ALLOWS (Advanced Liquid cooLing Of poWer electronicS)

Project ALLOWS is a feasibility study into the Advanced Liquid Cooling of Power Electronics in relation to next generation Electric Vehicle Powertrains.

HiETA Technologies Ltd, and the Compound Semi-conductor Applications Catapult (CSAC) are leaders within their fields of the development and production of Metal Additive Manufacture (MAM) components for thermal management and light-weighting, and compound semi-conductor technologies respectively. They have identified the building blocks for highly integrated cooling of the power electronics, mainly inverters, needed for e-powertrains in the electric vehicle (EV) market. Mass deployment of EVs requires smaller, lighter, higher speed, more efficient and more power-dense e-powertrains, which in turn require innovative cooling solutions for all components, particularly the inverters. CSAC and HiETA are combining to develop more efficient cooling systems that reduce or even eliminate some of the thermal barriers between electronic components and coolant, while making more efficient use of the coolant available, to meet the packaging and temperature control requirements of the e-motor.

After assessing state-of-the-art Automotive Power Electronics Modules and their technical, commercial and environmental challenges and opportunities, CSAC will acquire a current power electronics unit and test its performance to provide a benchmark for subsequent improvement.

CSAC & HiETA will then assess the feasibility of innovative cooling methods, from optimisation of current packages, to complete redesign of chipset modules and the use of HiETA's most innovative single or 2-phase heat exchange surfaces and geometries. After detailed analysis of thermally optimised concepts, a selection of technology demonstrator units will be manufactured at HiETA's state-of-the-art MAM facility in Bristol, and then performance tested against current technology at CASC's test and development centre in Newport. An investigation into commercialisation and volume production within a complex supply chain will be investigated.

Successfully completing Project ALLOWS will give the foundation for the realisation and improvement of next generation Power Electronics within EV. The primary focus in enabling chipset modules to become more power dense, efficient and more integrated will ensure the evolution of next generation electric motor technology in the UK. In particular, it will enable the development of e-motors with power densities of over 20 kWe/kg compared with the state-of-the-art 12%, resulting in a decrease in typical EV mass of ~3% and an increase in range of up to 10%. Not only will this allow the development of next generation EV's but it will directly create design, manufacturing and supply chain opportunities in a rapidly increasing global market.