Phosphate Ester Immersion Cooling Fluid for Electrical Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional cooling systems for electrical componentry, such as battery modules in electric vehicles, face inefficiencies in heat dissipation, particularly during high loading and fast charging, and risk of thermal runaway due to flammable and conductive coolant fluids.
Innovation Solution
An immersion cooling system utilizing a heat transfer fluid comprising phosphate esters with specific alkyl and aryl groups, which are non-flammable, have high electrical resistivity, and low viscosity, allowing for effective heat dissipation and safe operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If water/glycol solutions are used as heat transfer fluids for indirect cooling, then heat dissipation efficiency is improved, but electrical safety deteriorates due to high conductivity and risk of short circuits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an electrically insulating fluid as an intermediary substance between the cooling system and electrical components. This fluid mediates heat transfer while preventing electrical conduction, thus resolving the contradiction between heat dissipation efficiency and electrical safety. The insulating fluid acts as a barrier that allows thermal energy transfer while blocking electrical current paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of the heat transfer fluid by selecting substances with specific properties: low electrical conductivity, appropriate viscosity, and suitable boiling point. This parameter optimization allows the fluid to simultaneously achieve effective heat dissipation and electrical insulation, resolving the contradiction between thermal performance and electrical safety.
2Reliability
If traditional insulating fluids are used for immersion cooling, then electrical safety is improved, but heat dissipation efficiency deteriorates due to high viscosity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the viscosity parameter of the insulating fluid by selecting specific chemical compositions and formulations. This parameter adjustment ensures the fluid maintains low viscosity for effective heat transfer while preserving high electrical resistivity for safety, thus resolving the contradiction between electrical safety and heat dissipation efficiency.
3Reliability
If phosphate esters with high electrical resistivity are used, then electrical safety is improved, but flammability worsens due to low flash point
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite material strategies by formulating heat transfer fluids with specific phosphate ester compositions that combine high electrical resistivity with high flash points. The composite chemical structure achieves both electrical safety and fire safety properties simultaneously, resolving the contradiction between electrical resistivity and flammability resistance.
4Productivity
If fast charging is implemented to improve productivity, then charging speed is improved, but heat generation worsens leading to thermal runaway risk
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a specialized heat transfer fluid as an intermediary cooling medium that directly contacts battery components during fast charging. This intermediary substance efficiently absorbs and removes the excessive heat generated during rapid charging, preventing thermal runaway while enabling high charging speeds, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity and heat generation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system efficiently cools electrical componentry by circulating a phosphate ester-based heat transfer fluid, preventing thermal runaway and enabling fast charging while maintaining safety, with improved properties like high flash point, low pour point, and high electrical resistivity.
Implementation Method 1
The immersion cooling system efficiently cools electrical componentry by circulating a phosphate ester-based heat transfer fluid
Implementation Method 2
a circulating system capable of circulating the heat transfer fluid out of the reservoir, through a circulating pipeline of the circulating system, and back into the reservoir
Data Source
AI summary
An immersion cooling system includes electrical componentry, a heat transfer fluid, and a reservoir. The electrical componentry is at least partially immersed in the heat transfer fluid within the reservoir, and a circulating system circulates the heat transfer fluid out of the reservoir, through a circulating pipeline, and back into the reservoir. The heat transfer fluid includes one or more phosphate ester compounds containing intramolecular mixtures of alkyl and aryl groups and exhibits favorable properties in a circulating immersion cooling system, such as low flammability, low pour point, high electrical resistivity and low viscosity for pumpability.