Vitesco Technologies, which is spun off from German Tier-1 giant Continental and is a leading supplier of modern drivetrain technologies and electrification solutions, has partnered Sanden International (Europe), a key player in automotive thermal management technology. The duo will develop an Integrated Thermal Management System for Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs). The concept of the new Integrated Thermal Management has been showcased to a technical audience for the first time at the ongoing 45th International Vienna Motor Symposium.
Within the future-oriented pre-development project, Sanden is developing the compact refrigerant unit with the natural refrigerant propane (R290), while Vitesco Technologies develops the heat energy distribution system realised by a coolant distribution unit with water / glycol. The building blocks of the coolant unit are the coolant pumps and Coolant Flow Control Valves (CFCV) plus sensors. Depending on the application, the coolant valve can have between 5 and 13 ports to connect heat sinks and heat sources.
By integrating the entire thermal management functions and features into one indirect system, the duo claims to achieve several advantages such as flexible adaptation, reduced complexity, reduced effort in the vehicle manufacturing process, system cost reduction for the OEM, and conformity to regulations, including the upcoming per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) ban in Europe. Furthermore, the new technology will increase driving range in cold conditions, enable fast charging, and provide thermal comfort inside the cabin.
According to Gerd Rösel, Head of Innovations Electrification Solutions, Vitesco Technologies. “The new thermal management system makes BEV heating and cooling more sustainable. It also helps to maximise vehicle range under cold conditions. At the same time, we intend to achieve significant cost benefits to increase the economy of thermal management.”
For vehicle OEMs, the Integrated Thermal Management System claims to offer simplified assembly since a lot of the current complexity of heating and cooling will be integrated in the preassembled module. “Holistic thermal management is the more sustainable approach. That is why we prepare green technology for a system solution together with Sanden that will be ready for the natural refrigerant propane,” Rösel added.