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Enhanced battery pack cooling remains an open thermal management challenge in hybrid electric vehicle applications. A robust cooling system should maintain the battery pack core temperature within a prescribed operating range to improve system performance, durability, and reliability while minimizing power consumption. This paper proposes a smart battery thermal management system utilizing heat pipes as a thermal bus to efficiently remove heat. The system couples a standard air conditioning system with traditional ambient air ventilation. The two loops can run independently or in tandem to achieve the desired control. A nonlinear model predictive controller was developed to maintain the battery core temperature within a designated range using the compressor and fan speeds as the control inputs. A mathematical battery thermal model was developed to estimate the core and surface temperatures. The system performance and power requirements were evaluated for various driving cycles and ambient conditions. Numerical results showed that the proposed cooling system can regulate the battery core temperature within the desired temperature range (maximum tracking error of 2.1°C) while compensating for ambient temperature conditions using a suitable cooling strategy. The simulation results showed the ability to remove up to 1135 kJ of heat. The simulation also presents the power consumed by system components under varying modes and ambient conditions.

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Purpose The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the control cubes for dust control in health-care facilities. Research shows that more than 80% of pathogenic agents in hospitals are spread into the air, where they either remain airborne or deposit on the surface. At the same time, renovation and repair activities, including regular maintenance, are a necessity in active health-care facilities and a multitude of studies have documented their impact on indoor air quality. The dust that is generated by construction activities may potentially carry pathogenic agents, varying from coarse particles (≤10 µm, PM10) to fine particles (≤2.5 µm, PM2.5), including airborne bacteria, and fungal spores linked to high patient mortality in immune-compromised patients. Design/methodology/approach This study measures the impact and effectiveness of one such preventative measure, namely, the control cube (CC), on air quality during renovation and repair. CC is a temporary structure, typically made from stainless steel, around the local repair zone to minimize the spread of dust and potential microorganisms. The current paper presents a comparative analysis to identify the effectiveness of a CC equipped with the high-efficiency particulate filtration (HEPA) filter in a hospital setting by simulating construction renovation and repair work. Findings A baseline was established to measure the effectiveness of CCs and the impact of negative pressure on the indoor air quality in a hospital during simulated renovation work. Results showed that CCs are very effective in minimizing the spread of dust due to construction activities in the hospital. However, it is imperative to ensure that the air inside the CC is cleaned via filtration. Originality/value CCs are very effective, and this paper investigates the best approach for facility managers to implement this strategy.