Thermoelectric-based battery thermal management with cooling and energy recovery
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PUBLIC SUMMARY
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Hybrid BTMS (TEM+PCM+LC) enables dual TEM functions: waste-heat power generation and active cooling.
Passive cooling keeps Tmax <323.15 K and ΔT <5 K under 1C–4C while TEG output rises with discharge rate.
At 5C, TEC+LC cut Tmax from 323.74 K to 321.51 K and reduce energy use by lowering hot-side temperature.
Delayed (340 s) active cooling extends TEG operation by 340 s and reduces active cooling time by 47.2%.
Optimal LC flow maximizes net energy recovery, achieving up to 53.60 J at 3C discharge.
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ABSTRACT
This work proposes the hybrid battery thermal management system (BTMS) integrating thermoelectric modules (TEM), phase change materials (PCM), and liquid cooling (LC) to achieve dual functionalities of TEM: power generation and cooling. A multi-physics numerical model is established to analyze the system’s performance under varying discharge rates, along with proposing a phase transition temperature-triggered operational strategy. Results demonstrate that under 1 C to 4 C discharge conditions, the passive cooling system maintains the Tmax of batteries below 323.15 K with a ΔT under 5 K, while TEM acts as the thermoelectric generator (TEG) to recover waste heat, exhibiting significant increases in output voltage and power with rising discharge rates. At 5C discharge, thermoelectric cooling (TEC) and LC reduce the Tmax of batteries from 323.74 K to 321.51 K, while LC lowers the TEC hot-side temperature, thereby decreasing system energy consumption. The proposed 340 s delayed activation strategy for active cooling extends TEG power generation time by 340 s and reduces active cooling operation time by 47.2%. In 1C, 2C, 3C, and 4C discharge rates, the peak net energies of 22.15 J, 52.24 J, 53.60 J, and 41.93 J occur at liquid cooling mass flow rates of 0.3 g/s, 0.5 g/s, 0.7 g/s, and 0.7 g/s, respectively. This work provides an innovative solution for the BTMS that balances thermal control efficiency and energy recovery. -
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REFERENCES
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Luo D., Jiang L., Chen H., et al. (2026). Thermoelectric-based battery thermal management with cooling and energy recovery. The Innovation Energy 3:100134. https://doi.org/10.59717/j.xinn-energy.2026.100134
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Luo D., Jiang L., Chen H., et al. (2026). Thermoelectric-based battery thermal management with cooling and energy recovery. The Innovation Energy 3:100134. https://doi.org/10.59717/j.xinn-energy.2026.100134
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Figure 1.
(A) Physical structure of the hybrid BTMS. (B) The heat generation rate of batteries at different discharge rates.
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Figure 2.
(A) Dependence of TEG internal resistance and output power on varying thermal gradients. (B) Impact of grid number on the battery’s Tmax. (C) Model nodes.
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Figure 3.
(A) Thermal performance of the system; (B) Performance of the TEG; (C) Temperature distribution characteristics at the cold/hot sides of the TEG.
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Figure 4.
Performance of the system with different active cooling configurations: (A) Tmax of the battery; (B)
$ \Delta T $ -
Figure 5.
System performance after implementing the operational strategy: (A) Thermal performance of the system; (B) Input voltage of the TEG and its temperature distribution characteristics.
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Figure 6.
Net energy of the system under varying mass flow rates.
