ABSTRACT This study presents a comprehensive numerical and statistical investigation of an air‐cooled BTMS for a single 21 700 cylindrical lithium‐ion cell, focusing on the influence of airflow velocity, discharge rate (C‐rate), and longitudinal fin configuration. A 3D CFD model, validated against experimental data, was developed to evaluate four configurations (bare cell, 2 fins, 4 fins, 6 fins) under velocities of 2–6 m/s and C‐rates of 1C–3C. The analysis assessed peak temperature ( T max ), temperature difference (Δ T ), and average temperature ( T avg ) to determine thermal safety and uniformity. Results indicate that C‐rate is the dominant factor, with T max rising from 30°C at 1C to over 100°C for the bare cell at 3C–2 m/s. Increasing airflow from 2 to 6 m/s reduced T max by up to 15°C at high C‐rates, while adding fins improved heat spreading, lowering T max by 8°C–10°C and Δ T by up to 4°C compared to the bare cell. At 3C–6 m/s, a 6‐fin configuration achieved T max ≈60°C and Δ T 0.97, with ANOVA confirming significant main and interaction effects. Multiresponse optimization identified an optimal low‐load condition (2 m/s, 1C, 2 fins) yielding T max = 39.16°C, Δ T = 6.78°C, and T avg = 32.08°C (desirability = 0.798). At high C‐rates, optimal thermal performance required ≥ 4 fins and ≥ 4 m/s airflow. The integrated CFD–RSM approach provides both qualitative flow‐thermal insights and quantitative design guidelines, enabling efficient BTMS optimization for varying load conditions while balancing safety, uniformity, and energy efficiency.
Shehabaz et al. (Sun,) studied this question.