Search Results Found For: "Battery venting"

High-voltage EV battery packs: benefits and challenges. More voltage, more better?

In 2020, Porsche delivered just over 20,000 units of its luxury Taycan EV—the first vehicle from a major automaker to sport an 800 V (nominal) battery, which is more than double the voltage of its competitors (and firmly into light-rail and switchyard locomotive territory, actually). It appears that many other EVs will soon follow in… Read more »

FEV addresses battery safety with thermal propagation optimization process

FEV has developed a combined simulation and testing process for the optimization of thermal propagation behavior in automotive battery packs. The company claims the process can help to reduce the risk of injury and damage from battery cell thermal runaway, while also saving development time and cost. Thermal runaway is a key safety aspect for… Read more »

Graphene battery pioneer Nanotech Energy raises $27.5 million in Series C funding

Los Angeles-based Nanotech Energy, a major supplier of graphene, has raised $27.5 million in a Series C funding round. The company’s US-made Nanotech Energy Graphene Super Battery is designed to be non-flammable, and Nanotech claims it will deliver better longevity and much faster charging than current batteries. “We are confident that we have a one-of-a-kind,… Read more »

Does Tesla have a game-changing new battery cell in the pipeline?

There’s little dispute that Tesla has a substantial head start in terms of battery tech vis a vis the legacy automakers. Now Electrek has reported that Tesla has a secret project called “Roadrunner” that could soon enable the company to produce much cheaper battery cells on a massive scale. For some time, it’s been apparent… Read more »

Donaldson launches two-stage protective vent for battery packs

Vehicle filter company Donaldson has launched its Dual-Stage Battery Vent, which the company says provides protection from pressure, heat, and contaminants. The battery vent’s first stage equalizes pressure, while providing protection from water, dirt, and automotive fluids. The second-stage venting kicks in if rapid pressure and heat build-up occur. During this stage, the vents fully… Read more »

Scheugenpflug’s high-speed thermal paste dispenser offers faster battery production and less downtime

Thermal paste is essential for preventing overheating and short circuits during battery operation. Unfortunately, its application is one of the slowest processes in battery pack production, as potting material is highly viscous and abrasive. Scheugenpflug, a provider of adhesive bonding, dispensing and potting solutions, has developed a new dispensing solution for thermal potting material that… Read more »

Battery prelithiation shortens costly formation time

Before a lithium-ion battery is installed in a vehicle, it must undergo a lengthy process called formation, in which it is charged and discharged to control the initial chemical reactions with lithium. Many of these reactions are irreversible and permanently decrease the battery’s available energy. The process requires expensive lithium to be part of the… Read more »

Southwest Research Institute consortium conducts independent battery benchmarking

Comparing the spec sheets from different parts manufacturers is tricky business for engineers in any industry. However, the advanced battery market seems to be uniquely challenged in this regard. As Tesla CEO Elon Musk often points out, when it comes to batteries, the BS factor is outrageous. Even if you assume that every vendor provides… Read more »

Computational design strategy extends battery life

Batteries are wonderful inventions, but like so many things in life, they don’t last. With every charge and discharge cycle, a battery’s capacity is reduced, until eventually it becomes inadequate for its application. “Why does this degradation occur?” muses Northwestern University’s Christopher Wolverton. “In many cases, something probably happened to the cathode.” Wolverton has developed… Read more »