Unveiling techno-economic evaluation and thermal management performance of expanded graphite-based composite phase change material for lithium-ion batteries
Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Publication Type: Article / Article
- Publication Date: 2026
- Doi Number: 10.1002/cjce.70512
- Journal Name: Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering
- Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Applied Science & Technology Source, Chemical Abstracts Core, Chimica, Compendex, INSPEC, Engineering Source (EBSCO)
- Keywords: composite phase change material, economic evaluation, expanded graphite, lithium-ion battery, thermal management, thickness
- Eskisehir Osmangazi University Affiliated: Yes
Abstract
Phase change material (PCM)-based thermal management systems have attracted considerable attention for controlling the thermal behaviour of lithium-ion batteries operating under high discharge-rate conditions. However, the inherently low thermal conductivity of conventional PCMs limits their thermal regulation capability, while previous studies on expanded graphite (EG)-enhanced composite PCMs have mainly focused on thermal conductivity enhancement and maximum temperature reduction. Limited attention has been paid to the combined effects of EG concentration and CPCM thickness on temperature uniformity, volumetric energy density, and techno-economic optimization under different operating conditions. In this study, an EG-integrated composite phase change material (CPCM) based on RT44HC was numerically investigated for the thermal management of cylindrical lithium-ion batteries. A comprehensive parametric analysis was conducted to evaluate the coupled influences of EG concentration, CPCM thickness, and discharge rate on battery thermal behaviour. The results showed that increasing CPCM thickness significantly reduced battery temperature, whereas the influence of EG concentration exhibited a more complex thermal response due to the competing effects of enhanced thermal conductivity and reduced latent heat capacity. RT44HC20 with the 12.5 mm thickness was identified as the optimum configuration based on a multi-objective evaluation considering thermal performance, temperature uniformity, volumetric energy density, system mass, and economic feasibility simultaneously. RT44HC20 maintained the battery temperature below the critical threshold of 40°C while also providing improved temperature uniformity and lower material cost. The findings provide practical design guidance for the development of lightweight, cost-effective, and thermally efficient CPCM-based battery thermal management systems for high-power lithium-ion battery applications.