradual heat absorption by the paraffin could lead to a more stable temperature compared to lauric acid, where the module temperature had already increased drastically prior to the phase change.…”

Unsaturated Polyester Resin/Aluminum Tri-hydroxide Added with Short Glass Fiber for Battery Box

“…Regulations and incentives have been created so that the electrification targets can be quickly achieved. This encourages research and development of transportation technology, especially electric vehicles, to innovate soon (Amin et al, 2021;Budiman et al, 2021;Feng & Magee, 2020;Huda et al, 2020). However, there are still many challenges in electric vehicles and the development of their components.…”