Examination of the cooling performance of the lithium-ion battery module created using phase change material at different discharge rates and different ambient temperatures

Batteries are one of the most important systems in electric vehicles. The performance of batteries varies depending on temperature, and high battery temperatures reduce battery efficiency and life. In recent years, intensive studies have been carried out on passive systems to prevent the battery module from heating, and many studies have been conducted especially on the use of phase change material (PCM). In this study, a novel battery module design created using PCM is tested by setting up experimental setups at both different discharge rates and different ambient temperatures, and the cooling performance of PCM is examined. As a result, it was found that the temperature increase in the PCM decreases during the melting process and the increase in the battery surface temperature varies according to the current value of the total heat generated in the battery. If the total heat generated in the battery increases, both the battery surface temperature and the temperature rise rate increase; if the total heat generated in the battery is constant or decreasing, the battery surface temperature increases but the temperature rise rate decreases.