Effective cooling system for a revolutionary new electric boat
The project brief
Optima, a Specialist Engineering and Design Consultancy, led by David Kendall, required Technical Services expertise to design an effective cooling system for a revolutionary new electric 10m boat capable of extended ranges of over one hundred and fifty miles.
Summary of how we designed an effective cooling system
David’s vision for the boat was to combine minimalist design with innovative technology, starting with a blank canvas to build something unique and revolutionary. Optima’s research and development team specified a KREISEL Electric high-voltage battery system as the best way to power the boat. However, this product needs specialist dielectric cooling fluid and cooling components.
Technical Services were able to provide Optima’s design team the correct components for cooling the battery and the RAD Propulsion electric drive as well as design the architecture of the cooling system. This involved making sure each component was compatible with Shell E-Thermal Fluid E5 M, the recommended immersion cooling fluid for the KREISEL battery system to control the temperature of each individual battery cell during fast-charging or operation.
The design of the cooling system needed to meet the demands of the desired performance of the boat. Optima wanted to achieve optimum efficiency and reduced running costs in terms of less power consumption, minimal servicing, and greater reliability.
Technical Services worked closely with Optima and RAD’s engineers to integrate the cooling components and overall architecture. In-house engineers from Technical Services provided instruction on the configuration of each component during the build of the system.
Successful results
Optima is now seeking investment and manufacturing partners to start taking orders for its EV boat which made its debut at Greentech Boat Show 2023. The boat offers the efficiency and stability of a multi-hull but within the beam of a monohull, as well as other benefits including exceptional manoeuvrability and easy docking.
The 150 NM boat is already impressing its audience demonstrating quiet cruising capabilities of 10/15 knots and voyages of over one hundred miles. Whilst the cooling system is effective Optima is now working with Technical Services to refine the system further to offer even greater efficiency and battery longevity.
David Kendall, Optima’s CEO comments
“Thermal management is critical to the success of an electric boat, especially in hot climates such as the Mediterranean or Middle East. We are delighted with the support provided by Technical Services and look forward to working together on future projects including larger versions of our leisure boats and commercial applications such as water taxis, which will need ultra-fast charging, placing even greater demands on the thermal management systems.”
