Cooling Performance Enhancing by Employing Hybrid Pin-Blade Fin Geometry with Constant Weight for Prismatic Lithium-Ion Batteries

Abstract

This research introduces a novel hybrid pin-blade fin architecture for lithium-ion battery thermal management systems, strategically integrating complementary fin geometries to overcome the traditional thermal-hydraulic performance trade-off. Through comprehensive 3D CFD simulations, the hybrid design achieves a remarkable dual improvement: maintaining battery temperatures below 21.5°C during 5C discharge (1°C lower than conventional designs) while reducing pressure drop by 30% compared to equivalent pin-fin configurations. The investigation reveals that smaller pin diameters (2.5 mm) provide superior thermal performance, while higher blade angles (80°) significantly reduce hydraulic resistance. By combining these optimal features, the hybrid architecture delivers exceptional cooling efficiency while requiring 7% less aluminum and 66% less coolant than benchmark designs. Quantitative analysis shows that reducing pin diameters from 10 mm to 2.5 mm decreases maximum battery temperature by 0.3°C, while optimizing blade orientation angles can reduce pressure drop by up to 65 Pa at 0.2 l/min flow rate. The innovative cooling plate achieves rapid thermal stabilization within 150 seconds and sustains temperature uniformity across the battery surface. This breakthrough approach resolves the long-standing dilemma between thermal regulation and hydraulic penalties in battery cooling systems, establishing a new standard for high-performance, material efficient thermal management in electric vehicle applications.