Are you facing challenges in an effective battery management system? Or you are struggling with thermal management in the EV battery? The right answer here is the thermally conductive tape for battery packs; however, the correct usage and application are equally important.
In this blog, we are discussing the thermally conductive tapes for battery packs in electric vehicles, so stay tuned!
Electric vehicles are a part of the big picture in the global push for a sustainable and environment-friendly approach. The EVs are considered a conscious thought in this trend. Now companies are working to improve the EV further.
What Are The Areas Of Improvement In EV Battery Pack?
The EVs are still in the early development phase, and various advancements are happening now. Thermal protection and management is one of the primary concern areas. Thermally conductive tapes are one of the versatile solutions for mounting battery cells and heat management of EV batteries.
As the capacity of the battery and performance of the EVs are getting faster and better, so does the heat generation. The heat is the main reason for the performance degradation and depletion of the battery’s service life.
There are a lot of advancements and developments underway like lighter weight, faster-charging features, and long-lasting high performance of EV batteries.
The batteries are the biggest part of the EVs, and it is also the segment in which most companies are working to provide a better solution. Several issues can be associated with the battery, like thermal runaway, thermal management, and battery management system.
The batteries get extremely hot while charging and discharging; also, the current market focuses on fast charging, which adds to the heat generation. When batteries get excessively heated, they threaten combustion and explosion.
The EV batteries are arranged in modules and stacked to make the complete battery pack. The batteries are getting smaller with high efficiency, so the cells are tightly stacked. The lack of spacing between the cells increases the temperature inside the battery pack.
Thermally conductive battery pack tapes are used to control the temperature. Using thermally conductive adhesives provides additional support as well. You can get encapsulation or pot of the battery cells, and the bonding of each cell into the modules is done.
The cells need to be bonded to the cooling plate or the heat sinks, which is again done via thermally conductive adhesives. Other uses are:
- You can use them for gasketing and sealing the battery pack
- Encapsulation and potting of other sensitive electronic components can be done with the same tapes
- Potting of connectors and sealing pyrotechnic disconnect units is also possible
How Do Thermally Conductive Tapes For Battery Help In EV?
Thermally conductive tapes are used due to their features. These are in high demand for adhesion applications and provide thermal protection to the battery cells. The battery cells can damage, or they can leak into other areas or components, damaging them.
Firstly, their ability to withstand expansion and contraction helps as the battery cells and other components expand and change their shape once heated or cooled down. Also, they are susceptible to extreme temperature change in a short time or thermal shock. The thermally conductive tape for battery packs keeps the cells in place and provides them with the flexibility to change with the expansion.
Secondly, the tapes have electrical resistance, an innate feature of thermally conductive materials. It is also electrically non-conductive. Being thermally conductive prevents short circuits and provides a barrier against external elements. The potting adhesives around the battery cells prevent contamination and malfunction. The lithium-ion batteries work best from 50 C to 500 C. The temperature outside this range can lead to battery degradation and thermal runaway.
Thirdly, they bring the safety aspect into the action. These help increase vehicle and battery safety; these adhesives are filled with non-flammable filler materials, serving two purposes. The adhesive fillers are self-extinguishing and take the flame away, preventing fire-related accidents.
Fourth and last, the adhesives also act as cushioning and insulating agents. It helps in shock absorption and prevents current from passing onto other components. The vibration and shock during an accident can lead to the failure of the battery.
What Are The Most Important Factors Of Adhesive Tape In The EV Battery Pack?
Some factors can lead to pleasant performance and good quality of service, which are:
Flame retardancy
The primary factor is the ability of the flame resistance within the battery pack. 3M thermally conductive tape and adhesives can be an example of accurate flame retardancy.
Dielectric strength
The 3M has several double-coated and single-coated tapes that can be perfectly used in EV battery packs. These tapes provide electrical insulation, which is advantageous.
Easy Assembly Process
Any product that makes the application process easy and hassle-free adds to its benefit, and 3M tapes are very good in this category. You do not need to mix and use them with other components through a nozzle. This help reduces the production time as these come in the exact size, and there is also no need for wait time after the application.
Apart from thermal runaway, the thermally conductive tape for the battery pack has some additional benefits, which are:
- An instant bond
- No mixing nozzles or complex dispensing systems
- No hazardous materials to handle
- No delays in production due to extra time to get dry
Conclusion
Within a couple of decades, there has been a huge shift in the paradigm and an increase in the number of EVs. The rise in the performance and capacity is accelerated by improving the battery pack and its associated applications.
The thermally conductive tape for battery packs has proved to be a building block of the battery and EV advancement. If you want an adhesive solution for an EV battery pack, check out our thermally conductive tape for battery pack at www.econtroldevices.com and connect for more information.
