Meaning
Lumped-parameter heat transfer models represent discrete conductive and convective thermal pathways through interconnected electrical resistance analogies. Thermal management engineers construct a thermal resistance network to predict temperature distributions across cells and liquid cooling plates within battery packs. The analytical framework governs steady-state and transient heat dissipation analysis during high-rate charge and discharge operations.
Modeling boundaries cover macro-scale heat transport across structural components, excluding sub-micron phonon scattering physics inside crystalline lattices.
Parameter Formulation
Individual thermal resistance values depend on material thermal conductivity, heat flow path length, and cross-sectional surface area. Interface resistances between cell casings and cold plates account for surface roughness and contact pressure using empirical thermal gap data. Summing series and parallel resistance nodes yields the overall thermal impedance between heat generation sources and liquid coolant channels.
Interface Optimization
High contact resistance at mechanical boundaries causes localized cell overheating during fast charging. Engineers apply thermal interface materials with low thermal resistivity to eliminate microscopic air pockets and lower total network impedance. Minimizing interface resistance reduces maximum cell operating temperatures and improves thermal uniformity across large module arrays.
Pack Simulation
System level electro-thermal software solves resistance node equations rapidly to evaluate thermal management designs before physical prototyping.
