Phosphate Ester Immersion Cooling Fluid for Thermal Runaway Prevention
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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 flammability and conductivity issues with existing heat transfer fluids like water/glycol solutions and trimethyl or tripropyl phosphate fluids.
Innovation Solution
An immersion cooling system utilizing a heat transfer fluid comprising phosphate esters with longer chain alkylation or alkyl-substituted phenyl groups, which are more than 50% by weight, providing low flammability, low pour point, high electrical resistivity, and low viscosity for effective heat transfer and pumpability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If water/glycol solutions are used as heat transfer fluids, then heat dissipation efficiency is improved, but electrical conductivity increases causing short circuit risk
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the heat transfer fluid by using phosphate esters with specific molecular structures (formula I) containing longer chain alkylation (at least 6 carbon atoms) and/or alkyl-substituted phenyl groups. This chemical parameter change achieves both high electrical resistivity (>10^12 ohm·cm) for safety and adequate heat transfer capability, resolving the contradiction between heat dissipation efficiency and electrical conductivity risk.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If phosphate esters with longer chain alkylation are used, then flammability is reduced, but viscosity increases affecting pumpability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the molecular structure parameters of phosphate esters by specifying longer chain alkylation (at least 6 carbon atoms) and/or alkyl-substituted phenyl groups in formula (I). This parameter change achieves high flash point (>200°C) for reduced flammability while maintaining viscosity within acceptable ranges (10-100 cSt at 40°C) for pumpability, resolving the contradiction between flammability reduction and ease of operation.
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 effectively dissipates heat from electrical componentry, preventing thermal runaway and maintaining safe conditions during high loadings and fast charging, while ensuring the stability and efficiency of the cooling process.
Implementation Method 1
The immersion cooling system employs a heat transfer fluid comprising at least one phosphate ester... effectively dissipates heat from electrical componentry
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 contains one or more phosphate ester compounds 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.