Assessment of thermal management strategies for prismatic LiFePO4 batteries: a test bench development

Prismatic lithium-iron-phosphate (LiFePO4) battery diffusion is growing, and their thermal management is increasingly critical. This study investigates the definition of a test bench to assess the effects of temperature on prismatic cells and a direct liquid technique for thermal management. Finite Element Method (FEM) simulations are used to analyze compact heat exchangers that ensure effective heat exchange and maximum uniformity on the external cell surface. For the evaluation of the test bench, two cells were compared, one maintained colder than the other, both with continuous 1C charge and discharge cycles. The test bench is realized by assessing both electrical and thermal parameters using a supervision and control algorithm. The methodology supports studying prismatic cell behavior and thermal management solutions under controlled temperature cycles.