Numerical optimization of the cooling effect of the bionic spider-web channel cold plate on a pouch lithium-ion battery

Abstract For lithium-ion battery thermal management system for electric vehicles, the insertion of metal plates with channels on both sides of a lithium-ion battery is an effective method for a high-temperature cooling. Inspired by the nature spider-web structure, we propose a cold plate with a bionic spider-web channel inside. Based on the heat generation characteristics of the pouch lithium-ion battery at an extreme discharge rate of 12 C, we used an orthogonal experimental design to study the cooling performance of the spider web-channel structure for a lithium-ion battery. Numerical simulation results showed that, among the structural parameters of the spider-web channel, the channel width had the largest influence on the cooling performance of the cold plate, while the channel angle had the smallest influence. The increase in the channel width could not indefinitely enhance the cooling performance of the cold plate. The most suitable structure was obtained at a width of 3 mm. When the channel angle was 120°, the pouch lithium-ion battery could provide the best thermal balance.