Current automotive industry is shortening the development time of new vehicles. This trend makes specially challenging the development of cars with new battery packs, due to the long duration of the testing activities carried out on cells and batteries. The existing tools allow to build virtual models of the batteries an obtain the performances and the degradation a given set of cases. However, to offer reliable results, these models require a proper correlation with actual test data from parts or and assemblies. The objective of this paper is to define a methodology for a proper virtual development of battery packs. A specific work package of the MARBEL project, funded by the H2020 program, is dedicated to the thermal management systems design in which virtual tools are extensively used for validating a design or an operation strategy. A virtual model representing a complete 12 cells module of the battery pack is developed using 1D software GT-Suite and GT-AutoLion. The model simulates electrochemical processes that occur inside the cell, as well as the heat propagation from the cell and the busbar to the coolant fluid. The cell is modelled with the data obtained from a tear down of the cell, from test results shared by the cell supplier or from thermal and electrical cell characterization tests done in the framework of the project. Finally, a correlation study is done by comparing the simulation model results and physical results, allowing further adjustments of the model. This study is focused on the development of a virtual model of one module of the battery pack. The complete battery pack study is not carried out in this paper. Test data is generated from an early prototype made of 2 cells assembled with the thermal management system prototype. This paper explains a novel methodology for developing virtual models of a battery module, able to simulate electrochemistry of the cell and the thermal phenomena that occur in the complete module assembly. It also defines the procedures and test data that is required for developing and validating such a model. This approach contributes to shortening the duration of the battery development with fast running and reliable models. KEYWORDS: Electrochemical, Modelling, Thermal management, Battery, Electric vehicle

Mr. Joaquim Guitart, Product Coordinator, IDIADA