Induction Heater Based Battery Thermal Management System for Electric Vehicles

Abstract

The life and efficiency of electric vehicle batteries are susceptible to temperature. The impact of cold climate dramatically decreases battery life, while at the same time increasing internal impedance. Thus, a battery thermal management system (BTMS) is vital to heat and maintain temperature range if the electric vehicle’s batteries are operating in a cold climate. This paper presents an induction heater-based battery thermal management system that aims to ensure thermal safety and prolong the life cycle of Lithium-ion batteries (Li-Bs). This study used a standard simulation tool known as GT-Suite to simulate the behavior of the proposed BTMS. For the heat transfer, an indirect liquid heating method with variations in flow rate was considered between Lithium-ion batteries. The battery and cabin heating rate was analyzed using the induction heater powers of 2, 4, and 6 kW at ambient temperatures of −20, −10, and 0 ∘C. A water and ethylene glycol mixture with a ratio of 50:50 was considered as an operating fluid. The findings reveal that the thermal performance of the proposed system is generally increased by increasing the flow rate and affected by the induction heater capacity. It is evident that at −20 ∘C with 27 LPM and 6 kW heater capacity, the maximum heat transfer rate is 0.0661 ∘C/s, whereas the lowest is 0.0295 ∘C/s with 2 kW heater capacity. Furthermore, the proposed BTMS could be a practical approach and help to design the thermal system for electric vehicles in the future.

Battery Thermal Management System for Electric Vehicles: A Brief Review

“…High thermal conductivity, mostly applied for high cooling demand [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15]. complexity, high cost, heavy, must store the fluid, viscosity, potential leaks, additives for anti-freeze & Boiling [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15].…”

“…Many temperature ranges recommended for the use of lithium ion batteries are found in the literature, but, only a range between 15 °C and 35 °C is desired [5]. Some battery suppliers define four temperature ranges [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]: (1) (0-10 °C) decreased battery capacity and pulse performance, (2) (20-30 °C) optimal range, (3) (30-40 °C) faster self-discharge, and (4) (40-60 °C) irreversible reactions, with 60 °C being the upper safety limit under normal operating conditions. Another important point is the temperature uniformity between the battery cells in which the temperature difference must be less than 5 °C [4][5][6][7][8].Tete et al [4] revealed that at high temperatures, lithium-ion battery cells lost more than 60% of their initial energy after 800 cycles at 50 °C and lost 70% after 500 cycles at 55 °C.…”

“…Some battery suppliers define four temperature ranges [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]: (1) (0-10 °C) decreased battery capacity and pulse performance, (2) (20-30 °C) optimal range, (3) (30-40 °C) faster self-discharge, and (4) (40-60 °C) irreversible reactions, with 60 °C being the upper safety limit under normal operating conditions. Another important point is the temperature uniformity between the battery cells in which the temperature difference must be less than 5 °C [4][5][6][7][8].Tete et al [4] revealed that at high temperatures, lithium-ion battery cells lost more than 60% of their initial energy after 800 cycles at 50 °C and lost 70% after 500 cycles at 55 °C. In another example, they reported that the life cycle of a lithium-ion battery at 45 °C is approximately 3323 cycles, and that this value is reduced to 1037 cycles at a temperature of 60 °C.…”

“…Currently, the temperature control of batteries in electric vehicles is done through the use of the battery thermal management system (BTMS). This system is responsible for ensuring that the battery works in the proper temperature range and keeps the temperature between the cells as homogeneously as possible [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15].…”

Experimental Analysis of Residential Photovoltaic (PV) and Electric Vehicle (EV) Systems in Terms of Annual Energy Utilization

“…Energy stored in lithium-ion batteries has many advantages [24]. However, significant limitations are the dependence of the distance range on charging infrastructures, battery capacity, and drive quality [25,26].…”