Search

The limitations of existing commercial indirect liquid cooling have drawn attention to direct liquid cooling for battery thermal management in next-generation electric vehicles. To commercialize direct liquid cooling for battery thermal management, an extensive database reflecting performance and operating parameters needs to be established. The development of prediction models could generate this reference database to design an effective cooling system with the least experimental effort. In the present work, artificial neural network (ANN) modeling is demonstrated to predict the thermal and electrical performances of batteries with direct oil cooling based on various operating conditions. The experiments are conducted on an 18650 battery module with direct oil cooling to generate the learning data for the development of neural network models. The neural network models are developed considering oil temperature, oil flow rate, and discharge rate as the input operating conditions and maximum temperature, temperature difference, heat transfer coefficient, and voltage as the output thermal and electrical performances. The proposed neural network models comprise two algorithms, the Levenberg–Marquardt (LM) training variant with the Tangential-Sigmoidal (Tan-Sig) transfer function and that with the Logarithmic-Sigmoidal (Log-Sig) transfer function. The ANN_LM-Tan algorithm with a structure of 3-10-10-4 shows accurate prediction of thermal and electrical performances under all operating conditions compared to the ANN_LM-Log algorithm with the same structure. The maximum prediction errors for the ANN_LM-Tan and ANN_LM-Log algorithms are restricted within ±0.97% and ±4.81%, respectively, considering all input and output parameters. The ANN_LM-Tan algorithm is suggested to accurately predict the thermal and electrical performances of batteries with direct oil cooling based on a maximum determination coefficient (R2) and variance coefficient (COV) of 0.99 and 1.65, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electric vehicles (EVs) offer a potential solution to face the global energy crisis and climate change issues in the transportation sector. Currently, lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries have gained popularity as a source of energy in EVs, owing to several benefits including higher power density. To compete with internal combustion (IC) engine vehicles, the capacity of Li-ion batteries is continuously increasing to improve the efficiency and reliability of EVs. The performance characteristics and safe operations of Li-ion batteries depend on their operating temperature which demands the effective thermal management of Li-ion batteries. The commercially employed cooling strategies have several obstructions to enable the desired thermal management of high-power density batteries with allowable maximum temperature and symmetrical temperature distribution. The efforts are striving in the direction of searching for advanced cooling strategies which could eliminate the limitations of current cooling strategies and be employed in next-generation battery thermal management systems. The present review summarizes numerous research studies that explore advanced cooling strategies for battery thermal management in EVs. Research studies on phase change material cooling and direct liquid cooling for battery thermal management are comprehensively reviewed over the time period of 2018–2023. This review discusses the various experimental and numerical works executed to date on battery thermal management based on the aforementioned cooling strategies. Considering the practical feasibility and drawbacks of phase change material cooling, the focus of the present review is tilted toward the explanation of current research works on direct liquid cooling as an emerging battery thermal management technique. Direct liquid cooling has the potential to achieve the desired battery performance under normal as well as extreme operating conditions. However, extensive research still needs to be executed to commercialize direct liquid cooling as an advanced battery thermal management technique in EVs. The present review would be referred to as one that gives concrete direction in the search for a suitable advanced cooling strategy for battery thermal management in the next generation of EVs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The balloon flower (BF) is a potent natural source of phytochemical compounds and is associated with our health. The sprouting process is accompanied by significant changes in phytochemical compounds in comparison with their original plants. Even though many studies are conducted with BF, there are not yet reports of BF sprouts. In the present study, we determined the chemical composition and biological activity of BF sprouts that had been cultivated for 50 days. Kaempferol‐3‐O‐galactoside and 1‐O‐caffeoylquinic acid were identified as major components of whole BF sprouts. The leaves/stems of the sprouts had higher total phenolic and flavonoid contents and lower IC50 values in DPPH• and ABTS•+ scavenging assays than whole sprouts or roots. The roots of the sprouts had the highest polygalacin D content (1.44 mg/g). We also determined the effects of different parts of BF sprouts on RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. When these cells were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), their nitrite and pro‐inflammatory cytokine production increased. BF sprouts suppressed the LPS‐induced production of nitrite, tumor necrosis factor‐α, and interleukin‐6 in a concentration‐dependent manner without causing any cytotoxic effects. Nitrite and pro‐inflammatory cytokine production were significantly inhibited by the roots and leaves/stems, respectively. The inhibitory effects of BF sprouts on LPS‐stimulated inflammatory responses in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells were associated with suppressed NF‐κB activation. These findings suggest that BF sprouts could be a valuable source of bioactive compounds and exert anti‐inflammatory effects due to their polygalacin D, deapi‐platycodin D3, and polyphenol content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photovoltaics (PVs) are an effective technology to harvest the solar energy and satisfy the increasing global electricity demand. The effectiveness and life span of PVs could be enhanced by enabling effective thermal management. The conversion efficiency and surface temperature of PVs have an inverse relationship, and hence the cooling of PVs as an emerging body of work needs to have attention paid to it. The integration of a thermoelectric generator (TEG) to PVs is one of the widely applied thermal management techniques to improve the performance of PVs as well as combined systems. The TEG utilizes the waste heat of PVs and generate the additional electric power output. The nanofluid enables superior thermal properties compared to that of conventional cooling fluids, and therefore the performance of photovoltaic/thermal–thermoelectric generator (PV/T-TEG) systems with nanofluid cooling is further enhanced compared to that of conventional cooling. The TEG enables a symmetrical temperature difference with a hot side due to the heat from PVs, and a cold side due to the nanofluid cooling. Therefore, the symmetrical thermal management system, by integrating the PV/T, TEG, and nanofluid cooling, has been widely adopted in recent times. The present review comprehensively summarizes various experimental, numerical, and theoretical research works conducted on PV/T-TEG systems with nanofluid cooling. The research studies on PV/T-TEG systems with nanofluid cooling were reviewed, focusing on the time span of 2015–2021. This review elaborates the various approaches and advancement in techniques adopted to enhance the performance of PV/T-TEG systems with nanofluid cooling. The application of TEG with nanofluid cooling in the thermal management of PVs is an emerging research area; therefore, this comprehensive review can be considered as a reference for future development and innovations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/objectives: Obesity, characterized by abnormal fat accumulation and metabolic disturbances, presents a significant health challenge. Opuntia humifusa Raf., commonly known as Korean Cheonnyuncho, is rich in various beneficial compounds and has demonstrated antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. However, its potential impact on glucose and lipid metabolism, particularly in obese rats, remains unexplored. We aimed to investigate whether O. humifusa stems and fruits could beneficially alter glucose metabolism and lipid profiles in a rat model of high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity., Materials/methods: Thirty-two rats were allocated into 4 groups: normal diet (NF), HFD control (HF), HFD treated with 2% O. humifusa stems (HF-OS), and HFD treated with 2% O. humifusa fruits (HF-OF). Experimental diets were administered for 6 weeks. At the end of the treatment, liver and fat tissues were isolated, and serum was collected for biochemical analysis. The major flavonoid from O. humifusa stems and fruits was identified and quantified., Results: After 6 weeks of treatment, the serum fasting glucose concentration in the HF-OS group was significantly lower than that in the HF group. Serum fasting insulin concentrations in both HF-OS and HF-OF groups tended to be lower than those in the HF group, indicating a significant improvement in insulin sensitivity in the HF-OS group. Additionally, the HF-OS group exhibited a tendency towards the restoration of adiponectin levels to that of the NF group., Conclusion: The 2% O. humifusa stems contain abundant quercetin and isorhamnetin, which alter fasting blood glucose levels in rats fed a HFD, leading to a favorable improvement in insulin resistance., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: The authors declare no potential conflicts of interests., (©2024 The Korean Nutrition Society and the Korean Society of Community Nutrition.)