Zircotec, thermal technologists that have owned the science of heat management for more than 30 years, has secured government funding through the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC) to develop a single proprietary ceramic coating that will unlock the use of lightweight materials — including aluminum and plastic composites — across EV battery enclosures and cooling plates.
The Government-supported CeraBEV (Ceramics for BEVs) project, which forms part of the government’s work to ensure the UK remains at the cutting edge of battery technology, will last for 12 months. Zircotec has been installed as the lead partner, while Cranfield University is the project partner responsible for coating testing and evaluation.
In almost all cases, battery enclosures on today’s EVs are manufactured from heavy-duty steel. In a bid to reduce the weight of EVs and improve their range, alternative and lightweight materials are needed. Examples include aluminum and plastic composites.
Alongside this, the efficiency of aluminum cooling plates within the battery pack is hampered by the required electrical insulation coupled with its typically low level of thermal conductivity. Significant improvements in cooling plate efficiency can be achieved through thin, high-performance electrical insulation with enhanced thermal conductivity.
“The key to unlocking the use of new, lightweight materials across battery enclosures and cooling plates in EVs is being able to develop and effectively apply high-performance coatings that ensure the safe thermal and electrical operation of the substrate,” said Dominic Graham, Zircotec engineering director.
“The Advanced Propulsion Centre ‘CeraBEV advanced route to market demonstrator’ project allows our engineers to develop world-first, all-in-one dielectric and flameproof ceramic coatings that will address and overcome the significant thermal management and electrical insulation challenges associated with the lightweight materials OEMs want to use on their vehicles,” he added.
To deliver its research, Zircotec will develop its current ElectroHold coatings range to provide high-performance dielectric, flameproofing and EMC shielding properties.
These existing products are lightweight, can be easily packaged into existing automotive design infrastructures, protect against water ingress, corrosion and chemical attack, and provide the highest performance and adherence levels during normal operating conditions. They have also been proven at the top level of electric motorsport.
The specific features of each product are:
ElectroHold DIELECTRIC. Available as a lightweight polymer-based coating or a ceramic coating with a polymer sealant. Prevents electrical conductivity between components to ensure safety and eliminate the risk of short-circuiting and overheating of batteries and cells. Coatings provide high dielectric strength on various components, offering up to 42 or 10 kV/mm coupled with good thermal conductivity to aid heat removal.
ElectroHold FLAMEPROOF. A proven, lightweight, high-performance thermal barrier coating for battery enclosures and covers that gives short-term flame protection at 1,400°C and extended protection at 700°C. Suitable for use on steel, aluminium, composite and plastic substrates without any post-application electrical impact.
ElectroHold EMC SHIELD. An electrically-conductive battery enclosure and cover coating that prevents EM leakage and protects critical components from EM interference. This high-integrity, metallic-based coating is ultra-thin (~50 μm), lightweight (~135 g/m2), and can operate at temperatures up to 600º C.
“Our skills and experience in developing thermal management solutions for OEMs and top-flight motorsport, including F1, are well known,” Graham added. “But the electric vehicle market is an area we’ve been focusing on heavily during the last 12 months by developing out our current thermal science to create a new breed of ElectroHold solutions. This proven technology will provide the platform for our work towards delivering the CeraBEV project.”
Filed Under: Batteries, Technology News