Investigation on topology optimization of flow and heat transfer in liquid-cooling channels for a blade-type battery with non-uniform heat generation

Blade-type lithium-ion batteries are widely used due to their high structural integration and superior volumetric energy density. However, the high aspect ratio and meter-scale spacing between electrode tabs lead to pronounced non-uniform heat generation during charging, resulting in localized thermal accumulation and imposing stringent requirements on coolant transport. To address this issue, the present study proposes a topology-optimized (TO) liquid-cooling plate with irregular flow channels tailored to the non-uniform thermal characteristics of blade batteries. An electrochemical–thermal coupled model is established to capture spatial heat generation under charging conditions, revealing that the heat generation near the tab regions exceeds that in the central region by approximately 30 kW m − 3. A density-based TO framework is then integrated with a conjugate heat-transfer model to generate adaptive channel structures. The effects of inlet–outlet configuration and channel volume fraction on thermo-hydraulic performance are systematically investigated. The optimized structure forms a distributed branching flow network that enhances coolant redistribution toward high-heat regions and suppresses local stagnation zones. Compared with conventional designs, the temperature difference decreases by up to 68%, the maximum battery surface temperature decreases by up to 3.3 K, and the pressure drop decreases from approximately 44 Pa to about 18 Pa, corresponding to a reduction of nearly 59%. Overall, integrating realistic, non-uniform heat sources into TO significantly alters flow patterns, enabling coolant to be directed toward high-heat regions and thereby enhancing thermal management. The proposed framework provides a physics-based and energy-efficient design methodology for liquid-cooled blade batteries.