Driving the Future

Thermal Management Components for Vehicles
In the vast field of thermal management technology, one of the fastest developing areas of research is in vehicular components. As next generation modes of transportation are explored, the limiting factor for higher efficiency is often the temperature at which the components are operating. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, is actively seeking solutions to these problems on a number of fronts. The most important bottleneck may be the development of batteries that can hold both the power and the lifespan to serve a particular application. Recent research employs thermal imaging in both still and time lapse video to capture disparities in the distribution of heat in the battery. From the NREL site, check out the image of a damaged lead acid battery below:The challenges are many, including minimizing the amount of energy that is consumed for the purpose of thermal management – as well as the volume and shape of a unit, as requested by various OEMs and other manufacturers. Particularly with Electronic Vehicles, or EVs, a very compact thermal management system is required that can regulate a battery pack or component at very high temperatures. As difficult as the task may be, the stakes are equally high – the development of an independent energy economy, a strong manufacturing base, and the ability of millions of Americans to travel at a lower cost all depends on the creation of highly efficient thermal management systems.