With the rapid adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), ensuring the structural integrity and thermal safety of lithium-ion battery pack has become a critical priority. Battery failures resulting from mechanical abuse, thermal stress, internal pressure build up or electrical faults may lead to structural failure. To address these challenges, it is essential to understand the coupled thermal and mechanical responses of battery structure under extreme conditions. Thermo-mechanical simulation serves as a powerful tool for predictive safety assessment and design optimization, particularly in addressing thermal propagation and pressure-induced failure events.
This study presents a comprehensive coupled thermo-mechanical simulation framework designed to evaluate the structural performance of EV battery enclosures under worst-case thermal and overpressure conditions. The methodology involves high-fidelity three-dimensional modeling of the battery pack enclosure, incorporating realistic material properties, pressure profiles, and temperature data derived from computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analyses. Boundary conditions are carefully applied, and post-processing techniques are used to extract meaningful insights into stress distribution, deformation, sealing behavior, and structural failure modes.
The simulation results also identify critical stress concentrations, sealing opening /closing, plastic strain, and potential rupture, offering a detailed understanding of how battery enclosures respond to thermal and mechanical loading. By validating the simulations against experimental benchmarks, the framework ensures high predictive accuracy and enables iterative refinement of design parameters. This approach allows for early identification of design vulnerabilities, reducing reliance on extensive physical testing and accelerating the development cycle.
In conclusion, the integration of coupled thermal and mechanical simulation not only enhances design robustness and safety but also supports regulatory compliance and cost-effective development. This study highlights the vital role of virtual validation in the advancement of battery technologies, enabling the creation of safer, more efficient, and more sustainable energy storage systems for next-generation electric mobility and beyond.