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The global adoption of battery energy storage systems (BESS) is witnessing remarkable growth, with 2024 seeing a 53% increase in installations compared to the previous year. This trend is expected to continue as BESS provide a versatile solution for various energy needs.
BESS are essential for storing surplus clean energy, notably from solar sources, ensuring that this energy can be utilized at later times. They also play a critical role in offering backup power for essential services like hospitals during outages. Further, BESS support the development of virtual power plants (VPPs), which are viewed as efficient and flexible alternatives to conventional energy production methods. Another significant demand driver is the rising number of AI data centers, as their expanding operations necessitate increased energy supply.
The rapid integration of BESS necessitates that battery designers remain vigilant regarding evolving industrial requirements, technological challenges, and, crucially, safety issues.
Safety and Design Challenges for BESS
With the growing installation of BESS in pursuit of green energy ambitions, local communities near these facilities often express concerns regarding safety risks. These anxieties are not unfounded; recent years have witnessed multiple incidents, including a notable fire at California’s largest battery storage facility in January 2025, which, while contained without injuries, raised significant scrutiny over safety practices within the industry. This incident highlighted the vital need for comprehensive safety measures in battery design and management.
Moreover, like other battery technologies, BESS suffer from degradation over time, impacting their overall utility. Temperature fluctuations play a critical role in this process, where inadequate thermal management not only accelerates degradation but also may shorten the battery’s operational life. Thermal runaway poses yet another risk; if one cell overheats or shorts, it can initiate a chain reaction, potentially causing catastrophic failure that impacts the entire battery system. Lithium-ion batteries, favored for their energy density and longevity, are particularly prone to this phenomenon, underscoring the importance of a robust thermal management system that prioritizes effective cooling solutions.
In addition to batteries themselves, a BESS contains various components that contribute to thermal performance, such as wiring and cooling systems. Utilizing multiphysics modeling and simulation can provide a holistic view of the myriad interactions between these elements, ultimately allowing engineers to optimize designs and operational strategies based on simulated real-world behavior.
Modeling Thermal Management in BESS
This discussion explores two distinct modeling approaches to thermal management within BESS, showcasing different methods of cooling. The first model employs liquid cooling systems for a configuration comprising 56 cells, while the second considers air cooling for a setup with 160 cells.
When developing a BESS model, one primary consideration is whether to explicitly or implicitly represent the batteries. If adequate data on heat generation is accessible, detailed electrochemical modeling might not be essential, allowing for a more streamlined analysis focused on thermal dynamics. In the liquid-cooling model, battery packs are represented through predefined interfaces that calculate heat output due to electrochemical processes and electrical losses. Conversely, the air-cooling model utilizes estimated thermal data for analysis, simplifying the focus on the cooling mechanisms alone.
In either modeling framework, engineers have the flexibility to incorporate a variety of components related to thermal management and cooling dynamics. Simulating these factors through conjugate heat transfer analysis, which considers fluid dynamics, can yield insights into temperature variance and system efficiency. For instance, simulations from the liquid-cooling model reveal a temperature spread of approximately 13ºC across the BESS, peaking at 28ºC during operation, illuminating areas for potential design adjustments.
Similarly, in air-cooling designs, temperature inconsistencies can arise, particularly when airflow distribution is uneven. In the air-cooling model, analysis indicates that some modules could be inadequately cooled, raising the risk of overheating and failure. Early identification of these hotspots in the design stage allows engineers to implement corrective measures for optimal thermal management.
Modeling Beyond Thermal Management: Assessing Risks of Thermal Runaway
The potential for simulation extends beyond merely enhancing thermal management; it also facilitates the evaluation of extreme scenarios such as thermal runaway. By implementing additional thermal dynamics associated with runaway events, designers can assess the velocity of heat propagation and its implications for system stability.
Utilizing simulation in conjunction with experimental methods fosters the ability to create BESS that align with performance and safety standards. This approach not only accelerates adaptation to the fast-paced growth of the BESS market but also mitigates design flaws early in the development process, significantly reducing the risk of catastrophic failures.
Source
www.renewableenergyworld.com