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Intercalation batteries, such as lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries, have established themselves as a storage technology for e-mobility due to their numerous advantages and are also of crucial importance for stationary energy storage systems and power tools. Energy and power density, charging times and service life are key factors for users when it comes to suitability for everyday use. The performance of battery systems is significantly influenced by temperature. Temperatures outside the optimum operating window lead to a loss of performance and accelerate degradation processes within the cell. This can result in a shorter service life for the entire system or even safety-critical conditions.

Thermal management systems are therefore used to ensure optimum operation within the cell pack, as is the case, for example, in electric vehicles and stationary storage systems. High-performance temperature control is essential, particularly for critical operating scenarios such as fast charging. However, this inevitably leads to non-uniform temperature distributions, both across the cell assembly or pack and within the individual battery cells. These, in turn, influence the local electrical behaviour of the cells and may therefore potentially have a negative impact on the performance and ageing of the battery systems. Consequently, a complex interplay arises between the electrical and thermal behaviour of the battery cells, the cell assembly system and the external temperature control system. In addition to these considerations, factors such as cost-effectiveness, compact design and low weight must be taken into account, the latter being particularly important in electric mobility.

Meeting all of these requirements presents a significant challenge, but it also offers key opportunities to stand out from the competition. A thorough understanding of battery behavior and its interaction with various temperature control applications enables optimal solutions for thermal cell and pack design in terms of performance, lifespan, cost, and system integration.