Loop Heat Pipes for Thermal Management of Electric Vehicles

Abstract

The present paper investigates the potential of loop heat pipe (LHP), with respect to technological merits and application niche, in automotive thermal management. Broadly, LHP design and applicability for hot spot cooling in electronics (local dissipation), and for heat transport over longer distances (remote dissipation) has been proposed and discussed in detail. The basic module in these applications includes loop heat pipe with different shapes and sizing factors. Two types of LHP designs have being tested and results discussed. The miniature version, with 10 mm thick and flat disk evaporator, for cooling electronic control unit (ECU) with 70 W chipset while keeping source temperature below 100 °C limit was evaluated. Two larger versions with cylindrical evaporator, 25 mm diameter and 150 mm length, and heat transfer distances of 250 mm and 1000 mm, respectively, were tested for power electronics and battery cooling, with more than 500 W transport capabilities in gravity field. In conclusions, loop heat pipes will provide an energy efficient passive thermal control solution for next-generation low emission automotive, particularly for electric vehicles (EVs), which have high-level electrifications and more definitive cooling requirements.