Aluminum-Based Thermal Management of Lithium-Iron Energy Storage for Sustainable Cooling
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70917/jcc-2025-036Keywords:
Lithium iron phosphate, thermal management, computational fluid dynamics, aluminium casing, ethylene glycol coolantAbstract
Climate change represents one of the most pressing challenges of our time, necessitating urgent action across various sectors, including transportation. The transition to electric vehicles is a critical component of this response, offering a pathway to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote sustainable mobility. However, the impact of electric vehicles on climate change is closely linked to the lifespan and efficiency of their batteries, which act as energy storage media. As these batteries operate under varying thermal conditions, effective cooling management is essential to optimise their efficiency and ensure safety. Immersion cooling combined with an aluminium casing has emerged as a feasible solution due to its potential for enhanced heat dissipation. Further research is required to understand how aluminium case thickness and cell spacing affect cooling performance with different types of coolants. Therefore, the thermal behaviour of lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO₄) battery packs under immersion cooling conditions was analysed in this study using computational fluid dynamics with ANSYS Fluent. The battery cells were encased in aluminium sheets of varying thicknesses and positioned at different intervals. Two types of coolants (pure water and a 40% ethylene glycol (EG)–water mixture) were tested for their effect on temperature regulation and cooling efficiency. The simulation results showed that increasing the thickness of the aluminium casing slightly improved heat dissipation, although the impact was limited at a certain point. Furthermore, larger spacing between cells improved fluid circulation, resulting in a more consistent temperature distribution. The EG–water mixture provided better heat management than pure water, especially at larger casing thicknesses. The optimal configuration for efficient heat management included using a 40% EG–water mixture, a casing thickness of 1.5 mm, and an inter-cell spacing of 40 mm. As a result of these setups, the highest temperature was below 308.00 K and the temperature difference was less than 0.12 K. The results of this research provide useful design suggestions for improving the safety and dependability of LiFePO₄ battery systems, in addition to contributing to the current understanding of active thermal management strategies.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Awangku Muhammad Dzul Hisyam, Fauziah Jerai, Nor Afifah Yahaya, Norhayati Mat Wajid (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
