Advanced Thermo-Adsorptive Battery (ATB)

Climate Control System for Electric Vehicles

Thermal batteries constructed of adsorptive biporous zeolite layers on metal oxide frameworks (MOFS) can be utilized in electric vehicle (EV) climate control systems to increase drive time. Current state-of-the-art EV systems control cabin temperature with vapor compression cycles and resistance heaters that draw power from the electric battery and reduce effective drive times. Working alongside collaborators at MIT, UC-Berkeley, and Ford Motor Company, MTFL researchers are designing and testing a compact, lightweight, and high-capacity novel adsorption cycle for EV cabin climate control with minimal battery drain.

In cycle operation, water vapor is driven from the evaporator to the adsorption bed using concentration gradients, and external air can be routed over various components to either reject or accept heat before entering the cabin. System regeneration utilizes energy from the EV charging process to remove the adsorbed water from the MOF/ zeolite bed and prepare the system for effective c limate control capability.

Multiscale heat and mass transfer models are developed to predict system-wide and intra-component flow patterns. Integrated and custom-manufactured components are designed and optimized based on material synthesis properties and system thermodynamic models. A test bed setup in the MTFL facilities will measure the heating and cooling capabilities of the adsorptive cycle. Future applications of this technology could provide energy efficient climate control for residential and commercial HVAC systems in addition to greatly enhancing EV performance.