Enhancing Car Battery Energy Efficiency with Phase Change Material Nanocomposites: A Concise Review

Abstract

This article investigates the utilization of thermal management systems for electric car applications and their optimization through the incorporation of phase change materials (PCMs) and nanoparticles (NPs). In recent years, with the expansion of the automobile sector and the introduction of electric vehicles (EVs) into the market, new challenges have emerged. One critical challenge is managing heat in lithium batteries, as the performance of these batteries can deteriorate significantly outside the normal temperature range. Consequently, this research delves into the reasons favoring passive thermal management systems over active ones in the electric vehicle industry. Additionally, it elucidates the motivations behind opting for active thermal management systems and explores research on various types of phase change materials (PCMs) utilized in this domain, along with the impact of nanoparticle additives. The objective is to comprehensively understand why researchers employ different types of phase change materials (PCMs) in this field and how these materials can influence battery cooling, including factors such as the thermal conductivity of PCMs. It also scrutinizes which materials and simulations have been proposed for these systems and assesses their potential applicability to other vehicle components, as several components of electric vehicles that remain unexamined in the literature become increasingly apparent. In conclusion, the proposal is considering the use of phase change materials in other automobile components.

Keywords

• phase change materials
• lithium-ion battery
• battery thermal management system
• nanocompsoites