BATTERY PERFORMANCE IN
ELECTRIC CARS
EV batteries are quite different from those used in consumer
electronic devices such as laptops and cell phones.
They are required to handle high power (up to a hundred kW)
and high energy capacity (up to tens of kWh) within a limited
space and weight and at an affordable price.
The desirable features of batteries for vehicle applications are:
- High specific power
- High specific energy
- High charge acceptance rate for recharging and
regenerative braking
- Long cycle life
company
Country
Vehicle model
Battery technology
GM
USA
Chevy-Volt
Li-ion
Saturn Vue Hybrid
NiMH
Escape, Fusion, MKZ HEV
NiMH
Escape PHEV
Li-ion
Ford
USA
Toyota
Japan
Prius, Lexus
NiMH
Honda
Japan
Civic, Insight
NiMH
Hyundai
South Korea Sonata
Lithium polymer
Chrysler
USA
Chrysler 200C EV
Li-ion
BMW
Germany
X6
NiMH
Mini E (2012)
Li-ion
BYD
China
E6
Li-ion
Daimler
Germany
ML450, S400
NiMH
Smart EV (2010)
Li-ion
Benz
Mitsubishi
Japan
iMiEV (2010)
Li-ion
Nissan
Japan
Altima
NiMH
Leaf EV (2010)
Li-ion
Tesla
USA
Roadster (2009)
Li-ion
Think
Norway
Think EV
Li-ion, Sodium/Metal
Chloride
Table: Batteries used in electric vehicles of selected
car manufacturers.
Lithium-Ion Battery
The lithium ion battery makes
use of lithium cobalt oxide
(which has superior cycling
properties at high voltages) as
the positive electrode and a
highly-crystallized specialty
carbon as the negative
electrode. It uses an organic
solvent, as the electrolytic fluid.
Principle of Operation
The principle behind the chemical
reaction in the lithium ion battery is
:
During cell charge,
lithium in the positive
electrode lithium cobalt
oxide material is ionized
during charge, and moves
from layer to layer in the
negative electrode.
During discharge,
Li ions move to the positive
electrode and return to the
original compound.
Li-ion Battery Unit Cell
(Battery Chemistry LiFePO4)
Figure: Unit module of battery (2S2P)
Capacity, Q=86Ah
SOC 10% SOC95%
COOLING SYSTEM
DEVELOPMENT
Why thermal management is
important?
To maintain the temperature across
the entire pack of battery
To prevent rapid cell degradation
To increase battery life
To prevent from catastrophic
destruction (fire and explosion)
Figure 1: EV battery pack cooling flow
paths with temperature distribution on cells
Figure 2: how cooling systems for electric car operates
Figure 3: IIUM Proton Green Mobility Challenge 2012
Proposed Battery Thermal Management System: Two-Phase
Evaporative Cooling
Advantages
Two-phase air-evaporative cooling system has been
developed to prevent the battery spike-up temperature,
keep the variation of battery temperature in the range 3035 C and span the battery life and performance
Mechanism of two-phase evaporative cooling
at evaporator ducts heat generated from the modules will be
absorbed by the evaporating refrigerant (refrigerant changes state:
liquid vapor)
at compressor compress vapor to be high pressurize vapor, and acts
to circulate the refrigerant through the whole system
at condenser unit heat carried by the refrigerant will be dissipated
to surrounding via condensation process, with the aid of ventilation by
a fan
at expansion valve change from high pressure liquid to low pressure
liquid to enter the evaporator duct
The two-phase evaporative cooling system will cool the battery pack
by a direct refrigerant-based evaporative cooling.
The heat generated inside battery modules will be absorbed by the
refrigerant and this heat will then be dissipated to surrounding air.
This application is the utilization of independent evaporator or cooling
duct, condenser and compressor unit specifically for the battery
cooling
System, whereby the evaporator or cooling duct will be connected in
parallel to the main refrigerant circuit.
The refrigerant will be circulated in a closed-loop, where a suction line
will withdraw refrigerant from cooling ducts (evaporator), rise the
pressure to a higher level and discharge it to a condenser to dissipate
heat to the surrounding before it reaches the expansion valve to
