w Advertorial feature
The thermal management challenges in electric vehicles
A
spects like continuously-increasing power density or higher heat flow per area (W/m2
) and high power charging can lead to an increased
component temperature and, consequently, its reduced lifetime. Efficient thermal cooling of electrical components by connecting of the heat source to a heat sink, while at the same time having an electrically-insulating effect, is therefore a prerequisite for the high-quality standards in the automotive sector. This connection and levelling of appropriate component tolerances, gaps and air inclusions can be realised individually by the wide range of thermal interface materials of Kerafol, depending on the requirements for thermal conductivity (W/mK) and desired temperature difference, ∆T.
The change to electric drive systems implies completely new applications and challenges in the field of thermal management. For example, the functional relationship between the operating temperature of a battery stack and its maximum achievable number of cycles has been sufficiently proven and can be quantified extremely precisely by the following rule of thumb:
The net reach of an electric car is also noticeably dependent on the operating temperature of the battery and indirectly on the thermal cooling. In addition to the concept for thermal connectivity of the energy source, the car of tomorrow also requires solutions for electrical components in the areas of LEDs, sensors, DC-DC converters, bus bars, battery management systems and inverters as core elements of the electric powertrain.
The cross-linked silicone-based elastomers, better known as Softtherm Gap Pads, can play a crucial role in thermal cooling (power range to 6 W/mK) of electronic components due to their variety of specifically adjustable properties. Due to the high flexibility and enormous mechanical resistance of the Softtherm Pads, large gap dimensions as well as high component tolerances can be
compensated. Compared to systems based on polyurethane or epoxy, silicon- containing pads or tapes can absorb and compensate vibrations much better, an effect that is favoured by the high softness of the products of Kerafol. To meet the requirements of the automotive industry, Kerafol did various tests to evaluate the long-term behaviour of its products. In addition to individual solutions, such as one-sided adhesive coating for component fixation or fibreglass reinforcement to increase mechanical stability, two-layer films (required by specific regulations) can also be of great value to the customer.
Another important factor concerning high-quality material is the reproducible quality of the die-cut parts. Therefore, Kerafol cooperates with a specialist in the UK, the company Thermal Issues. Due to its high-standard cutting technology and an outstanding service concept, samples are available next day and without additional cost for tooling.
This combination of German technology and UK supply as well as the long- term experience of both parties in the field of thermal management leads to a new type of support.
58 December 2021/January2022
www.electronicsworld.co.uk
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