New approaches in thermal management
- Magazine Article
- 20AUTP03_03
- English
Vehicle thermal management, once almost exclusively about safely rejecting powertrain heat, continues to evolve. Engineers currently are focusing on two extremes in operation of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) - accumulating every possible BTU for cabin heating in winter and cooling battery packs in high-ambient, high-load operation while preparing for a future with ultra-fast recharging.
Climate control systems, primarily heating in winter but also air-conditioning (A/C) in warmer months, have been a major focus for BEVs because conventional heaters (PTC and resistance) and A/C operation smack down vehicle range by an overall average of about 33%. Significant new developments in this vital area of vehicle development were discussed at SAE's annual Thermal Management Systems Symposium (TMSS;