DEVELOPMENT OF ADAPTIVE THERMAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS FOR HIGH-PERFORMANCE ELECTRIC VEHICLES USING PHASE CHANGE MATERIALS

Abstract

The growing demand for high-performance electric vehicles (EVs) necessitates advanced thermal management solutions to ensure optimal performance, safety, and longevity of critical components such as batteries and power electronics. This study investigates the development of adaptive thermal management systems (ATMS) for EVs using Phase Change Materials (PCMs). We explored the integration of various PCM materials, including paraffin wax, salt hydrates, and fatty acids, into thermal management systems, with a focus on enhancing thermal conductivity through the incorporation of nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene. Our results demonstrate that PCM-based systems, particularly when enhanced with nanomaterials, exhibit significant improvements in thermal conductivity, energy efficiency, and temperature stability compared to conventional liquid cooling systems. Energy consumption was notably lower in PCM-based systems, especially under low and medium heat generation scenarios. However, the study also highlights challenges under high heat generation conditions, where PCM systems showed greater temperature fluctuations compared to liquid cooling systems. Long-term testing revealed a gradual decline in system efficiency over multiple cycles, although the PCM systems still maintained good temperature regulation performance. These findings suggest that PCM-based ATMS can provide a promising alternative to traditional cooling methods, offering lower energy consumption, better temperature stability, and the potential for extended system lifespan, particularly when integrated with adaptive control algorithms. Future work should focus on optimizing PCM properties and exploring hybrid systems to further enhance thermal management in EVs.