Cooling the electrode tabs with air to manage the heat transferred through the collectors in traction battery

Temperature is a key factor affecting the safety and performance of battery module. By directly measuring the temperature of LiFePO4 battery collector, it is found that its temperature is very high, especially at the high discharge rates, which provides a possible direction for maintaining the overall temperature of the battery within a reasonable range through the cooling the tabs. A test system with air-forced cooling tabs was designed to study the temperature distribution in a 4s2p LiFePO4 batteries module under different working conditions. The index of MCC (module cooling coefficient) was proposed to evaluate the cooling effect under different inlet air velocities. The results show that the average temperature of the battery module could be controlled in a reasonable temperature range, and even at the 2C discharge, the maximum temperature is about 43.9 degrees C when the air velocity is 12 m/s, and the average MCC of positive and negative tab can be kept between 0.1-0.2 W/K. MCC can be used to monitor the cooling capacity of special positions in the battery module in real time, so as to provide reference for battery pack design.

Automated summary

Temperature is a crucial factor in ensuring the safety and performance of battery modules. By using cooling tabs, the temperature of the LiFePO4 battery collector can be controlled within a reasonable range, especially at high discharge rates. A test system with air-forced cooling tabs was designed to study the temperature distribution in a 4s2p LiFePO4 battery module under different working conditions. The MCC index was proposed to evaluate the cooling effect at different air velocities, providing useful insights for battery pack design.