Synergistic thermal management of lithium-ion batteries in electric two-wheelers: Critical analysis and ranking of multifaceted strategies and numerical validation

Abstract

The paradigm shift from conventional to electric propulsion has become one of the pivotal foci of research areas. In the electric vehicle domain which encompasses a range of vehicles from two-wheelers to multi-wheelers, the battery thermal management system and its design variations are receiving the utmost attention. This article explores an array of distinct cooling strategies viz. evaporative, refrigeration assisted, mist, vapour chamber, thermoelectric and MEMS membrane cooling for lithium-ion batteries with their specifications, prominent attributes, advantages, limitations and thermal mitigating measures with potential future possibilities for electric two-wheelers. Grey relational analysis (GRA) is adopted to rank the cooling schemes disclosed that mist cooling is the most optimal for electric two-wheelers and this recommendation is substantiated with a numerical approach. The numerical results unveiled that the multi-strategical approach of mist cooling and forced convection attenuated the peak cell temperature by 13% and 24% when compared to stand-alone mist cooling and the system without external cooling assistance. This stands as evidence for the increased effectiveness of multi-strategical approaches. The article would help in creating the most practical combinational cooling solutions to lessen the danger of a thermal runaway with lithium-ion batteries, in particular, implemented in electric two-wheelers.