In the current context of transition from the powertrains of cars equipped with internal combustion engines to powertrains based on electricity, there is a need to intensify studies and research related to the command-and-control systems of electric vehicles. One of the important systems in the construction of an electric vehicle is the thermal management system of the battery with the role of optimizing the operation of the battery in terms of performance and life. The article aims to critically analyze the studies and research conducted so far related to the type, design and operating principles of battery thermal management systems (BTMSs) used in the construction of various shaped Li-ion batteries, with focus on cooling technologies. The advantages and disadvantages of the individual components, as well as of the proposed BTM solutions, are extensively investigated, with regard also to the adaptability of these systems to the different Li-ion battery shapes. The information thus synthesized provides the necessary and important information and proposes future directions in research to those interested in this topic to be used to increase the efficiency of the thermal management systems of the battery (and with it the global efficiency of the electric vehicle).

The battery thermal management system is one of the important systems of an electric vehicle with direct effects on its performance. In this regard, this paper proposes a mathematical model that increases the accuracy of data obtained by numerical analysis of the temperature inside battery packs. The activity of the design and development (as accurate as possible) of a battery pack leads to an increase in the life of the battery cells and of the energetic efficiency of the electric vehicle in the specific operating conditions of road traffic. The research methodology of the thermal phenomenon in the battery pack, presented by the authors, is based on an efficient co-simulation concept consisting of steady-state CFD simulations and transient 1D simulations using a new mathematical model for the thermal behavior of a lithium-ion (Li-ion) cylindrical battery and applied in a battery pack’s forced air cooling thermal management system. Comparing the obtained results, it was found that the use of the model provides more accurate calculations of the local thermal performance of the air cooling system, with a direct influence on optimizing its design and construction. It is also highlighted that using the proposed model for higher heat transfer coefficient values (increase in air flow), offers more accurate data compared to other models, with immediate benefits in the proper design and development of the battery’s thermal management system.