Trident™ Application Highlight: Representative Thermal Conductivity Data for EV Thermal Simulation
This document highlights the use of the Modified Transient Plane Source (MTPS) and Transient Plane Source (TPS) methods for measuring materials for thermal simulation modelling of electric vehicles.
Thermal simulation is widely used in electric vehicle (EV) development to understand and predict heat behaviour within vehicle components and systems. It involves creating a virtual model of the EV system and using specialized software to simulate heat transfer, temperature distribution, and cooling effects. Thermal simulation helps engineers optimize battery thermal management, HVAC systems, and the cooling of motors and power electronics. Accurate thermal conductivity data for the component materials is a prerequisite for simulation results that can be trusted for design decisions.
Figure 1. Schematic of an EV motor, battery pack and thermal systems.
Potting material measurements were performed using the Modified Transient Plane Source (MTPS) method, available exclusively on the Trident Thermal Conductivity Instrument. TPS measurements were used to characterize the directional thermal conductivity of carbon fibre heat spreaders, separating lateral and vertical conductivity components for direct input to the TAITherm anisotropic model.