3D Printing Custom Battery Cooling System
August 13, 2020
e-Tech Racing specialises in the racing of electric formula cars and is a company that has sought to demonstrate its zeal in pursuing excellence when custom designing an air intake, ducts, and manifold for battery cooling systems using 3D printing processes.
Challenge: The cooling system design needed a fast disassemble mechanism from the battery pack in case of emergency. Unable to be designed as a single part, the design needed to be fluid tight and perform at high temperatures.
Solution: The cooling system consists of three parts connected using a high-precision clipping mechanism. This ensures the parts resist vibrations and small energy impacts during the race. HP’s 3D Printing provided the necessary powder density to resist breaking under pressure and remain fluid tight.
Result: Simulated temperature tests across the battery package during a car’s peak performance conditions showed a very high cooling effect achieved as a result of the design of the battery cooling system produced with HP MJF technology. The operating temperature range was far from the maximum allowed (based on competition regulations) which was a maximum of 338 K (65ºC) during 10 consecutive minutes.
