Liquid Cooling To The Rescue

BATTERY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS ARE INCREASINGLY FINDING A USE CASE IN LIQUID COOLING. ASHISH BHATIA LOOKS AT THE GREY AREAS OF AIR-COOLING THAT SUPPLIERS HAVE OVERCOME.

- ASHISH BHATIA

Original Equipment Manufacturers are increasingly opting for liquid-cooled Battery Management Systems (BMS) in their Electric Vehicles (EVs). Drawing from the learnings gathered from liquid cooling in Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles, casein-point, ICE vehicles using a gaseous liquid or a liquid coolant directed to the heat exchanger and further cooled by air. Prevalent in both cars and motorcycles, the liquid cooling component comprises the radiator fan and fan cowl, water pump, and a thermostat as standard production equipment. The cooling system has found a use case in EV counterparts, including recently commercialised three-wheelers. With conventional cooling (air cooling) and the lack of standardisation found to make battery packs vulnerable to heat spikes, the case for liquid-cooling is stronger, perhaps more than ever before.

LIQUID COOLING IN ICE