Mitigation of Heat Propagation in a Battery Pack by Interstitial Graphite Nanoplatelet Layer: Coupled Electrochemical-Heat Transfer Model

Abstract

The use of high thermal conductive materials for heat transfer is gaining attention as a suitable treatment for improving battery performance. Thermal runaway is a relevant issue for maintaining safety and for proficient employment of accumulators; therefore, new solutions for thermal management are mandatory. For this purpose, a hierarchical nanomaterial made of graphite nanoplatelet has been considered as an interface material. High-content graphite nanoplatelet films have very high thermal conductivity and might improve heat dissipation. This study investigates the effect of a thermally conductive material as a method for safety enhancement for a battery module. A numerical model based on the finite element method has been developed to predict the heat generation during a battery pack’s charge and discharge cycle, using the Multiphysics software Comsol. The lumped battery interface generates appropriate heat sources coupled to the Heat Transfer Interface in 3D geometry. Simulation results show that the protection of neighbouring cells from the interleaved layer is fundamental for avoiding heat propagation and an uncontrollable heating rise of the entire battery pack. The use of graphite nanocomposite sheets could effectively help to uniform the temperature and delay the TR propagation.

Flash Sintering in Metallic Ceramics: Finite Element Analysis of Thermal Runaway in Tungsten Carbide Green Bodies

“…During said event, the heat generated within the sample largely increases because of the higher conductivity (Fig. 5, a), up to the point where it cannot be dissipated quickly enough through the electrodes [20]. The condition for the flash onset can be correctly addressed to the intersection of W out and W in curves after 6 s simulation time.…”

Mechanical and Viscoelastic Properties of Carbon Fibre Epoxy Composites with Interleaved Graphite Nanoplatelet Layer

“…), can significantly improve both the damping capabilities of nanocomposites [14][15][16] and the fracture toughness [17,18]. Graphite nanoplatelets (GNPs) are known to have exceptional mechanical properties, i.e., high stiffness, strength, and toughness, which make them attractive candidates for reinforcement in composite materials [19][20][21][22]. Due to the 2D nature and high specific area of graphene, a significant increase in mode-I fracture toughness of polymers was found at extremely low loadings of nanoplatelets, thanks to the strong interfacial bonds and improved load transfer and crack resistance [23].…”

Graphite Nanoplatelets Nanostructured Films as Multifunctional Protective Layer in Kevlar/Nomex Sandwich Composites

“…Indeed, the intrinsic properties of the nanoplatelet (i.e., good thermal and electrical conductivities) are scaled on the macroscale when assembled in a well oriented nanostructure. GNP films have been widely used in thermal management applications [35,36], such as heating elements in innovative de-icing systems [37,38], thermal barrier coatings of carbon fibre composites and heat spreaders in battery packs [39], thanks to the high thermal conductivity, which can vary between 600 to 3200 W/mK according to the production process [40]. Additionally, films with a good orientation and superposition of GNPs ensure high electrical conductivity (in the order of 10 3 -10 5 S/m) and can be used as electromagnetic shielding materials [41].…”