PRODUCTS & SERVICES
Flexible cooling solutions
Developments in liquid cooling thermal management solutions for batteries helps solve
the connection challenges between the cells and cooling element by eliminating gapfillers
Miba’s Flexcooler works with a broad range of battery geometries including cylindrical and prismatic
www.electrichybridvehicletechnology.com // July 2019 // 205
Thermal management in
electric car batteries is critical
for determining their range and
longevity and is also the key to
successful fast charging. To meet
these demands, the trend is moving
toward liquid cooling. The main
challenge here is in creating a good
thermal connection between the
battery modules/cells and the heat
sink: state-of-the-art heat sinks are
thermally connected to the battery
using thermal interface material.
Such thermal interface materials,
also known as gap fillers, can be
added in the form of pastes or pads.
In the end, besides weighing up to
several kilograms, the heat sink and
gap fillers also make up a
considerable expense.
Miba took an entirely new
approach in developing Flexcooler.
Lightweight materials combined
with adaptive manufacturing
methods make it possible to build
a liquid-cooled heat sink that is not
only lightweight but also perfectly
formed to the battery. This close fit
allows the Flexcooler to absorb the
heat of the battery very e ectively,
eliminating the need for gap fillers.
A production technology that can
be quickly adapted to di erent
battery geometries and applications
is at the core of Flexcooler
manufacturing. This makes it
possible to combine the di erent
elements of a heat sink (e.g. supply
lines, deflectors and cooling areas)
in virtually any way. This modular
design and the ability to adapt the
production quickly lead to short
development times for applications
in EVs, PHEV and 48V modules.
Miba’s battery team has achieved
this modularity and the quick
development times in Miba
Makerspace – Miba’s development
laboratory, where cooling for
prismatic and cylindrical cells based
on the same materials and
production technologies has
become a reality.
This innovative approach has
improved the ease of assembly as
well as providing advantages for
servicing. In addition to this, a
noteworthy benefit is the
construction of the heat sink using
non-conductive materials.
In keeping with the motto
‘Electrified by an idea’, Miba’s
battery team is already working
on its next innovation: sensors
combined with the Flexcooler to
display the exact temperature of the
battery to heat sink interface at all
times. This temperature data makes
it possible to manage both the
circulation of the coolant and the
battery itself more e iciently.
Ultimately, this benefits the range of
the vehicle (at a constant weight) as
well as the longevity of the battery.
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To learn more about Miba,
Flexible cooling system adapts to the shape of battery cells No gap fi llers are needed due to the fl exibility of the cooler
visit: www.magupdate.co.uk/PEHV
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