A numerical analysis on multi-stage Tesla valve based cold plate for cooling of pouch type Li-ion batteries

Abstract The operating temperature can significantly influence the performance, cycle life, and safety of Li-ion batteries used in electric vehicles. One of the critical factors is to assess the temperature distribution within the battery pack when operated under extreme conditions and choosing an appropriate cooling method. Concerning this, a liquid cooling plate comprising Tesla valve configuration with high recognition in microfluidic applications is proposed to provide a safer temperature range for pouch type Li-ion batteries. A multi-stage Tesla valve with forward and reverse flow configuration is designed and analysed to improve a conventional rectangular channel's intrinsic temperature gradient issues for turbulent flow conditions. Moreover, the influence of various parameters such as channel number, the distance between two consecutive valves, coolant temperature, and heat flux applied on the cold plate's top and bottom surfaces are numerically investigated for varying Reynold's number using COMSOL Multiphysics software. An enhancement in heat transfer with the reverse flow in multi-stage Tesla valve is seen, mainly caused by flow bifurcation and mixing mechanisms, at the cost of pressure drop. A cold plate with 4 channels and valve to valve distance of 8.82 mm exhibits the most effective cooling performance.