A Brief Discussion on Cooling Fans Used in New Energy Vehicles
Categories:
Technology
Author:
rain
Origin:
capital
Time of issue:
2025-08-22 10:21:02.000
Views:
Cooling fans are important components of the thermal management system in new energy vehicles. They are mainly used to dissipate heat from components such as batteries and motors, ensuring that these components operate within an appropriate temperature range, thus guaranteeing the vehicle's performance and service life.
一、Specific Relevant Introductions:
1、Working Principle: New energy vehicles are equipped with temperature sensors that monitor the temperature of components like batteries and motors in real-time.
When the temperature rises to a set value, the temperature sensor transmits a signal to the Electronic Control Unit (ECU).
After receiving the signal, the ECU sends an instruction to start the cooling fan.
The rotation of the fan causes air to flow, passing through the heat sinks around the battery or motor to carry away the heat.
Moreover, the fan speed automatically adjusts according to the temperature: it runs faster when the temperature is high and slower when the temperature is slightly lower, achieving efficient heat dissipation and energy conservation.
2、Main Functions: The batteries and motors of new energy vehicles generate a large amount of heat during operation. If the heat is not dissipated in time, it will lead to a decline in battery performance, shortened service life, reduced motor efficiency, or even malfunctions, affecting the vehicle's power output and range. In severe cases, it may even cause safety issues.
Cooling fans can effectively reduce the temperature of batteries and motors, ensuring their normal operation and improving the vehicle's reliability and safety.
3、Structural Features: They usually consist of a fan shroud, a fan, and a motor with integrated electronics.
Fan blades often adopt special designs, such as a wavy shape, to optimize the air flow path, improve heat dissipation efficiency, and reduce noise.
The fan is generally driven by a brushless motor, which has the characteristics of being lightweight, efficient, and compact, occupying little axial space. Additionally, the motor's integrated electronic control unit can be used for speed control, enhancing product reliability and service life.
4、Types and Control Methods: According to different control methods, they can be divided into intelligent temperature-controlled fans and non-temperature-controlled fans.
Non-temperature-controlled fans start working as soon as they are powered on, with a fixed speed. Intelligent temperature-controlled fans, with single-chip microcomputer electronic control technology as the core, can receive and convert PWM signals to realize CAN bus control.
Some intelligent temperature-controlled fans require an external ECU controller, and the control strategy program is written on the single-chip microcomputer, corresponding to a specific ECU; others have the control program written on the fan motor, without the need for an external ECU, thus having strong versatility.
5、Selection Points: When selecting, parameters such as the fan's diameter, speed, temperature resistance, protection level, and air exchange mode need to be considered.
A larger fan diameter results in a larger air volume, but the noise may also be greater, and it needs to match the radiator.
Fans with high temperature resistance have higher safety. Considering the needs for dust and water resistance, the protection level should be as high as possible, preferably reaching IP68. There are two air exchange modes: suction and blowing. Some DC brushless fans can realize forward and reverse rotation by adjusting the built-in control program, which can be selected according to the overall installation position of the cooling system.
二、Should Brushless DC Fans or Brushed Cooling Fans Be Used for Automobile Cooling Fans?
In the selection of automobile cooling fans, brushless DC fans have become the mainstream choice for new energy vehicles and modern fuel vehicles, while brushed fans, due to their own limitations, have gradually narrowed their application range.
The following is a comparative analysis from the aspects of performance and applicable scenarios of the two to help understand the selection logic:
1、Brushless DC Fans vs. Brushed Fans: Core Differences
（1）Structure and Service Life
Brushless DC fans: No brushes or commutators, few wearing parts, service life can reach more than 100,000 hours (approximately equivalent to the vehicle's life cycle).
Brushed fans: Rely on the contact between brushes and commutators for conduction, with severe mechanical wear. Their service life is usually only 10,000-30,000 hours, requiring regular maintenance and replacement.
（2）Efficiency and Energy Consumption
Brushless DC fans: High efficiency (usually 70%-90%), low energy consumption, and can achieve stepless speed regulation through PWM signals, adapting to the energy-saving needs of new energy vehicles.
Brushed fans: Low efficiency (about 50%-60%), high energy consumption, and narrow speed regulation range (mostly fixed speed or stepped speed regulation).
（3）Reliability
Brushless DC fans: No electric sparks, no mechanical friction, strong anti-interference ability, adapt to harsh automotive environments such as high temperature and vibration, with low failure rates.
Brushed fans: Electric sparks are generated by the friction between brushes and commutators, which are susceptible to dust and humidity. Long-term use may lead to poor contact and low reliability.
（4）Noise Level
Brushless DC fans: Run stably with low noise (can be further reduced by optimizing blade design, such as Mahle bionic fans).
Brushed fans: Have high mechanical friction noise, which is obvious when running at high speed.
（5）Cost
Brushless DC fans: Need supporting electronic controllers (such as inverters), with higher initial costs.
Brushed fans: Simple structure, no controller, with lower initial costs.
2、Selection Conclusion in Automotive Scenarios
（1）New Energy Vehicles: Priority is Given to Brushless DC Fans
New energy vehicles have extremely high requirements for heat dissipation efficiency, energy consumption, and reliability (such as precise temperature control of batteries, motors, and electronic control systems), and need to be adapted to intelligent thermal management systems (such as PWM stepless speed regulation, CAN bus communication).
The long service life, low energy consumption, and high reliability of brushless fans perfectly match these needs, making them the standard configuration of mainstream car companies (such as Tesla, BYD, and NIO all use brushless fans).
（2）Traditional Fuel Vehicles: Brushless Fans Gradually Replace Brushed Fans
In the early days, due to cost control, some low-end fuel vehicle models used brushed fans. However, with the upgrading of emission regulations and intelligent demands (such as dynamic temperature control of engines), brushless fans have become the mainstream choice for mid-to-high-end fuel vehicles.
Only a few old models or entry-level commercial vehicles still retain brushed fans.
（3）Special Scenarios: Limited Application of Brushed Fans
Brushed fans may still have a small number of applications only in scenarios that are extremely cost-sensitive, have low heat dissipation requirements, and require frequent maintenance (such as auxiliary heat dissipation for some low-end trucks and engineering machinery), but their proportion is extremely low.
3. Summary
Brushless DC fans are the absolute mainstream of cooling fans for automobiles (especially new energy vehicles). Their performance advantages fully cover the core needs of automotive scenarios, while brushed fans have been gradually eliminated due to problems such as short service life and poor reliability.
When choosing, brushless fans are a better solution, and further screening should be combined with the technical maturity and adaptability of the brand.
Capital Technology Co., Limited is the chief agent of SANYO DENKI, one of the leading enterprises of the cooling fan industry. We are a factory who also have our own independent brand CAPITAL product series. The main products are cooling fan, DC/AC fan, radiator, filter, reactor etc. We can provide customer with the most professional and perfect technical support, welcome to contact me at anytime at rainlee@szcpt.com.
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