Thermal performance evaluation of new energy vehicle pre-charge resistors based on phase change material cooling

Abstract

Thermal management of new energy vehicles is a crucial factor restricting their development. For the possible short-circuit problem of capacitors in the motor controller circuit of new energy vehicles, a scheme of using phase change materials to cool the pre-charge resistors of new energy vehicles is proposed. The effects of phase change materials’ parameters such as length, diameter, and eccentricity on the temperature rising and heat storage capacity of pre-charge resistors are evaluated. The results indicate that phase change materials can improve the thermal performance of the pre-charge resistor. The pre-charge resistor’s thermal properties can be optimized by increasing the phase change materials’ diameter, length, and eccentricity. When the phase change materials’ diameter is 6 mm and the length is 38 mm, the resistance core/ phase change material has the strongest heat storage capacity, which can be increased by 152.29% compared with that without phase change material. The capacity of the resistance core/ phase change material to store heat can be increased by 5.72% when the eccentricity is 1 mm as opposed to 0 mm. The study’s conclusions can be used as a theoretical direction when designing pre-charge resistors.