A triple-hybrid battery thermal management system with drop-shaped fin channels for improving weather tolerance

Electric vehicle alleviates the problems of traditional petrochemical energy consumption. However, its battery thermal management system (BTMS) is still facing the challenges of poor environmental adaptability, large weight, and low work efficiency. A triple-hybrid BTMS with built-in drop-shaped fins is proposed to improve system performance, which integrates composite phase change material (CPCM), thermoelectric cooler (TEC), and cold plate. The impacts of the CPCM thickness, inlet flow rate, fin shape, and density on the system behaviors are investigated. Moreover, cooling and preheating strategies for TEC are designed for ambient temperatures of 75 degrees C and -20 degrees C. The results show that can achieve the best comprehensive performance. Compared with the traditional BTMS, the proposed system not only decreases system weight by 6.14 % but also reduces the maximum temperature and maximum temperature difference of the battery by 1.33 degrees C and 0.61 degrees C, respectively. When the temperature rises to 75 degrees C, the piecewise function cooling strategy for TEC can reduce the battery's maximum temperature to 48.86 degrees C with a low energy consumption. At -20 degrees C, the quadratic strategy can improve the battery preheating rate to 3.22 degrees C/min. This investigation will supply a solution for the wellweather-tolerant, lightweight, saving-energy BTMS for electric vehicles.