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Modular batteries

In optimising modular battery technologies, it’s important to harmonise design and control. By Peter Donaldson. Modular battery systems remain an essential component of e-mobility, offering unique advantages that complement recent advancements in cell-to-pack (C-t-P) technologies.

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Onboard chargers

Nick Flaherty examines how designers are making OBCs more powerful, faster and lighter. The onboard charger (OBC) market is changing with increasing power levels for faster operation and the need for lighter systems that can be integrated with the other vehicle components.

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Battery dielectric protection

Peter Donaldson examines multi-function dielectric materials for battery systems. Dielectric protection materials are critical in EV battery systems, where they serve to insulate components from one another, reduce the risks to technicians working on them, and often also contribute to structural strength and thermal management.

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Gap fillers and TIMs

Peter Donaldson examines the shifting demands on thermal interface materials and suppliers’ innovative responses. Thermal interface materials (TIMs), including gap fillers, are crucial for managing heat in battery packs, sensors and electronics in e-mobility applications. Their developers have to meet changing demands from battery builders and vehicle OEMs as they implement novel architectures moving into cell-to-pack, cell-to-chassis and cell-to-body schemes.

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Battery safety

Nick Flaherty reports on the various materials making batteries safer. A new generation of materials is changing the way battery systems for e-mobility are designed. Pack architectures differ depending on the form factor of the cells, with various materials used for cylindrical cells compared with prismatic cells.

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Motor development and manufacturing

Peter Donaldson details the many processes involved in creating new motor systems. As with any sophisticated industrial process, the development of motor systems for e-mobility is a complex and multi-stage endeavour, subject to rapid change under pressure, both to innovate and ramp up to high production volumes.

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Battery tech for heavy duty applications

With applications ranging from trucks to mining equipment and excavators, vehicle assemblers have a wide pool of requirements, as Nick Flaherty reports Flexibility is a key requirement for heavy-duty electric vehicle (EV) applications. These vehicles are based on existing chassis designed for diesel engines, so battery packs with various chemistries have to be manufactured to fit a wide range of form factors.

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Thermal runaway prevention

Peter Donaldson speaks to experts who are working on cell design and chemistry to avoid thermal runaway Protection from thermal runaway in an electric vehicle (EV) battery requires a holistic solution that affects every aspect of the pack’s design and operation. The consensus seems to be that protection options are limited to prevention and mitigation rather than stopping a runaway once it has started.

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Battery sealing

Nick Flaherty assesses the various materials and processes used to seal and protect a battery pack Sealing a battery pack safely is a key requirement for e-mobility systems. While there may be concerns about the ingress of moisture or dirt, there are also issues over venting gasses and preventing electromagnetic interference. As a result...

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Inverters

Modern inverters are including more intelligent features to work with other vehicle systems, reports Peter Donaldson Inverters do the conceptually straightforward job of converting an electric current from DC into AC form. As such, they create an essential link between the energy storage system and the motor. Modern inverters use