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Battery Pack Thermal Model

Thermal Analysis
Finite Difference Method
Python
JavaScript
Lithium-Ion

A 2D thermal model of a cylindrical lithium-ion battery pack simulating heat generation, conduction, and liquid cooling across a full discharge cycle — built from first principles using Joule heating and Fourier's law.

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Lithium-ion battery pack ThermoCell simulation code
Physics-Based Finite difference heat model using Q = I²R, Fourier conduction, and convective cooling
Interactive Live heat map with adjustable C-rate, ambient temp, and cooling parameters
Python + Web Demo Engineering analysis in Python, interactive demo in the browser
Overview
  • Models heat distribution across a 48-cell pack under discharge conditions
  • Simulates hotspot formation, cooling channel effectiveness, and thermal runaway risk
  • Four preset scenarios covering standard, high-stress, and failure conditions
Engineering
  • Joule heating calculated per cell using I²R with state-of-charge dependent resistance
  • Fourier conduction modelled between all four neighbouring cells each time step
  • Convective cooling applied along edge rows representing liquid cooling channels
Outcome
  • Center cells consistently reach highest temperatures due to reduced heat dissipation
  • Cooling system reduces max cell temperature by up to 15°C under standard conditions
  • Worst case scenario demonstrates critical thermal runaway risk at high C-rate and elevated ambient temperature