This paper discusses the quantitative validation carried out on a prismatic 20 Ah LiFePO₄ battery sandwiched between two minichannel cold-plates with distributed flow having a single U-turn. A two-way coupled electrochemical-thermal simulations are performed at different discharge rates (1–4 C) and coolant inlet temperatures (15–35 °C). The predicted battery voltage response at room temperature (22 °C) and the performance of the Battery Thermal Management System (BTMS) in terms of the battery surface temperatures (maximum temperature, $T_{max}$ and temperature difference, $\Delta T$) have been analyzed. Additionally, temperature variation at ten different locations on the battery surface is studied during the discharge process. The predicted temperatures are compared with the measured data and found to be in close agreement. Differences between the predicted and measured temperatures are attributed to the assumption of uniform heat generation by the Li-ion model (P2D), the accuracy of electrochemical property input data, and the accuracy of the measuring tools used. Overall, it is suggested that the Li-ion model can be used to design the efficient BTMS at the cell level.

Rechargeable Li-ion batteries are widely used in renewable energy storage and automotive powertrain systems, and therefore, an efficient thermal management system is imperative for maximum battery life and safety. Battery heat generation and dissipation rates primarily depend on the battery surface temperatures, which are affected by the coolant system design and coolant inlet conditions. In this paper, a two-way coupled electrochemical-thermal simulation with selected experimental validation has been performed and analyzed the effect of water coolant inlet conditions on the effectiveness of commercial mini-channel cold-plates for 20 Ah LiFePO₄ prismatic batteries. Three coolant inlet temperatures (25–45 °C) and four flow rates (150–600 mL/min) are tested at three different discharge rates (2–4 C) and the performance of coolant system design has been analyzed in terms of battery peak (maximum) temperature and temperature difference (i.e., non-uniformity) across the battery. The predicted results indicate that the coolant flow rate has a profound effect on the battery temperature non-uniformity, while the coolant inlet temperature has a significant effect on the battery peak temperature. At high coolant flow rates, the battery surface temperature difference is within the acceptable range (ΔT < 5 °C), but the maximum temperatures are high at all discharge rates. Further, at the low coolant inlet temperature of 25 °C and the high coolant flow rate of 600 mL/min, the battery temperature rise at the top and bottom locations during the constant current discharge process is high, indicating that the battery heat generation rate is high at a low coolant inlet temperature.

Current and heat flow at the contact surfaces of electrode and sheet materials play a vital role in joining of sheet metals by the Resistance Spot Welding (RSW) technique. Further, the contact resistances primarily depend on contact pressure and temperature during the RSW process. In this article, a 2-D axisymmetric, fully coupled electro-thermomechanical model developed in COMSOL software is used to study the effects of weld current and time on the evolution of temperatures, dynamic resistance and nugget size. Contact conductance method for contact resistances and latent heat capacity method for phase change (melting/solidification) process are used. The predicted nugget sizes are compared with experimental data.