Development of a Thermal Management System for Energy Sources of an Electric Vehicle

Abstract

This study investigated a novel high-efficiency hybrid thermal management system (HTMS) for green energy sources of electric vehicles (EVs). The system consists of two coolant flow paths, an air-cooled heat exchanger, a proportional valve, and a coolant pump for managing the optimal temperatures of dual heat sources. An experimental platform was established to assess the system. The mechanical elements (coolant and cooling system components) and electrical elements (actuators, sensors, and a data logger) were correctly combined. A system microchip controller and a rule-based algorithm were designed and integrated in the HTMS. A novel performance index, the specific heat dissipation index, was developed to enable quantitatively evaluating the HTMS. In the test, the heating powers of the dual source were: 200/800 W and 500/500 W; the coolant flow rates were: 3, 5, and 7 L/min; the voltages of the proportional valve varied from 0.6 to 3 V. The results of the steady-state and transient-response demonstrated that optimal temperatures of the heat sources could be achieved through proper control and system design of this novel HTMS. The proposed HTMS demonstrated the potential for academic and industrial contributions as well as use in future EVs.