Thermal design for heat transfer enhancement in battery chargers

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The focus of the power electronic industry is shifting toward developing more efficient power devices. This combined with the ever-increasing desire in the industry to develop more compact systems increases the power density, thermal load frequency and the overall nature of the heat generated in these devices. Consequently, one key factor limiting, reliability and higher performance of such power devices is effective heat removal to maintain the device below its maximum allowable temperature, while reducing (or eliminating) the parasitic power required for the cooling solution. Such challenges give rise to an array of interesting and fascinating problems in devising new efficient cooling strategies to meet the demands from the industry. The proposed Engage project aims at a systematic approach to developing next-generation cooling solutions for Delta-Q battery featuring heat-pipes, phase change materials and naturally cooled heatsinks that can significantly improve system capacity, reliability, reduce the noise, eliminate parasitic power and operation cost for Delta-Q battery chargers. The proposed research project will establish a collaborative relationship between Dr. Bahrami at SFU and Delta-Q, Burnaby, BC. Delta-Q provides power management and power conversion solutions for electric drive vehicles and industrial equipment. In particular, Delta-Q specializes in the development and production of battery chargers, and has shipped over one million chargers for electric vehicle applications such as golf cars, forklifts, and aerial work platforms worldwide. Delta-Q's support includes providing engineering insight and battery charger samples that will be an invaluable asset toward achieving the objectives of this project. This study will benefit Delta-Q by providing detailed analysis and also initiating the development of new thermal solutions for their products. The proposed research is anticipated to result in significant economic gains for BC and Canada since the targeted technology is applicable to an emerging and strategic market. The innovations in this area will help reduce Canada's carbon footprint and transform the energy sector.