Design and Fabrication of Stainless-Steel Battery Case with Integrated Internal Cooling Channels Using Binder Jetting Additive Manufacturing
Year: 2025
Type: conference-paper
Abstract: Rechargeable lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are widely used in the aerospace and automotive industry due to reduced mass and size, ease of production and testing, and lowered manufacturing costs compared to conventional nickel-based and aqueous battery systems. In the Mars Surveyor program, NASA equipped its first Martian lander with two 9 kg Li-ion batteries for a one-year cruise period. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, for instance, utilizes two Li-ion batteries to start auxiliary power units and serve as a backup in case of electronic system failures. Despite their exceptional physical and chemical properties, Li-ion batteries inevitably generate significant heat during charge and discharge cycles due to electrochemical reactions. If the heat is not managed well, the overheating of the battery cells could increase the risk of a thermal runaway, degrade the battery components, and shorten the battery life. In 2013, two cases of battery fire on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner led to the grounding of the entire fleet for nearly four months. The primary reason for battery fire, as reported by the investigating authorities, was a short circuit in one of the battery cells, which resulted in a thermal runaway i.e., damaging and causing fire in adjacent cells. As a response to battery fire incidents, Boeing implemented a passive cooling approach by enclosing Li-ion batteries in a metallic fire-resistant casing and integrating a venting system to expel smoke in the event of a fire. While passive cooling provides basic thermal protection, direct liquid cooling systems have demonstrated superior heat dissipation and thermal efficiency. To further enhance thermal management, battery cases with integrated internal cooling channels can be designed and fabricated to more effectively regulate heat during peak battery operation. Several studies have investigated the effects of cooling channels within thermal management systems on the heat dissipation and temperature uniformity. In addition to experimental studies, numerical modeling plays a vital role in predicting the thermal performance of cooling systems in battery packs. By simulating various physical phenomena such as heat generation, distribution, and dissipation, numerical models offer valuable insights for optimizing battery efficiency, safety, and longevity. In this study, a thermal management device or battery case if designed in CAD software and fabricated with various internal integrated cooling channels. Three channel shapes have been tested namely circular, bent, and curved. The performance parameters for analyzing theses shapes were temperature profile, pressure drop, and outlet velocity. This analysis was performed in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software ANSYS Fluent. Based on the heat transfer and cooling efficiency of each channel, the best performing channel shape was identified. Cooling channels often feature complex geometries, but conventional manufacturing technologies face intrinsic limitations in achieving such complexity. Compared to integrated manufacturing, assembling multiple thermal components increases the risk of common mode failures. In recent years, additive manufacturing (AM) has emerged as a promising solution for fabricating complex-shaped metallic components with reduced lead time and material waste. In particular, Binder Jetting (BJ), an AM technique that offers distinct advantages for manufacturing intricate cooling channels within battery cases. In BJ, a liquid binder is selectively deposited onto layers of metal powder, forming a "green part" that is subsequently sintered to achieve the final structure. This technique provides several key benefits, including lower machine costs, compatibility with a wide range of materials, and high scalability. In addition, BJ minimizes residual stresses by eliminating the use of high-energy beams, thereby reducing the risk of warping or distortion. The powder bed setup further enhances manufacturing efficiency by eliminating the need for support structures, facilitating the production of overhanging features. Therefore, after performing numerical analysis in ANSYS, the battery case prototypes were fabricated using binder jetting additive manufacturing. These prototypes consisted of all three channel geometry to assess the print quality of the green parts, especially during the fabrication of complex internal structures. Recent studies have extensively examined the effects of particle characteristics, process parameters, and post-processing conditions on the porosity, microstructure, and mechanical performance of metallic parts fabricated using BJ additive manufacturing. However, research on BJ for complex internal structures, particularly in thermal management applications, remains limited. Addressing this gap is crucial for advancing high-performance cooling solutions in aerospace, automotive, and energy storage systems. In this work, stainless steel (SS) 420 was selected to fabricate scaled-down battery case prototypes with integrated cooling channels using BJ. Process parameters and sintering profiles were optimized to improve porosity and microhardness. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations were reconducted to evaluate heat transfer efficiency and pressure distribution, incorporating the effects of surface roughness and porosity inherent to BJ-processed parts. This research was aimed to establish fundamental relationships between geometry, manufacturing processes, and thermal performance in BJ-fabricated battery case prototypes. By improving the understanding of how cooling channel design influence heat dissipation, these findings will contribute to the development of next-generation metallic thermal management systems. Ultimately, this work lays the foundation for innovative cooling solutions in practical applications, where efficient thermal regulation is critical for safety and performance.
DOI: 10.2514/6.2025-99637
Authors: Henil Patel, Amir A. Yahyaeian, Yue Zhou
Language: English
Subfield: Automotive Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4413191324