Optimal Heat Transfer and Coolant Flow Correlations in a Cylindrical Cell Format, Production-Based Battery Pack Model under Constant Discharge, Winter–Summer Driving

A full lithium-ion battery (LIB) pack has hundreds to thousands of cells, coolant flow lines and channels, and channel bends to control cell temperature within its operating window and minimize cell internal resistance, aging, and fire risk. A 75 kWh LIB pack has four modules, and each has 23–25 bricks. Two challenges in battery state predictions for hot and subzero temperatures are battery temperature (Tbatt ) and coolant flow within the whole pack. In this work, a 1D 75 kWh full-pack model with its thermal management system is developed using a holistic reverse-engineering method, which can predict Tbatt at any bricks/modules and inlet/outlet coolant flow characteristics. A Tesla Model Y equipped with dual e-motors is tested on an in-house state-of-the-art chassis dynamometer. The test data at V = 60–80 km/h, 100–150 A constant discharge, and Tbatt = −10°C to 40°C are used to develop the model. The 75 kWh pack model features 4000+ cylindrical cells (96S46P, Panasonic 21700-format), 20+ coolant lines (or plates, tubes), and 700+ flow channels. The model considers heat exchange from cells to the ambient air via coolant (water-glycol), coolant channel walls, adhesive bonding, trays, and cases. Four forced convective heat transfer coefficient correlations (α) from the coolant to the walls are used to predict coolant outlet temperature (T cool, out ) and Tbatt at different bricks. Three coolant flow losses correlations (K) due to pipe friction, and pipe bends are used to predict the coolant pressure drop ∆Pcool across the pack. Optimal α and K correlations are identified using the fully validated pack model, and the transient temperatures at any cell in bricks and the inlet/outlet coolant flow characteristics are well predicted with over 90% accuracy. This work provides guidelines for selecting optimal α and K correlations to develop any 1D fully liquid-based battery pack models for all-weather driving.