Customer case studies

Understand what we can do for you through customer case studies: immersion cooled battery programs, vehicle integration, air conditioning system testing.

Immersion cooled batteries for a car manufacturer

Immersion cooled batteries for a fluid manufacturer

Heat pump testing for a fluid manufacturer

Integration of a Rankine system in a lorry

Immersion cooling of batteries

The customer is a European car manufacturer in the top 5 worldwide

Duration of the program: 22 months in 3 phases

Cell type: NMC > 60 Ah

Role of Exoès before the beginning of the program: participation in the drafting of the specifications, advice and sharing of experience on the definition of the evaluation and validation program of different technologies and different immersion cooling fluids. Support for decision making on the split between simulations and real tests.

The customer’s need

-Define the ideal fluid for monophasic and diphasic cooling
-Carry out an evaluation of the series cost of a complete cooling system according to different cooling architectures
-Calculate the impact of different immersion cooling architectures on the mass of a vehicle
-Design a representative battery module
–Test this module in performance
–Test the module safety with an abuse test (nail puncture test)
–Define an ageing test protocol with several fluids
–Characterize the cell to determine the maximum C-rate at a defined maximum temperature
-Design and manufacture electrical heating elements representative of the heat losses of tomorrow’s cells and assemble them into modules
-Carry out thermal performance simulations and correlate them with test bench measurements

Exoès had to adapt its test benches, develop new battery module prototypes, carry out the tests and analyse all the data, carry out the simulations and correlate the simulations with the test results obtained. In addition to these technical activities, an analysis of the projected costs in series as well as a definition of the specifications of the ideal fluid were carried out by our teams.

Immersion cooled batteries for a fluid manufacturer

The customer is a US based fluid manufacturer among the worldwide leaders

Duration of the program: 15 months in 2 phases

Role of Exoès before the beginning of the program: complete definition of the evaluation and validation program of different immersion cooling fluids.

The customer’s need :

-Compare the performance of different fluids for monophasic and diphasic cooling by carrying out tests on existing prototypes and test benches at Exoès

-Evaluate the series cost of a complete cooling system for a given module architecture.

-Publish a white paper for car manufacturers explaining how to fill and drain the fluid and clean the module and battery pack

-Define the sensitivity of the fluid to water absorption and pollution

-Characterize fluid mixtures and define the method for mixing and ensuring homogeneity

-Build a battery module for comparative abuse tests between different fluids

Exoès set up a complete technical roadmap for the battery fluid validation process. We had to develop new test benches and adapt existing ones, develop new battery module prototypes, carry out the tests and analyse all the data. An analysis of the projected costs in series was performed as well as a definition of the specifications of the ideal fluid were carried out by our teams.

Heat pump tests

The customer is a world leading manufacturer of fluorinated fluids

Duration of the program: 8 months

Role of Exoès before the start of the program: to understand the challenges and limitations of heat pumps in a vehicle and to define the validation program for a new fluid and then for new components.

The customer’s need :

-Validate the performance of several candidate fluids on a car manufacturer’s heat pump in drop-in mode and in detail:
-Validate chemical compatibility (metals, elastomers, polymers)
-Temperature and pressure aging of lubricants
-Miscibility/solubility of refrigerant-oil mixtures
-Comparative performance tests on a real loop (COP, capacity, compression and pumping power…)

Exoès had to adapt its climatic chambers, take control of the heat pump and in particular interface with its control system and develop the software for dialogue with its own test facilities, then carry out the tests and analyse all the data. The conclusions of the study focus on the necessary adaptation of heat pump components to maximise the performance of the fluid.

Integration of an Organic Rankine system in a long haul truck

The customer is a world leading lorry manufacturer

Duration of the program: 18 months

Role of Exoès before the start of the program: to understand the vehicle dynamics and to define the program for integrating the components into a truck in partnership with a Tier 1 supplier.

The customer’s need :

-Integrate an exhaust heat recovery Rankine system on an existing lorry
-Design and manufacture prototypes of Rankine cycle components
-Test components on a test bench
-Carry out the performance simulation of these components
-Size components for dynamic forces on the vehicle
-Validate the complete system on an automotive supplier engine test bench
-Assist in the integration of the components supplied by Exoes and the control of the complete system
-Dispatch a team to the automotive supplier to assist with open road development tests
-Dispatch a team to the manufacturer to assist with chassis dynamometer testing
-Analyse test results and propose control strategies to improve the performance of the complete system
-Carry out scientific presentations and communications with project partners

Exoès took part to the complete technical road map for the components and system integration and validation. Exoes supplied the expander and the condenser integration FEA calculations, provided test results on the expander and the condenser as well as support to the vehicle tests and control laws.

Customer case studies