Propeller slipstream driven air–liquid hybrid cooling system for electric aircraft power cabin thermal management

This paper addresses the critical challenge of heat dissipation for complex equipment in electric aircraft power cabins, a key factor limiting the performance and reliability of next-generation electric aircraft. To tackle this issue, we propose an innovative propeller slipstream-driven air–liquid hybrid cooling system, advancing beyond conventional thermal management approaches that often sacrifice cooling efficiency for system complexity or vice versa. For battery thermal management, a forced air-cooling structure is developed by integrating perforated vents on the power cabin's exterior, enabling direct utilization of high-velocity slipstream airflow. The electronic controller chip employs an enhanced cooling architecture with an array of extruded heat fins on its upper surface to expand heat dissipation area, combined with strategically positioned ventilation openings in the power cabin directly above the controller to boost convective heat transfer. For the electric motor, a closed-loop liquid-cooling circuit is integrated, featuring embedded coolant channels within the motor housing for efficient heat extraction. Results across the entire flight envelope demonstrate significant thermal performance improvements: the maximum operating temperatures of the battery pack, electronic controller chip, and motor are reduced by 21.19 K, 74.44 K, and 30.07 K, respectively. These findings confirm that the proposed system effectively balances cooling efficiency and structural simplicity, providing a novel thermal management framework that offers critical design insights for the development of next-generation electric aircraft thermal systems.