To begin the fluid flow analysis, drag Fluid Flow from the toolbox and Analysis Systems into the project schematic zone. Then hold airFEM mesh, batteryFEM mesh, and dpmFEM mesh fluid flow with the left mouse button and move them to fluid flow setup. Right click on Fluid Flow, then set up and select Update to enter the Setup window.
Confirm the validity of the FEM model and check if the mesh has a negative volume. Now, enter the setting interface of the Viscous model and the Radiation model and select the K-epsilon model and the Discrete Ordinates model respectively. Change the fluid type of the numbered battery domains to the solid type.
Then on the Solid window, double click each battery domain to change the DPM material to the battery material. Subsequently, choose the source terms item and check the highlighted source terms to add an energy source by assigning the number and the number of energy sources and selecting constant type to input the source value. Change the fluid type of numbered DPM domains to solid type.
Next, convert the type of all renamed surfaces, including the inner surfaces of the air domain, all sides of the battery domains, and DPM domains from the default wall to the interface. To generate mesh interfaces, click the Mesh Interfaces and enter the Create and Edit Mesh Interfaces Window. Match the cavity surfaces to all sides, except the upper sides of the battery domains and the lower sides of the DPM domains.
Name and number them as interface1 to interface11 respectively. Then match the upper sides of the battery domains and the lower sides of the DPM domains. Name and number them as interface12 to interface22 respectively.
To assign the outer border surface as the wall thermal boundary, set the heat transfer coefficient as five in the mixed thermal condition. Then change the material from default aluminum to the previously self-defined battery box material. In the Velocity Inlet window, set airflow velocities of all inlets to five meters per second.
Then set the gauge pressure of the outlet to zero in the Pressure Outlet window. Next, set the state of the computing domain with an initial temperature of 300 kelvin and solution initialization type, best standard initialization. Set the number of iterations to 2000 and click Calculate to begin the simulation.
To enter the CFD Post window, double click Fluid Flow followed by Results. Then from the toolbox, double click the icon of contour. In the location selector, choose all sides of the batteries and switch from pressure to temperature.
Then click Apply to generate the temperature contour of the batteries. Click File, then Export. To select the temperature of the selected variables, then click the dropdown button of the locations to select the battery domains.
Click OK followed by the Save button to quit. Battery pack temperature variation at different inlet airflow velocities demonstrated that the maximum battery pack temperature decreases with the increase of inlet airflow velocity. The comparison of the battery pack temperature distribution and the second battery temperature distribution in different environments showed that the temperature of the battery increases under dusty conditions due to the low thermal conductivity of DPM.
