Novel hybrid battery thermal management system based on a central cooling channel with an integrated conductive fin, porous media, and phase change materials

• A novel hybrid BTMS combining a central cooling channel, conductive fin, porous media, and metallic foam-enhanced PCM is proposed for prismatic lithium-ion batteries. • The fin-assisted central channel reduces maximum battery temperature by 12.1 K and improves temperature uniformity by 49.11% compared to conventional side-channel cooling. • Impregnating PCM with metallic copper foam transforms it from a thermal barrier into an effective buffer, lowering peak temperature to 302.16 K and achieving uniformity below 2 K. • The optimal design achieves a balance between thermal safety and hydraulic efficiency, with a minimal pressure drop increase from 3.29 Pa to 3.87 Pa. Efficient thermal management is vital for the longevity and safety of lithium-ion batteries in demanding conditions. This study introduces a novel hybrid battery thermal management system (BTMS) that combines central liquid cooling with conductive fins, porous media, and phase change materials (PCM) enhanced with metallic foam, and optimized performance to achieve improved thermal efficiency and safety with minimal hydraulic penalties. Five different categories including 13 designs are examined: passive cooling, side-channel liquid cooling, fin-assisted central cooling (with/without porous media), and advanced hybrids with porous media and phase change materials. A three-dimensional conjugate heat transfer model, validated against multiple benchmarks, is employed using computational fluid dynamics, with PCM melting simulated via the enthalpy–porosity method. Results show the fin-assisted central channel reduces maximum battery temperature by 12.1 K and improves temperature uniformity by 49.11% versus a side-channel design. Adding porous media further lowers the maximum temperature by 8.83 K. While plain PCM is ineffective, PCM impregnated with metallic foam reduces highest temperature by up to 10.7 K and achieves uniformity below 2 K. The optimal design— a fin-assisted central channel integrated with porous-enhanced PCM— limits the maximum temperature to 302.16 K, maintains a temperature uniformity of 1.8 K, and, compared with the channel without PCM layers, increases the pressure drop from 3.29 Pa to 3.87 Pa, which is not significant and does not impose a considerable hydraulic penalty on the system. This configuration effectively achieves a balance between energy efficiency and thermal safety, delivering actionable insights for the design of future battery thermal management systems in demanding, high-power settings.