Automotive & Mobility
Industry / Markets
In Germany in particular, the automotive industry has a very long tradition and plays a significant role in both industry and society.KERATHERM® products fromKERAFOL® are manufactured in accordance with the requirements of IATF 16949, the most important quality standard in the automotive sector.
This standard is specifically tailored to the automotive industry and includes key requirements for the quality management system, thereby enabling continuous improvement through process enhancements and the prevention of deviations and errors in the supply chain.
Even before receiving the certificate, KERAFOL® had long been active as a supplier to the automotive industry, even achieving the status of “preferred supplier” for one of the largest Tier 1s in the world.
For many years,KERAFOL® has been supplying Tier 1 and Tier 2 manufacturers with products featuring “Made in Germany” quality
The electrification of vehicles, in particular, presents many challenges but also opens up new areas of application. The electrified powertrain and the battery are the two core elements of an electric car. Due to the high power density and demanding performance requirements, weight, performance, and thermal management play a major role here. The correlation between temperature and the service life of electronics is well known; the relationship between a battery’s temperature and the vehicle’s corresponding range, as well as the maximum number of charge cycles, is not surprising and is extremely important to understand and take into account.
Battery and battery management system
(BMS)
The batteries in electric cars consist of many individual modules, which in turn are made up of many individual cells. The design of the cell types ranges from prismatic and cylindrical to pouch cells. Due to the high energy and power density, lithium-ion batteries are usually used.
The most common forms of cell chemistry in Germany are NMC (nickel, manganese, cobalt) or LFP (lithium iron phosphate).NMC cells have a very good energy density and are very powerful.However, they only work optimally at a “comfortable temperature”, which is why the cells require complex temperature control and are therefore relatively expensive.
The BMS also ensures efficient battery thermal management through intelligent control.
Video: Energy Storage Module
The BMS protects the battery against operating errors and enables optimum control of charging and discharging processes.An active BMS relies on several components simultaneously and thus becomes a smart BMS.It monitors the ageing and state of charge as well as the depth of discharge of the battery modules.It controls the charging cycles intelligently and optimally with regard to speed, heat management or overcharging.
As both the battery and the BMS are the central components of the electric car, the range is still very broad in terms of technology and the materials used.
This in turn leads to a variety of different thermal management solutions that can be applied.The most effective solution is to conduct the heat from the cells to the underside of the module and to use a thermal interface material between the module and the housing.Due to the relatively large area that needs to be covered, gap filler liquids are the most common solution due to their good price/performance ratio and the ability to automate the application of the material using dispensing systems.
Case Study
Learn more about optimizing a battery management system (BMS) using the KERAMOLD® product range
Solutions
for battery and battery management system
WithKERATHERM® andKERAMOLD®, KERAFOL® offers a variety of solutions in the field of thermal interface materials. For more information, please see our product group description.
In addition to the necessary materials,KERAFOL® also offers a service for applying and installing the materials.
Power Conversion
On Board Charger
(OBC)
The use of electric vehicles requires various energy conversion processes. This begins with the charging process itself, as electric cars must be able to be charged with both direct current and alternating current. The OBC is only used for charging at a charging station or wallbox connected to the AC grid with up to 22 kW. The charging process takes approximately 6 to 8 hours. If the charging station is a DC charging solution—a fast-charging process that takes about 40 minutes—the charging station establishes a direct connection to the vehicle’s high-voltage battery. In this case, the BMS automatically bypasses the on-board charger, since direct current is already present.
Die im OBC verbaute Leistungselektronik erwärmt sich sehr schnell sehr stark, wodurch eine passende Thermal Management Lösung für die Performance ausschlaggeben ist. Durch die KERATHERM® Produktreihe können z.B. SiC MOSFETs effizient und beständig gekühlt werden, auch unter rasch wechselnden Lastzyklen und Leistungspeaks.
DC/DC Converter
Another component of the energy conversion systems in the electric car is the DC/DC converter. Converting the power of a high-voltage battery to a lower voltage level is necessary in order to supply all other consumers in the low voltage range (e.g. 12 V) of the car with energy, e.g. on-board computer or interior lights. A high level of heat is also generated in this assembly, which is dissipated towards the heat sink via thermal interface materials.
Inverter
In addition to the battery, the inverter (or power electronics), which sits between the battery and the motor and regulates the interaction between the two, is the heart of the electric car. The inverter monitors and regulates the electric motor and is therefore responsible for its torque and speed control. It also converts the battery’s DC voltage into AC voltage. The same process is reversed in the case of recuperation – the alternating current from the generator is converted into direct current for the battery. Many German manufacturers and suppliers are leaders in this segment and are currently working on the implementation of 800 V technology, which looks set to become established in the future. In addition to the already demanding requirements for cooling the power electronics, 800 V technology requires very high electrical insulation strength.
Thermal interface materials are used to connect the power electronics to the corresponding heat sink (e.g. housing). The Gap Filler Liquids and Gap Pad series from the KERATHERM® product range are particularly suitable for this purpose.Products from the KERAMOLD® series can also be used to encapsulate complete assemblies.
Source: Intensa Techn. Dienstleistungen GmbH
Solutions
for Power Conversion
In addition to suitable solutions in the field of thermal interface materials, KERAFOL® also offers various services that are particularly helpful with regard to the application and processing of these materials.
While vehicles with combustion engines have sufficient waste heat, electrically powered vehicles require an additional heating system. In addition to the high-voltage heater for the driver’s compartment itself, “electric auxiliary heaters” (12 V) are also used for the thermal management of the battery, an important component for reducing range loss.
German manufacturers are market leaders in the segment of high-voltage heaters, which are generally designed for a 400 V or 800 V architecture. Even if the concepts differ to some extent, in both cases the corresponding thermal management also determines the efficiency and reliability of the module.
Thermal interface materials are used to connect the power electronics to the corresponding heat sink (e.g. housing). The Gap Filler Liquids and Gap Pad series from the KERATHERM® product range are particularly suitable for this purpose.Products from the KERAMOLD® series can also be used to encapsulate complete assemblies.
Solutions
for electric heaters
In addition to suitable solutions in the field of thermally conductive materials, KERAFOL® also offers various services that are particularly helpful with regard to the application and processing of these materials.
Service
- Dispensing
- Injection molding
- Isolation
Products
eBikes
The electrification of bicycles offers many people a new form of mobility, both in everyday life and for leisure activities. In addition to the integration of the electric motor, the battery module including the intelligent battery management system (BMS), which protects the battery from damage, also plays a decisive role in terms of driving comfort. The requirements for the additional components are clearly defined:
- Low weight, low space requirement
- Energy efficiency - Long range
- High reliability and durability
- Quiet operation
und Antrieb
umspritzter Elektromotor
The battery modules from different manufacturers are very similar in design, mostly using so-called round cells. However, a closer look inside the battery module also reveals differences. On the one hand, there is the wiring, fixing and connection of the cells. While battery modules from older series still managed without the use of highly thermally conductive materials, the issue of thermal management has become increasingly important, partly due to the higher power density of the module. Instead of classic potting materials with a low thermal conductivity of 0.5 to 1.0 W/mK, gap filler liquids with a higher thermal conductivity of 1.5 to 3 W/mK are now increasingly being used to fill cavities between the battery cell and the housing. The lower thermal resistance can thus achieve better heat transfer, which protects the battery cells from overheating and can have a longer service life.
In many cases, a “conformal coating” has been applied to the BMS or PCB including the semiconductor to protect critical components from dust, dirt and moisture. Due to the higher performance requirements on the circuit board, an appropriate solution for heat dissipation is required. The products in the KERATHERM® range are helpful here. With these intermediate layer materials (Therma Interface Materials) in the form of foils or pads, the heat can be effectively conducted from the heat source to the heat sink (e.g. housing). Products in the KERAMOLD® series both protect the electronics (as in the case of conformal coating) and at the same time have the heat-conducting properties of a heat-conducting foil – an “all-in-one” solution.
The products in the KERAMOLD® series can also provide a truly innovative solution for electric motors. While electric motors have previously been encapsulated with low thermally conductive potting material, encapsulating them with thermally conductive injection molding granulate achieves the same effect, only with significantly increased thermal performance. Due to the softness of the polymer used, vibrations and noise can be compensated and dampened, which in turn increases drive comfort. The new gap filler range in the KERATHERM® series is also a more powerful alternative to conventional potting materials.
Case Study
Find out more about increasing the performance of an eBike electric motor using the KERAMOLD® product range
Solutions
for eBikes
In addition to suitable solutions in the field of thermally conductive materials, KERAFOL® also offers various services that are particularly helpful with regard to the application and processing of these materials.
LED
Vehicle headlights have changed visibly over the last 15 years, and for the better.Whether in terms of pure radiance, energy consumption or technical solutions such as bend lighting – the use of LEDs has made these achievements possible.The thermal management of LEDs is particularly important in terms of their sustainability.This is due to the fact that individual LEDs and often the entire lighting unit cannot be replaced in the event of a failure.This means that if the lighting unit fails, the entire assembly must be disposed of.Even though LEDs are an efficient lighting solution, the energy density in a very small area is very high.This makes it necessary to dissipate the heat generated locally.
In the event of “hot spots,” graphite foils, for example, can help distribute the heat across the surface and dissipate it into the surrounding environment, acting as “heat spreaders.” Other products in theKERATHERM® series, such as thermally conductive films, can also ensure efficient heat transfer by filling the gap—including all component tolerances—between the LED and the heat sink. For certain assemblies, products from theKERAMOLD® series can also be used. With the help of this thermally conductive injection-molded material, entire assemblies can be overmolded directly.
With a clever design—such as adding cooling fins to increase the surface area—it is even possible to eliminate the aluminum heat sink, which saves on both cost and weight.
Whether in cars, trucks, or other commercial vehicles,KERAFOL® ‘s specialized heat-conductive materials help lights stay on longer.
Solutions
for LEDs
In addition to suitable solutions in the field of thermally conductive materials, KERAFOL® also offers various services that are particularly helpful with regard to the application and processing of these materials.
Service
- Dispensing
- Injection molding
- Isolation