COmputational Simulation and Modelling for Immersive Cooling of Batteries (COSMIC Batteries)

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Driven by global warming and net zero 2050 policy in the UK, the transportation is a sector that requires heavy decarbonization. The project aims to help design a thermal runaway proof battery pack for electric aircraft and electric automotives. This battery pack is also expected to be safe to operate at a wide range of temperature (-40oC to 50oC). This is enabled by the use of novel immersion cooling system with liquid-gas phasing changing materials. Safety is the first priority for batteries, especially the safety critical applications in automotive and aviation. However, the state-of-art battery technology is not thermal runaway proof, and it suffers from reduced range or accelerated ageing at extreme climate.In this project, we design, model and optimize the novel immersion cooling system so that heat can be quickly dissipated if thermal runaway happens to one or a few cells in the pack. Therefore, thermal runaway and its propagation can be effectively stopped. The current project targets electric automotives with significant improvements both in safety and performance compared to a state-of-the-art battery, with a view to bring the thermal runaway proof technology to the aircrafts as the technology is matured.