German battery manufacturer AKASOL is has partnered with the Fraunhofer Research Institution to develop automated recycling processes for battery packs. “The rising demand for high-performance battery systems means that more raw materials, such as lithium, cobalt or nickel, are needed to manufacture these energy-storage technologies,” explains AKASOL Head of Product Management Dr. Björn Eberleh. “In… Read more »
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Fraunhofer developing die-cast aluminum coils for e-motors
Researchers at Germany’s esteemed Fraunhofer research organization have developed a casting technique to produce lightweight aluminum windings with a higher groove fill factor than conventional copper wire. The coils are composed of cast aluminum, and are based on a flat conductor arrangement, which leads to a higher slot fill factor and thus better use of… Read more »
Fraunhofer’s dry coating process for electrodes could make cell production in Europe economical
Researchers at Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS have developed a new battery cell production process that coats electrodes with a dry film instead of liquid chemicals. This simplified process saves energy and eliminates toxic solvents. The Fraunhofer researchers, with colleagues from Samsung, describe their findings in a new paper, “Overcoming binder… Read more »
Fraunhofer develops GaN power ICs with integrated sensors
Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute have integrated current and temperature sensors, 600 V-class power transistors, freewheeling diodes, and gate drivers onto a gallium nitride (GaN)-based semiconductor chip. The new circuit measures 4 x 3 mm and enables high switching frequencies and a high power density, while providing fast and accurate condition monitoring, according to the… Read more »
Fraunhofer and Hitachi Metals create on-board charger with 3.8 kW/l power density
The Fraunhofer Institute and Hitachi Metals say they’ve produced an on-board charger (OBC) prototype that delivers both high power output and compactness by using soft magnetic materials developed by Hitachi. Hitachi says the technology enables the OBC prototype to generate a power density of 3.8 kW/l. Hitachi explains that there is typically a trade-off between… Read more »
Fraunhofer’s modular battery makes it easy to isolate defective cells
Researchers at Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute have developed a modular battery system that could offer lower cost and improved range by making it easier to replace defective cells. In theory, all the individual cells of a battery can store the same amount of energy. In practice however, their capacities vary, and because the cells are connected… Read more »
Fraunhofer Institute presents November workshop on lithium-sulfur batteries
The Fraunhofer Institute will hold its third annual workshop on lithium-sulfur batteries in Dresden, Germany, on November 12 and 13. Lithium-sulfur is a leading contender for the battery chemistry of the future, and Fraunhofer believes that novel materials such as nanostructured carbon/sulfur composite cathodes, solid electrolytes and alloy-based anodes will significantly enhance performance. Dr Oliver… Read more »
Fraunhofer Institute develops front-end wireless charging system
Most wireless EV charging systems use an induction coil on the underside of the vehicle and a floor-mounted charging station, but researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Systems and Device Technology (IISB) in Germany are developing an alternative method that makes the connection at the front end of the vehicle. This addresses a number… Read more »
Johnson Controls and Fraunhofer collaborate on new battery cooling systems
Johnson Controls and the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, one of Europe’s biggest organizations for applied research, have signed an agreement to develop next-generation cooling systems for vehicle batteries. The collaboration will focus on technologies and thermal management strategies for lithium-ion battery packs. Currently, systems with fans, compressors or pumps use energy to pull heat out of a battery…. Read more »
Fraunhofer ESK develops communication interfaces for energy management
Vehicle-grid integration is one of the hottest topics in the EV world, with pilot projects cropping up all over the globe. The relationship between EVs and the electrical grid is complex – charging must be managed to avoid overloading local grids, but on the other hand, EVs and/or used EV batteries can help utilities to… Read more »
