New TRP Products: Next-Level Solutions for EV Battery Thermal Insulation & Fire Prevention
Within Saint-Gobain® Tape Solutions, our team’s primary goals centre around supporting our customers’ needs — whether this involves customisation, testing or simulation. Often, thermal insulation as well as fire mitigation for the pack, module and cell of the electric vehicle (EV) battery are the challenges our teams are asked to help address.
The ability to leverage our global teams, our material expertise, as well as our strong simulation and proxy testing capabilities, plays a key role in ensuring we can support specific customer requirements and create products that meet the needs of diverse battery configurations. Our product offerings can ensure different levels of high-temperature integrity and thermal insulation.
Let’s explore a few new and innovative products (coming soon) that our R&D teams have worked on to provide next-level solutions for all the various components within your EV, including the pack itself and the battery management system of busbars.
Both Saint-Gobain Norseal TRP5X Series and Norseal TRP-TT are our mica-free composite materials. These EV battery materials are silicone-based and UL 94 V0 equivalent. They are flexible at room temperature and transform into ceramic at elevated temperatures.
With excellent fire-resistant properties, good EV battery insulation and elasticity, they are reliable solutions for helping to protect against thermal runaway events. These products are primarily applied on top of the module within the battery pack (the module cover or blanket). They are suitable for thermal insulation as well as fire prevention between battery packs, modules and cells.
Let’s explore each product in greater detail.
The key benefits of Norseal TRP5X Series are that it is flexible (mica-free), easy to assemble, and has high temperature fire resistance. It is also important to note that it is lightweight, approximately 35% lighter than its mica alternative, making it the ideal solution for building lighter weight EVs!
Evaluations of Norseal TRP5X Series show impressive results. After being exposed to flames for over 30 minutes, the Norseal TRP5X Series retained its structural integrity, with no cracks or flaking observed on the samples, as shown below.
Norseal TRP-TT is a thinner gauge product, with performance similar to the Norseal TRP5X Series. The thin gauge makes it suitable for winding busbars or high-voltage cables. Additionally, it is suitable for use as a tape on challenging profiles. Norseal TRP-TT is ideal for busbar protection as it can be wound on busbars to provide both insulation and voltage resistance.
Norseal TRP-TT is another effective solution for reducing the damage caused by thermal runaway of pack-level battery cells. When the battery goes into thermal runaway, the silicone composite maintains its structural strength and its ability to thermally insulate against temperatures of up to 1000°C (depending on the thickness gauge). This helps to mitigate the spread of fire, giving passengers more time to exit their vehicles safely.
Perhaps the biggest differences lie in their density, thickness range and TRP performance.
When it comes to thermal and fire resistance, Norseal TRP5X Series could be considered best in class. On the other hand, when weight and space constraints are critical to a specific battery pack design, Norseal TRP-TT is the material of choice.
Norseal TRP5X Series and Norseal TRP-TT are two of our newest products tested for their ability to withstand the challenging requirements that are necessary for effective EV solutions. Common tests our teams perform include the aforementioned 1000–1500°C torch test or UL94 test. The addition of abrasive particulate options, simulations or various electrical insulation and mechanical tests are made available per customer requirements.
Thermal management remains the most crucial component for safety, performance, and the longevity of the battery, but most importantly for the safety of EV passengers.
Automotive engineers will not cease making progress with advancements in battery technology, and neither will our teams. Through collaboration and discussions with our customers, staying attuned to trends within the market, as well as ongoing research and development efforts, we are striving to achieve that balance between innovation and safety.
Connect with our teams today to learn about the various options for ensuring thermal protection that can be made available to you.