Electric vehicles are a disruptive new technology that stand to change the automotive industry significantly. The global electric vehicles (EVs) market is expected to reach 92 million units by the year 2027, up from an estimated 3.2 million in 2020.
Thermal design challenges are common in all modern electronics as we look to reduce size while also increasing power. Nowhere is this issue more prevalent than the electric vehicles industry. With over 30 global companies competing for EV market share, the engineering demands to produce the best product quickly – and safely – are formidable. Some of the key challenges faced by these emerging companies include:
- Stringent environmental and safety regulations
- Battery technology trade-offs and sourcing given known and unforeseen supply chains
- System-level thermal simulation
- Cooling of auxiliary equipment
- High-current challenges related to fast charging stations
Thermal Management of Battery Packs for Electric Vehicles
In addition to the problems listed above, one of the most challenging thermal issues for the electric vehicle industry is managing battery temperature. It is a known problem that batteries need to be maintained at a particular temperature to enable maximum range. This means that we need the ability to heat the battery packs in frigid temperatures, as well as be able to provide ample cooling in both high temperatures and times of high-power draw. New technologies for battery chemistry further increase power density, requiring more innovative cooling technology.
Having a technically superior battery pack will, without question, propel your products beyond your competition. Getting your vehicles to market faster will enable you to capture the coveted early adopter market and establish your brand and its capabilities as a leader in this emerging industry.
The Path Forward for Electric Vehicle Thermal Design
To tackle thermal challenges like managing battery packs, electric vehicle designers benefit greatly from the adoption of a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solution such as SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation.
Three major categories of approaches to thermal management of battery packs exist today. In our upcoming webinar, “Solving Electric Vehicle Thermal Challenges,” we will lay out the considerations for analyzing each approach and present case studies of simulation setup for liquid cooled battery packs, as well as high power air-cooled equipment.
Miss the live webinar? You can view the recording here.
You can also contact us at Hawk Ridge Systems and speak to our experienced Simulation team about how we can help you to mitigate your thermal design challenges. Thanks for reading!
