Electrolube’s Coating Solutions for Better BMS
Electric Vehicle market is gearing up for a major boom in the automotive industry, as several governments of well-developed countries, are showing their interests in the prospect of EV dominating the new era of replacing conventional means of transport.
With this rise, comes a need for better durability of battery systems. And Electrolube is already one step ahead with its extensive portfolio of resins, coatings and thermal management solutions that supports the entire protection of EV batteries.
An EV customer in India recently approached Electrolube to help provide a solution for an issue with an existing coating they had used from a different supplier for their Battery Management System (BMS). The BMS continuously monitors parameters such as temperature, voltage and current in and out of the battery pack to ensure it is operating in safe conditions at all times.
Ron Jakeman, Managing Director of Electrolube, comments, “We are very pleased to have provided such a successful solution for this EV application, especially given the critical nature of BMS. Electrolube is experiencing increasing demand from EV battery designers and manufacturers, and we have been providing effective solutions that have been tested and proven to address heat, performance and protection issues. We have always relished challenges, it’s what drives us to innovate constantly, and the EV battery industry is increasingly reaching out to us for solutions that safeguard every conceivable aspect of an EV battery to ensure they have every box ticked when it comes to safety, reliability and performance.”
BMS is a critical system that’s responsible for the thermal management of the battery and not only adjusts cooling but importantly, can trigger other safety mechanisms to stop operations and minimize risk. For instance, if overheating of the battery pack is detected by the BMS, the vehicle’s power output is automatically limited and the vehicle is put into fail-safe mode.
The EV battery customer required a robust, high-performance coating that was scratch resistant, solvent-free and provided the highest level of protection against harsh environments. The next-generation coating, UVCL, part of a wider range of UV cure coatings at Electrolube, was selected to protect the BMS with excellent results.
The customer didn’t have a UV Curing facility in-house, subsequently, Electrolube’s customer service team in India sourced a reputable supplier to assist them. After few iterations, Proto sample Unit is prepared and the unit is put into field test.
The low viscosity, single component UVCL provides the highest level of protection for electronic circuitry at high production throughputs. The coating also cures within seconds upon exposure to the correct dose of UV light and has a highly effective, moisture-initiated secondary cure mechanism to ensure curing in shadowed areas.
UVCL eliminates the use of solvents, being both VOC-free and non-flammable, and is applied via selective spray equipment. It has been widely tested with excellent results and demonstrates ease and speed of application in an automated process, achieving a high-speed surface cure.
The UVCL coating allows the application of relatively thin films and requires no dilution, so it is ready to use instantly. It also provides excellent storage stability and long shelf life.
With the highest level of flexibility, the coating provides the ultimate protection in harsh environments, including high humidity, thermal shock, moisture, corrosive and chemical atmospheres at a minimal cost. The coating also fluoresces under UV light for ease of inspection and offers excellent electrical properties with a wide operating temperature range of -65°C to +135°C.
