Heat Flux Sensors for Battery Thermal Runaway & Battery Thermal Management
FluxTeq heat flux sensors are used by battery researchers to measure surface heat flux, validate thermal models, evaluate cooling strategies, and study thermal conditions related to lithium-ion battery safety and thermal runaway risk.
Recommended Sensors:
PHFS-01
Flexible or lower-profile battery surface measurements
PHFS-01e
Battery surface heat flux, cell/module thermal modeling, calorimetry-style studies.
HTHFS-01
High-temperature battery abuse environments, fire exposure, thermal shielding studies
Why Heat Flux Sensors?
Battery temperature alone does not fully describe how heat is moving through a cell, module, cooling plate, insulation layer, or enclosure. Heat flux sensors directly measure the rate of heat transfer through a surface, helping researchers evaluate how quickly heat is generated, absorbed, dissipated, or transferred to neighboring cells.
In lithium-ion battery research, heat flux measurement can support:
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battery heat-generation studies
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thermal model validation
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cooling system performance testing
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thermal runaway risk mitigation
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insulation and propagation-barrier evaluation
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battery calorimetry and energy-balance calculations
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validation of CFD, lumped thermal, or electrochemical-thermal models
The studies summarized here were conducted by independent researchers. FluxTeq did not necessarily design, perform, or validate the experiments. These publications are provided as examples of how FluxTeq sensors and DAQ systems have been used in battery thermal research.
Thermal Modeling Approaches for a LiCoO2
Lithium-ion Battery—A Comparative Study with
Experimental Validation
Batteries, 2020
Link: https://www.mdpi.com/2313-0105/6/3/40
Application: Battery heat generation, thermal modeling, heat flux validation
Relevant FluxTeq product: PHFS-01 + FluxTeq DAQ
This paper compared three thermal modeling approaches for a LiCoO₂ 26650 lithium-ion battery: a lumped thermal model, a 3D-CFD model, and an electrochemical NTGK model. The authors validated simulations using experimental cell-surface temperature measurements under constant current discharge and a highway driving-cycle profile. The paper states that heat flux from the cell was measured using a PHFS-01 FluxTeq heat flux sensor connected to a FluxTeq DAQ, and that heat flux measurements were plotted at different discharge rates.
At 1.5C, the reported maximum temperature increase was 18.1 °C, and the model errors remained relatively low, with the electrochemical model giving a 1.3 °C error at 1.5C.
Application: Battery pack thermal behavior, air cooling, thermal stability, thermal runaway modeling
Relevant sensor category: PHFS-01 + FluxTeq DAQ
This thesis studied the thermal behavior of an air-cooled lithium-ion battery module made from cylindrical LiCoO₂ 26650 cells. The work included single-cell thermal modeling, battery-module temperature testing, forced-air cooling, particle-filter-based temperature estimation, and a thermal abuse model for thermal runaway stability. The thesis states that heat flux from the cell was measured using a PHFS-01 FluxTeq heat flux sensor connected to a FluxTeq DAQ, with measured heat flux plotted at different discharge rates.
For the modeled LCO cell under free convection, thermal runaway was triggered above 145 °C.
Thermal Behavior and Stability Study of a Lithium-Ion Battery Pack With Air Cooling
Doctoral thesis, Universidad de Chile, 2022
Innovative 3D-Printed Hybrid Cooling Systems for Thermal Management of Lithium-Ion Pouch Cells
Journal of Energy Storage, 2026
Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352152X25041829
Application: Battery thermal management, pouch-cell cooling, thermal runaway risk mitigation
Relevant sensor category: Thin heat flux sensors / PHFS-style surface heat flux measurement
This study presents a 3D-printed hybrid battery thermal management system that combines liquid cooling with composite phase-change material. The system was designed for lithium-ion pouch cells and uses a hexagonal structure to improve heat transfer while maintaining a lightweight, scalable design. The authors report that the hybrid system reduced peak battery temperatures by up to 35 °C compared with standalone cooling approaches and describe the system as a way to mitigate thermal runaway risk and improve battery reliability.