Li-ion battery cells require very careful thermal management to provide optimum performance. This presents a particular challenge to the automotive industry when there is increasing need for higher power and faster charging from EV batteries. Immersion cooling with a dielectric ester-based liquid offers a solution to this challenge. By having the cells and conductors immersed in an electrically non-conductive liquid heat transfer is maximised and cell temperature gradients are reduced. This allows greater heat rejection from the cells and in turn permits continuous fast charging at significantly higher rates.
This presentation will introduce the concept of immersion cooling and present the work already undertaken as part of the Innovate UK i-CoBat project to demonstrate the enhanced performance available.
Mark graduated in 1995 from Loughborough University in the UK with a BEng (Hons) in Electrical and Electronic Engineering. He spent the first half of his career in the semiconductor equipment and automotive industries, moving to M&I Materials in 2007 to take up an engineering position in the MIDEL dielectric fluids product group. Mark has gone on to become an expert in dielectric liquids, taking on the post of Technical Manager for Applications Support in 2018. He now heads up the innovation team within M&I Materials focussed on new product and applications development.
M&I Materials is an independent, family owned British SME specialising in commercialising materials for demanding applications for industry and science. Exporting to 65 countries from its headquarters and UK production facility at Trafford Park, Manchester, the company has an expanding network of international operations across the Americas, Africa, Middle East, Europe and Asia Pacific.
M&I Materials' portfolio of products is as follows:
• APIEZON (vacuum oils and greases)
• MIDEL (transformer fluids)
• WOLFMET (tungsten heavy alloys)
• METROSIL (silicon carbide varistors)
• MIVOLT (dielectric coolants)
These products are found in applications across the globe, supporting a wide range of markets, from power and aerospace to nuclear medicine and high-performance motorsports, and most recently for electric vehicles and data centres.
