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October 2004
Requirements
The cooling system is to keep the drive and controller temperature within the manufacturer's tolerances.
In the New Beetle EV Project, the system is liquid cooled, so there needs to be:
- Coolant pump
- Radiator
- Reservoir
- Cooling fan
Options for Liquid Cooling
Radiators
- Stock radiator (a bit large, but fits well)
- Heater Core (aluminum or copper/steel)
- Motorcycle radiator
- Small car radiator (may be expensive)
- Transmission cooler
- Oil cooler
Fans
- Stock fan from the donor vehicle (may be a bit large)
- Fan from a PC Power supply (good size, but not for automotive use, and it may fail in a harsh environment)
- 12V fan from a motorcycle
Coolant Pumps
- 12v coolant pump (available through most EV stores)
- Maxi-Jet 1200 Pump
Selection Criteria
Here are some things to consider when selecting a solution for drive/inverter cooling system:
- Cost to construct
- Time to construct
- Ability to integrate with existing parts
- Durability
- Electrical Safety
- Effectiveness at cooling
- Weight
- Power consumption
- Environmentally friendly
Selection for the New Beetle EV Project
Not all of the components have been selected for the New Beetle EV Project, but here are some selected so far:
- Bosch coolant pump - quiet, efficient and of high reliability
- A motorcycle radiator and fan from a 1994 Kawasaki ZX motorcycle. The fan is OEM and waterproof, designed for automotive use. This radiator is large enough to provide more than adequate cooling for the drive, controller and charger.
Cooling System Design
The following schematic depicts the cooling system plumbing:
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