Economic and thermal performance evaluation of a battery thermal management system using PCM and aluminum oxide foam

Abstract

This study introduces a novel Battery Thermal Management System (BTMS) that uses cylindrical porous aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 ) foam combined with nonadecane to regulate the temperature of a 21,700 lithium-ion battery during discharge. Five configurations with varying porosity levels were analyzed for different C-rates using the Finite Volume Method (FVM). Thermal behavior was assessed based on average and maximum temperatures and the liquid-to-total ratio (LTR%) within the housing. Results show that decreasing porosity enhances heat transfer due to improved thermal conductivity from increased surface area. The configuration with ε = 0.92 demonstrated superior performance by reducing thermal buildup and distributing temperature uniformly along the battery. Additionally, a Thermo-Techno-Economic Assessment (TTEA) was conducted for a 50-cell battery pack using this configuration across various C-rates. Net Present Value (NPV) analysis revealed that the proposed system offers improved economic viability at higher C-rates compared to traditional air-based cooling methods.