Numerical analysis and experimental validation of a real-time thermal management and alert system for lithium–ion batteries in electric vehicles
摘要
With the rapid rise in electric vehicle (EV) adoption, ensuring battery safety—particularly in relation to fire hazards—has become a major concern. Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, commonly used in EVs, operate best within a thermal range of 15–35 °C. It has been observed that electric vehicles (EVs) can catch fire when parked in hot environments or during charging, as high battery temperatures may rise dangerously, increasing the risk of thermal runaway and fire. This study presents a real-time temperature monitoring and extenuation system bespoke for such conditions. The auxiliary battery-operated system activates when the battery temperature surpasses 60 °C and not only provides an audible alarm and remote notification to the operator but also activates the cooling system to reduce the battery temperature within a safe range and give enough time to the operator or a nearby person to take corrective action.
To find the optimal airflow direction of the cooling system a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) study is conducted and it is subsequently implemented and tested. The experimental results showed a battery temperature reduced from 60 °C to ~ 41 °C within 10 min. This creates an important time buffer for necessary actions, thereby substantially enhancing EV safety in idle conditions.