Thermal management is critical in many applications to keep components performing and efficient at their best. According to market research, the growth rate of the EV market may slow down in 2024, but it is still growing, and IDTechEx predicts that its growth will resume in the coming years. While active liquid-cooled batteries are now the industry standard, there are other trends happening, including greater system integration, new liquid-cooled components, and the adoption of these developments within OEMs. A key component of an electric vehicle is its power electronics, and as these electronics move to higher power density, higher voltage systems, thermal management challenges will change.
Empowering emerging industries through thermal management technologies can significantly improve equipment performance, extend product life, improve energy efficiency, and drive sustainability. With the rapid development of technology and manufacturing, especially in the fields of electric vehicles, 5G communications, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, etc., thermal management has become a key technical challenge and innovation opportunity. Here are just a few ways to empower emerging industries through thermal management:
1. Electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage
The powertrain and battery technology of electric vehicles are developing rapidly, but because the battery and power electronics system generate a lot of heat, thermal management technology has become the key to improving battery performance and safety.
Battery thermal management: Lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles generate a lot of heat during charging and discharging, especially during fast charging. The thermal management system controls the battery temperature through coolant, heat pipes, heat exchangers and other technologies to prevent the battery from overheating and avoid the risk of thermal runaway. This not only improves battery life, but also improves vehicle range and safety.
Heat dissipation of electric motors and power electronic systems: Electric motors, power converters, and other components of electric vehicles generate a lot of heat when operating under high loads. An efficient thermal management system reduces power losses and enhances the operational efficiency of the system, enabling electric vehicles to maintain high performance even in extreme environments.
2. 5G and communication technology
With the popularization of 5G networks, the high-density integration and high-speed data processing capabilities of communication equipment have put forward higher requirements for heat dissipation. Thermal management plays a key role in ensuring the stability of communication equipment and improving the efficiency of signal transmission.
Heat dissipation between base stations and small cells: 5G base stations and small cell equipment generate a lot of heat due to processing high-frequency signals and large amounts of data. Thermal management solutions such as advanced liquid cooling systems, phase change materials, micro fans and other technologies can help efficiently dissipate heat, ensure the continuous and stable operation of base station equipment in high-temperature environments, and reduce the failure rate.
Cooling of mobile devices and terminals: 5G smartphones and wearables have faster data transfer rates and more computing power, resulting in increased heat generation. Efficient heat dissipation solutions, such as heat pipes, graphite heat sinks, and micro liquid cooling technologies, can improve device performance, extend battery life, and improve the user experience.
3. Artificial Intelligence and Data Centers
With the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, the construction and operation of large-scale data centers has become critical. Data centers, as the core facilities for AI model training, consume a lot of electricity and generate a lot of heat, so efficient thermal management is the key to reducing costs and energy consumption.
Liquid cooling and immersion cooling: Traditional air cooling methods have limited effectiveness when handling large amounts of heat, while liquid cooling and immersion cooling technologies can provide more efficient heat dissipation solutions. By using liquid coolant to absorb heat directly, these methods can effectively reduce server temperatures, reduce data center energy consumption, and improve system reliability.
Edge Computing and Distributed AI: As the number of edge computing devices increases, how to achieve efficient thermal management in remote or distributed environments is key. Low-power, compact cooling technologies, such as micro fans and phase change materials, can help edge devices effectively dissipate heat in limited spaces, ensuring they perform well in demanding environments.
Figure: How to empower emerging industries through thermal management (Source: IDTechEx)
4. Internet of Things (IoT) and smart home
The increasing number of IoT devices makes thermal management technology an important factor in maintaining long-term stable operation of equipment. Especially in application scenarios such as smart homes and smart cities, a large number of devices are running at the same time, and the heat generated needs to be effectively managed.
Thermal management of low-power devices: Low-power IoT devices, such as smart sensors and smart home devices, may accumulate heat during continuous operation. By using thermal management solutions such as thermal interface materials, miniature heat sinks, or self-cooling enclosures, you can prevent your device from overheating and extend its lifespan.
Smart Building & HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) System Optimization: In smart buildings, thermal management technology can be used to optimize the energy efficiency of HVAC systems, using environmental data to intelligently adjust cooling or heating strategies. Thermal management not only improves energy efficiency, but also reduces carbon emissions and promotes the sustainable development of smart buildings.
5. Semiconductor and electronics manufacturing
As semiconductor processes continue to evolve to smaller processes, the power density and heat generation problems of chips are becoming more and more serious. Advanced thermal management techniques are essential to ensure the performance and reliability of semiconductor devices.
Thermal management in chip packaging: As chip integration increases, packaging technology must integrate advanced heat dissipation features, such as embedding heat pipes in the package layer and employing efficient heat dissipation materials. This integrated thermal management technology significantly improves the heat dissipation efficiency of the chip and supports higher-performance computing tasks.
New heat dissipation materials: Graphene, phase change materials, and new nanomaterials are becoming breakthroughs in semiconductor thermal management. These materials have excellent thermal conductivity, which can significantly reduce device temperatures and improve circuit performance and reliability.
6. New and renewable energy
In renewable energy technologies such as solar and wind energy, the heat generated during the operation of equipment needs to be effectively controlled to avoid reduced efficiency and equipment damage. Thermal management systems can significantly improve the reliability and longevity of these new energy devices.
Thermal management of solar cells: The efficiency of solar panels decreases at high temperatures, and through the application of thermal management technology, the temperature of the panels can be controlled to improve the efficiency of power generation. For example, the use of cooling materials or passive cooling technology can help solar power systems operate efficiently for longer.
Thermal management of wind turbines and inverters: Inverters and motors in wind power generation systems generate large amounts of heat when converting electrical energy. With efficient thermal management technologies, such as liquid cooling systems, the temperature of equipment can be significantly reduced, its service life can be extended, and energy conversion efficiency can be improved.
Thermal management technology will play a vital role in the future of technology and industry. With the rapid development of emerging industries such as electric vehicles, 5G communications, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and renewable energy, thermal management can not only help equipment operate efficiently and improve reliability, but also drive energy efficiency and sustainability. Enterprises and research institutions should focus on energy efficiency optimization, the application of new materials, and the combination of intelligent control methods when innovating thermal management solutions to meet the heat dissipation challenges and needs brought about by future scientific and technological advances.
