Research Projects

Electric Vehicles (EVs) are a promising alternative to conventional vehicles for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Li-ion batteries are commonly used as power sources in EVs due to their high energy density and low self-discharge rate. However, EVs generate heat during charging and discharging, which needs to be effectively dissipated to avoid thermal runaway. To achieve optimal performance, batteries must be maintained at 20-50°C and temperature uniformity should be less than 5°C. Current cooling techniques in EVs include air and indirect liquid cooling. However, forced air cooling can fail during peak summers, traffic jams, and aggressive drive cycles, leading to thermal runaway. Indirect liquid cooling uses cold plates with coolant channels attached to the battery walls, but it doesn't address temperature uniformity requirements. Phase change materials (PCMs) provide excellent thermal uniformity but have lower thermal conductivity, hindering their performance. A hybrid cooling system combining PCM and forced air and indirect liquid cooling is proposed to overcome these limitations. The proposed work aims to investigate battery performance with PCM-air and PCM-indirect liquid hybrid cooling systems under extreme and abusive conditions.