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Introduction to Battery Modeling

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Introduction to Thermal Modeling in Batteries

Incorporating heat transfer in your battery models is important as material properties, aging processes, and degradation processes can exhibit a temperature dependency. You can include thermal modeling for battery systems using COMSOL Multiphysics and the add-on Battery Design Module. Here, we provide a comprehensive introduction to the heat transfer mechanisms in batteries, the features and functionality contained in the software for modeling these types of applications, and demonstrate how to implement thermal modeling in battery models of different scales.

Discussion & Demo: Thermal Modeling in Batteries

The value and significance of thermal modeling for battery systems to ensure safe operation and longevity is discussed, after which the various mechanisms of heat generation as well as heat transfer applications are outlined. Implementing thermal modeling is both discussed and demonstrated for various scales of battery models, from cell scale, multiscale, to packed scale. Discussions included addressing considerations when modeling heat transfer as well as relevant coupling features and other functionality depending on the application and model fidelity. Using a multi-scale approach when building a battery model is also discussed, as it enables you to balance computational efficiency and accuracy. Lastly, an overview of and considerations for modeling thermal runway are discussed.

Overview of heat generation and heat transfer in batteries
Functionality and features for modeling heat transfer in batteries in COMSOL Multiphysics
Overview of heat transfer modeling for electrochemical cells
- Electrochemical Heating coupling feature
Demo: Lumped thermal model (follow along using the parameters text file, geometry sequence MPH-file, and data text files here)
- Lumped Battery interface
- Load Cycle feature
- Cell Equilibrium Potential feature
- Heat Transfer in Solids interface
- Electrochemical Heating coupling feature
Simplifying heat transfer battery models
Considerations of cell thermal analysis modeling
Demo: Battery pack
- Battery Layers domain condition
Demo: Liquid-cooled battery pack
- Multiple model components added
  - 3D model component for heat transfer and fluid flow
  - 1D model component for cell model
- Battery Layers domain condition
- Nonisothermal Flow coupling feature
Overview of battery pack cooling
Modeling convective cooling
- Approaches for how it can be implemented
- Options for preset studies
How to model the pack scale from the cell-scale
Introduction to modeling thermal runway
- Best practices, modeling thermal runway in a battery module or pack, propagation