Battery knowledge · Thermal management and heat transfer

Cooling plate

A flat aluminium channel assembly under or between the cells through which coolant, usually a water–glycol mix, is pumped. Heat crosses from cell to plate through a thermal interface material; the plate also sets the pack’s temperature uniformity.

Also called
cold plate

Example

Heat approaches an equilibrium

Steady rise: 10 K. Time constant: 8.333 min.

C_th = 500 J/K, fixed ambient and heat input, uniform temperature.

Explore the graph

Thermal resistance sets the steady temperature rise; thermal mass sets the response time.

Temperature above ambient
Temperature above ambientTime (min) versus Temperature rise (K). Lumped response. Interpretation follows the graphs.001515303045456060Time (min)Temperature rise (K)
Lumped response

Steady rise: 10 K. Time constant: 8.333 min.

ΔT = P R_th [1 − exp(−t / (C_th R_th))]

Illustrative model. C_th = 500 J/K, fixed ambient and heat input, uniform temperature.

Use in Lemonergy

Select spatial detail for the question.

This is a reference concept. No executable Lemonergy block has been verified for this term.

References & further reading

Further reading on this topic

These sources provide broader context; they are not presented as citations for every statement in this entry.

  1. A General Energy Balance for Battery Systems

    Dawn Bernardi, Ellen Pawlikowski, John Newman · Journal of The Electrochemical Society · 1985

    Topic background · Battery energy balance and irreversible and reversible heat contributions. Reduced thermal models require explicit assumptions and current-sign conventions.

  2. University Physics Volume 2, §1.6: Mechanisms of Heat Transfer

    OpenStax, Rice University

    Topic background · Conduction, convection, radiation and thermal resistance.