Potential of Natural Esters as Immersion Coolant in Electric Vehicles

Raj Shah, Cindy Huang, Gobinda Karmakar, Sevim Z. Erhan, Majher I. Sarker and Brajendra K. Sharma ()
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Raj Shah: Koehler Instrument Company, 85 Corporate Drive, Holtsville, NY 11742, USA
Cindy Huang: Koehler Instrument Company, 85 Corporate Drive, Holtsville, NY 11742, USA
Gobinda Karmakar: Department of Chemistry, Sri Narasingha Vidyapith, Darjeeling 734011, West Bengal, India
Sevim Z. Erhan: US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Eastern Regional Research Center, Sustainable Biofuels and Coproducts Research, Wyndmoor, PA 19038, USA
Majher I. Sarker: US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Eastern Regional Research Center, Sustainable Biofuels and Coproducts Research, Wyndmoor, PA 19038, USA
Brajendra K. Sharma: US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Eastern Regional Research Center, Sustainable Biofuels and Coproducts Research, Wyndmoor, PA 19038, USA

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 15, 1-17

Abstract: As the popularity of electric vehicles (EVs) continues to increase, the need for effective and efficient driveline lubricants and dielectric coolants has become crucial. Commercially used mineral oils or synthetic ester-based coolants, despite performing satisfactorily, are not environmentally friendly. The fatty esters of vegetable oils, after overcoming their shortcomings (like poor oxidative stability, higher viscosity, and pour point) through chemical modification, have recently been used as potential dielectric coolants in transformers. The benefits of natural esters, including a higher flash point, breakdown voltage, dielectric character, thermal conductivity, and most importantly, readily biodegradable nature, have made them a suitable and sustainable substitute for traditional coolants in electric transformers. Based on their excellent performance in transformers, research on their application as dielectric immersion coolants in modern EVs has been emerging in recent years. This review primarily highlights the beneficial aspects of natural esters performing dual functions—cooling as well as lubricating, which is necessary for “wet” e-motors in EVs—through a comparative study with the commercially used mineral and synthetic coolants. The adoption of natural fatty esters of vegetable oils as an immersion cooling fluid is a significant sustainable step for the battery thermal management system (BTMS) of modern EVs considering environmental safety protocols. Continued research and development are necessary to overcome the ongoing challenges and optimize esters for widespread use in the rapidly expanding electric vehicle market.

Keywords: natural esters; chemical modification; immersion coolant; electric vehicles; transformer (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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