Modares Mechanical Engineering

Modares Mechanical Engineering

Experimental Evaluation of Phase Change Materials Performance on the Thermal Management Enhancement of a Battery Pack in an Electric Motorcycle

Authors
Mohammad Bagher Montazeri 1
Gholam Reza Molaeimanesh 2
1 Iran University of Science and Technolgy
2 Iran University of Science and Technology
10.48311/mme.2025.24042
Abstract
Nowadays, electric motorcycles face several safety, performance and operational challenges, especially in hot climates. The increasing demand for thermal management of lithium-ion batteries to avoid potential concerns of thermal runaway due to high temperatures and the typical plastic housing of the battery pack is the main challenge. This paper introduces and investigates the performance of a high-power electric motorcycle battery pack considering the cooling system comprising PCM and conducting elements for tropical regions, for the first time. Also, six types of pure and hybrid thermal management systems including the use of phase change materials, aluminum rods, aluminum plates and their simultaneous use in pairs for battery cooling are considered. By experimentally evaluating the combination of phase change materials and metal parts, and focusing on the performance in tropical climates, this research provides a practical solution to improve thermal management and extend the battery life of electric motorcycles. The results of this research show that all systems except the use of aluminum rods contribute to the cooling of the battery pack. The best performance is associated with the combination of phase change material and aluminum plate, which improves the maximum temperature by 11.3% compared to the case without thermal management. This is followed by the combination of phase change material and aluminum rod and phase change material, which provide a maximum temperature reduction of 10.1% and 9.5%, respectively. Finally, the use of phase change material is recommended in all cases, as it can reduce the operating temperature of the battery by 12.4% and increase its life
Keywords
Li-Ion Battery
Thermal Management System (TMS)
Electric Motorcycle
Phase Change Material (PCM)

Subjects

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Modares Mechanical Engineering
Volume 25, Issue 7
July 2025
Pages 429-438