Effect of Curvature on the Thermal-Hydraulic Performance of Serpentine Battery Cooling Channels

Abstrak

Efficient battery thermal management systems (BTMS) are essential for ensuring the safety and performance of lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles. This study numerically investigates the influence of serpentine channel curvature on the thermal and hydraulic characteristics of a liquid-cooled prismatic battery module. Four channel designs were evaluated: a base case and three serpentine configurations with curvature values of 0.075 mm⁻¹, 0.1 mm⁻¹, and 0.15 mm⁻¹. Simulations were conducted under steady-state and transient conditions with discharge rates of 0.5C–2C and mass flow rates of 2.41 × 10⁻³ – 3.61 × 10⁻² kg/s. The results show that higher curvature and mass flow rates reduce maximum battery temperature and improve temperature uniformity, but at the expense of increased pressure drop and pumping power. At 3.61 × 10⁻² kg/s, the base-case channel exhibited a 28% increase in pressure drop compared to 2.41 × 10⁻² kg/s, while the 0.15 mm⁻¹ channel recorded up to a 60% rise under the same condition. Transient analysis revealed that curved channels enhanced heat dissipation, achieving up to 8.56% higher cooling performance than the base case. These findings highlight the trade-off between thermal improvement and hydraulic penalty, providing valuable guidance for optimizing liquid-cooled BTMS in electric vehicle applications.

Kata kunci

• Battery thermal management
• Serpentine channel
• Numerical simulation