Novel self-regulating CHIP (Cooling and Heating Integrated Pipe) thermal management systems for EV batteries

Lead Participant: HEAT TRACE LIMITED

Abstract

"This is a 12-month feasibility project with 3 partners, Heat Trace Ltd (Lead Partner and SME), Nobel Autoparts UK Ltd (Tier 1 supplier and a Large company) and Warwick Manufacturing Group (RTO)

Our vision is the transfer Heat Trace's aluminium-based polymeric smart self-regulating technology into Battery Thermal Management systems. Self-regulating heaters cannot burn out which eliminates thermal runaways.

The key objectives are the

1) Development of heating prototypes

2) Incorporation of cooling modules

3) Development of a combined heating/cooling module

4) Development of electrical and fluid connectors

5) Thermal modelling

6) Evaluation of scale up

Our approach has 2 steps. In step 1 we replace a state-of-the art EV battery heater with a self-regulating polymer heater. We have estimated that the benefits include better safety, reduced costs and reduced weight of the battery.

Step 2 is to replace the state-of-the-art EV cooling module with a CHIP (Cooling and Heating Integrated Pipe). A CHIP module can be either operated as a cooling module or a heating module. We have estimated the benefits and compared them to the 8 Faraday targets. Our analysis shows that the CHIP technology will have significant benefits in 7 of the 8 Faraday targets and in addition will show significant weight reduction of the EV battery.

The innovate features include

1) The CHIP module can be operated either as a heating module or a cooling module

2) The self-regulating polymer will minimise variation of surface temperature

3) The aluminium conductors enable flexible geometry, so heater can be customised to any shape, any cell type or module/pack configuration."

Lead Participant

Project Cost

Grant Offer

HEAT TRACE LIMITED £186,330 £ 111,798
 

Participant

INNOVATE UK
NOBEL AUTOPARTS U.K. LIMITED £155,687 £ 77,844
UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK £146,176 £ 146,176

Publications

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