Efficient Cooling and Package Of Traction Battery In Hybrid Electric Vehicles

摘要

The package and cooling of traction battery in a Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) are two primary considerations, besides others, for efficient working of vehicle and related sub systems. Depending on the vehicle operating strategy, the batteries can be cycled extensively and need to be cooled and maintained in the specified operating temperature range. The HEVs use batteries that are very compact, light weight and have a high power to weight ratio. One of the primary goals of an HEV is to be transparent when compared to a production vehicle. A transparent HEV would offer absolutely no loss in function or appearance when compared to a production vehicle. An important aspect in achieving this is to ensure that the HEV provides an equal amount of luggage space without compromise to the appearance of the luggage area. A creative way to mount the batteries without compromising the luggage area of the vehicle is to place the batteries under the vehicle or place it in the spare tire tub. This requires ducting and routing of hoses/plumbing efficiently to provide the maximum cooling and fluid flow. Using air to cool the batteries is one way of thermal management. In order to have an optimum airflow and to ensure that cells in the battery were being cooled effectively, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis techniques were employed in this study. Through the use of CFD, hoses and ductwork were designed to cool the batteries. This paper presents the CFD analysis that was performed to get the optimum configuration of the ducting for battery modules in a HEV.