HOW TO BEAT THE HEAT?

More power, better performance – Batteries for electric vehicles are delivering the energy required to increase distances between charges and reduce charging times to meet the needs of a rapidly expanding EV market segment.

However, more power, generates more heat that needs to be dissipated safely to eliminate the possibility of fire and to ensure that reliability and lifetime expectations can be met.

Battery pack performance can be optimized when the components operate in a well-managed, narrow temperature range. Without adequate thermal management, fast charging and discharging can cause an increase in temperature within the pack that can damage the battery cells. Overheating  propagates form cell to cell in a reaction known as thermal runaway.

Ensuring temperature uniformity, therefore, is a major focus of battery system engineers. The first line of attack on heat control is handled by cooling systems that are an integral part of the battery pack architecture in the form of heat sinks.

Despite every effort to maximize the effectiveness of passive temperature control, air gaps between the battery module and the cooling plates/heatsinks disrupt the thermal management process. To counteract the extremely low thermal conductivity of air, thermal interface materials fill the gap.

Henkel produces a targeted range of best in class thermal interface materials that combine high thermal conductivity and low viscosity with the ability to maintain electrical isolation properties. Allied to this they remain reliable under various harsh working conditions. These innovative and specifically designed thermal solutions can be dispensed at rapid line speeds to meet continually increasing production volumes.

Henkel’s material expertise in combination with fundamental experience in component engineering and manufacturing, allow customers to produce smarter and more cost-efficient battery pack solutions.

Join us to learn more during our upcoming presentation at the Battery Electric Vehicle Architectures Detroit Congress 2020 on February 27th or let us know if you’d like to arrange a one-on-one meeting to get to know our thermal solutions in detail.