Challenges in insulating electric vehicles and batteries
The increasing popularity of electric vehicles (EVs) brings with it significant challenges in the areas of thermal insulation and fire protection. Especially for EV batteries, effective solutions must be developed to minimize safety risks while increasing efficiency.
Thermal Runaway: Safety Risks in Electric Vehicles
Thermal runaway is the uncontrolled spread of heat within a battery, which can lead to fires or explosions. This effect can be triggered by collisions, overcharging or internal short circuits. The consequences are devastating: fires that are difficult to extinguish and the potential release of toxic gases. This is where modern thermal insulation and fire protection materials come into play to:
- to minimize heat spread between the cells,
- to maximize the delay of fires and
- to protect the occupants from dangerous temperatures.
Efficient thermal insulation at extreme temperatures
In addition to fire protection, battery packs must also be thermally insulated to:
- performance losses in winter to be avoided, as low temperatures severely affect battery performance,
- reduce the heat loss rate in cold environments and
- extend the overall life of the battery.
Conventional insulation materials such as organic foams reach their limits here, as they release toxic smoke gases in the event of a fire and can make it difficult for occupants to escape. Modern inorganic thermal insulation materials offer a more environmentally friendly and safer alternative.
Space-saving and ultra-thin solutions
In electric vehicles, available space is limited, so ultra-thin but high-performance insulation materials are required to ensure both functionality and safety. Materials such as aerogel are ideal for this application due to their unique properties.
Aerogel: The breakthrough in EV insulation
Aerogel is one of the most advanced materials for thermal insulation and fire protection in electric vehicles. Its properties include:
- Extremely low thermal conductivity: Ideal insulation with minimal thickness.
- Flame retardancy: No ignition at high temperatures and no release of toxic fumes.
- Environmental friendliness: Meets REACH, ELV and ROHS standards.
- Flexibility: Customizable sizes and easy assembly even with complex geometries.
Typical aerogel products for EV applications
- Aerogel thermal insulation core boards:
- Ultrafine thickness (from 0,1 mm)
- Suitable for battery cell insulation.
- High-temperature aerogel insulation blankets:
- Extremely thin (1/5 to 1/3 of conventional materials).
- Heat resistant up to 650 °C.
- Basalt fiber aerogel ceilings:
- Suitable for temperatures from -200 to 800 °C.
- Particularly durable and flexible.
These materials form a three-dimensional thermal insulation and fire protection system that revolutionizes the efficiency and safety of electric vehicles.
Why Dr. Dietrich Müller GmbH is the ideal supplier
Dr. Dietrich Müller GmbH offers comprehensive solutions for the challenges of the EV industry. With decades of experience and state-of-the-art technologies, the company is the ideal partner for the development and production of innovative insulation materials.
Our strengths:
- Individual solutions: Customized products such as aerogel insulation layers adapted to specific customer requirements.
- Technological know-how: Comprehensive expertise in the processing of aerogel, polyimide films and other high-tech materials.
- Sustainability: Use of environmentally friendly materials that meet the highest international standards.
- Flexibility: Customizable formats and fast response times to customer needs.
- Quality guarantee: Strict quality controls guarantee long-lasting and safe products.
Future-proof insulation solutions for electromobility
The challenges of insulating electric vehicles and batteries require innovative materials and solutions. Aerogel is a key material that meets the industry's safety and efficiency requirements. Dr. Dietrich Müller GmbH not only offers the products, but also the know-how to develop individual solutions for electromobility.
With these competencies, Dr. Dietrich Müller GmbH is positioning itself as a leading partner in the EV industry – and as a guarantor for greater safety, efficiency and sustainability in the mobility of tomorrow.
