Dual-Network Aerogel-Based Thermal-Safety Management System Design for Electric-Aircraft Battery Packs: Efficient...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Aerospace Engineering
• Battery Technology

Background:

• Electric aircraft lithium-ion batteries require advanced thermal management due to high energy density and stringent safety needs in confined spaces.
• Conventional methods often fail to balance efficient heat dissipation during operation and suppression of thermal runaway propagation (TRP) under abuse conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel battery thermal-safety management system (BTSMS) for electric aircraft.
• To address the limitations of existing thermal management strategies in preventing TRP within confined compartments.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a carbon aerogel-silica-alumina aerogel sheet-carbon aerogel dual-network aerogel (CA&SAAS) composite via in-situ deposition and supercritical drying.
• Integration of the CA&SAAS with a cold plate (CP) to create a comprehensive BTSMS.
• Characterization of CA&SAAS properties, including density, specific surface area, and thermal conductivity.
• Performance evaluation through battery cycling tests and thermal runaway propagation tests in a simulated aircraft cargo compartment.

Main Results:

• The CA&SAAS exhibits low density (0.275 gcm⁻³) and high specific surface area (626.37 m²g⁻¹).
• The BTSMS effectively limits peak temperature (Tmax) and temperature non-uniformity (ΔTmax) during 1C cycling, reducing them by 46.5% and 56.1%, respectively.
• Thermal runaway tests demonstrated that the BTSMS successfully interrupted TRP in a confined three-cell module, validating its efficacy in preventing catastrophic failure.

Conclusions:

• The developed CA&SAAS-based BTSMS offers a robust solution for enhancing the thermal safety of electric aircraft battery packs.
• This system effectively manages heat dissipation during normal operation and suppresses thermal runaway propagation under abuse conditions.
• The findings provide a pathway for designing safer and more reliable battery systems for electric aviation.