Design and Fabrication of a Liquid-Cooled Battery Thermal Management System for Electri...

Objective: To develop and validate a liquid cooling-based battery thermal management system that enhances thermal regulation and safety of EV battery packs under Indian climatic conditions.

India’s electric vehicle (EV) sector faces significant challenges related to battery overheating, especially in high-temperature environments, leading to reduced battery life, degraded performance, and safety risks for users and fleet operators. Efficient thermal management is critical for battery health and reliability, particularly given India’s varied and often extreme climate.

This project proposes the engineering, fabrication, and bench/road testing of a closed-loop liquid-cooled battery thermal management system (BTMS) tailored for commonly used EV battery modules. The approach involves the design of a compact coolant circuit integrating automotive-grade pumps, heat exchangers, sensors, and a microcontroller-based control unit, with selection and sizing based on thermal simulations and cost analysis.

Key deliverables include: a fully fabricated working prototype of the liquid-cooled BTMS integrated with a standard EV battery pack, thermal simulation and physical test data comparing temperature uniformity and safety against standard air-cooled systems, a cost-performance analysis, and technical documentation. The system will be demonstrated live with thermal sensors and data logging under simulated Indian driving and ambient conditions.

This project addresses industry needs for safer, longer-lasting EV batteries and sets a template for scalable, cost-effective BTMS adoption in Indian EVs, supporting faster market growth, improved safety, and better user confidence.