2024-2025 / MECA0501-1

Thermal Energy Management in vehicles

Duration

26h Th, 26h Pr

Number of credits

 Master MSc. in Electromechanical Engineering, professional focus in energetics (Inscriptions closes)5 crédits 
 Master Msc. in Mechanical engineering, professional focus in mechatronics5 crédits 
 Master MSc. in Mechanical Engineering, professional focus in sustainable automotive engineering5 crédits 
 Certificate in sustainable automotive engineering (non organisé en 2024-2025)5 crédits 

Lecturer

Vincent Lemort

Language(s) of instruction

English language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Schedule

Schedule online

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

The course introduces the various thermal energy management systems used in automobiles. It covers both internal combustion engine vehicles and electric vehicles. Although the course mainly focuses on automobiles, thermal systems specific to other types of vehicles (utility vehicles, heavy trucks, etc.) are also discussed.

Among other topics, the course will cover:

- Thermal management of internal combustion engines: engine cooling, oil circuit cooling, charge air cooling, EGR cooling, etc.

- Thermal comfort in vehicle cabins: variables affecting thermal comfort (air and surface temperature, humidity, airflow, solar radiation), mechanisms of mass and heat exchange between a vehicle occupant and their environment, and the quantification of comfort (PMV-PPD theory, local/global comfort).

- Thermal control of the cabin: thermal balance of a vehicle cabin, heat and cooling emission, automotive air conditioning loop.

- Thermal management of electric and hybrid vehicles: thermal control of the battery, electric motor, and power electronics, heating with heat pumps, and strategies for optimizing vehicle driving range.

- Global integration of all thermal management systems within the vehicle.


 

 

 

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

  • Understand the technological aspects related to the various thermal management systems in a vehicle.
  • Consider thermal management as a whole (interactions between cabin air conditioning, battery thermal management, engine cooling, etc.).
  • Be able to model components and simulate thermal management systems.
 

 

 

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

  • Fundamentals in thermodynamics, internal combustion engines, electric motors, EV and HEV vehciles
 

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Theoretical lectures followed by exercise sessions using EES software.

A laboratory session will be organized.

A seminar presented by an industrial partner will also be arranged.



 

 

Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)

Face-to-face course


Further information:

Face-to-face course


Additional information:

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Course materials and recommended or required readings

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Exam(s) in session

Any session

- In-person

written exam ( open-ended questions ) AND oral exam

Written work / report


Further information:

The exam will include a theory test (30%), an evaluation of the laboratory session (10%), and a project defense (60%).

The theory test (closed-book) will assess the understanding of the various techniques covered during the course.

Attendance at the laboratory session is mandatory.

The project will involve modeling and simulating a vehicle's thermal management system (heating, air conditioning, or others).

 

Work placement(s)

Organisational remarks and main changes to the course

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Contacts

Vincent Lemort Thermodynamics Laboratory Energy Systems Research Unit Tel: +32 4 366 48 01 vincent.lemort@uliege.be
 

Association of one or more MOOCs