Session: K10-02: Heat transfer equipment

Paper Number: 183673

183673 - Design and Optimization of a Clamp-Fin Assisted Liquid Cooled Battery Thermal Management System for Electric Vehicles 

Abstract: 

The decarbonization of the transportation sector is crucial for mitigating global warming, as fossil-fuel-based vehicles remain a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Electric vehicles (EVs) represent a promising alternative for achieving clean transportation, and global policy initiatives are supporting their rapid adoption. However, the performance and reliability of EVs are still limited by factors such as a short driving range, long charging times, and thermal safety concerns. The thermal conditions of the battery pack directly influence these challenges. Lithium-ion batteries (LiBs), the most widely used energy storage systems in EVs, exhibit optimal performance and lifespan when their temperature is maintained between 15 °C and 40 °C. Consequently, the development of an efficient and compact battery thermal management system (BTMS) is crucial to ensure temperature uniformity, prevent thermal runaway, and enhance overall system safety.

A high-performance BTMS must achieve two primary design objectives: (i) maximizing the heat transfer area between the battery cell surface and the heat transfer fluid (HTF), and (ii) minimizing the direct contact area between adjacent cells to reduce the risk of heat propagation during fault conditions. In this study, a novel clamp-fin-assisted BTMS design is proposed, numerically analyzed, and optimized to enhance cooling performance while minimizing hydraulic penalty. The analysis was performed using a validated three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model that incorporates conjugate heat transfer between the solid (cell + fin) and liquid domains.

Initially, the performance of the proposed clamp-fin BTMS was compared with that of a conventional liquid-cooled BTMS configuration commonly employed in EV battery modules. The results showed that the proposed design effectively maintained the maximum cell temperature (T_max) within the optimal operating range and significantly reduced the temperature non-uniformity (ΔT) across the battery pack. Preliminary simulations indicated a potential reduction of 18.7% and 4.05% in the T_max rise and ΔT, respectively.

A subsequent parametric optimization was conducted to investigate the influence of three key geometric parameters – relative fin height (H_f/H_b), relative fin circumference (C_f/C_b), and fin thickness (t) – on the thermal and hydraulic performance. The study revealed that these parameters have a substantial impact on the local heat transfer coefficients of the BTMS. The optimized configuration achieved the best trade-off between effective heat removal and acceptable pressure drop. The final comparison between the optimized clamp-fin BTMS and the baseline design indicated a substantial enhancement in thermal performance. Detailed quantitative results, including thermal and hydraulic performance metrics, will be presented in the full manuscript.

The outcomes are expected to serve as valuable design guidance for engineers and researchers developing next-generation BTMS technologies for sustainable electric mobility.

Presenting Author: Ashutosh Sharma College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia. 4814

Presenting Author Biography: Ashutosh Sharma is a dedicated researcher in the field of thermal-fluid engineering and a current PhD student at the College of Science & Engineering, James Cook University (JCU), Australia. His research focuses on advanced energy systems with particular emphasis on battery thermal management systems (BTMS), latent heat storage units, phase-change materials, and solar-thermal technologies. With a strong foundation in mechanical engineering, Ashutosh has developed expertise across numerical modelling, CFD simulations, heat-transfer optimisation, and multi-criteria decision-making approaches.
OOver the years, Ashutosh has contributed extensively to the scientific community by authoring 25 research publications, including 20 SCIE-indexed papers in Q1 journals. His work spans diverse thermal-engineering applications—ranging from liquid-cooled BTMS designs for electric vehicles to optimisation of solar collector tilt angles, thermal performance enhancement of solar air heaters, and insulation strategies for energy-efficient buildings.
Ashutosh has previously worked in academic and research roles at Dr B. R. Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, India, where he gained experience in teaching, laboratory supervision, and applied thermal-systems research. He has been recognised with multiple academic awards at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
Driven by curiosity and a commitment to sustainable energy technologies, Ashutosh continues to advance innovative solutions in next-generation thermal and energy-storage systems.

Authors:

Ashutosh Sharma College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia. 4814
Mehdi Khatamifar College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia. 4814
Wenxian Lin College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia. 4814