DAY 2 – 23 August 2023 ADVANCED LIGHTWEIGHT MATERIALS FOR BEV

MULTI-MATERIAL SELECTION AND DESIGN CHOICES FOR BEV STRUCTURES, BATTERY HOUSINGS, THERMAL INSULATION AND ELECTRICAL ISOLATION

09:20 Chair’s Opening Remarks

Amit Ranjan Engineering Manager - Battery Manufacturing Canoo

KEYNOTE ADDRESS - INNOVATION IN FORMING TECHNOLOGIES

09:30 Sustainable And Cost-Efficient Heating And Forming Technologies

• Cost efficient heating (seconds vs minutes)
• Fast hot gas metal forming technology for EV battery enclosure
• Sustainable sheet metal testing for hot forming processes
• Laser assisted forming

Elangovan Parameswaran Knowledge Exchange Fellow Advanced Forming Research Centre

Mr Ahmed Elsayed Manufacturing Engineer Advanced Forming Research Centre​

Dr Jun Liu Senior Manufacturing Engineer Advanced Forming Research Centre

10:00 Extended Questions & Discussion

10:10 Multi Material Welding To Ensure The Necessary Strength, Durability, And Performance Characteristics

Okan Otuz CAE & Materials Specialist Mercedes-Benz

Selin Nesil Kacıran CAE Engineer Mercedes-Benz

İlayda Rençberoğlu Material Development Engineer Vimansys Digital

10:40 Questions & Discussion

10:50 Morning Refreshment Break & Networking

CASE STUDY – BATTERY INTEGRATION WITH BODY IN WHITE

11:30 Strategies to meet the requirement of Electric Vehicle Batteries​

George Alexander Solid State Battery Researcher University of Maryland

12:00 Questions and Discussion

12:10 Innovative Sustainable Material Solutions For ICE vehicles & EVs.​

• Pioneering material circularity approach
• Indigenously developed patented solutions
• Multidimensional impact & benefits
• OEMs sustainability vision / perspective

Subodh Borgaonkar Senior Engineering Manager Tata Motors

12:40 Questions and Discussion

12:50 Networking lunch

ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION GROUPS

14:00 Table 1: Understanding How Advanced Lightweight Materials Interplay To Enhance Performance & Extend Range In Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) Platforms – Implications For Design, Manufacturing, Efficiency & Cost

What are the innovative approaches to allow design engineers to capitalize on the best properties of each material for BEV structures?

The interplay of advanced lightweight materials works together to improve fuel efficiency in Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) by reducing the overall weight of the vehicle, reducing the energy required to move it. The opening keynote discusses the synergistic effects and impacts on the range, fuel efficiency, performance, and cost.

• Innovative approaches to allows engineers to capitalize on the best properties of each material, resulting in increased fuel efficiency and extended range for BEVs
• Combining different lightweight materials, such as aluminum and carbon fiber, to exploit the strengths of each material
• Practical examples - Utilizing carbon fiber can be used in the vehicle's body panels and chassis, providing high strength and rigidity, while aluminum can be used in suspension components, reducing unsprung mass and improving ride quality
• Improving aerodynamics by enabling thinner and more streamlined shapes
• Reducing rolling resistance by minimizing the vehicle's unsprung mass (e.g., wheels, tires, and suspension components)  .

Table 2: MULTI-MATERIAL REQUIREMENTS AND DESIGN CHOICES FOR LIGHTWEIGHT BATTERY HOUSING 

Exploring Material Requirements and Design Choices for Efficient and Lightweight Battery Housings in Electric Vehicles

• Evaluating material properties and design considerations for optimized battery housing in Body in White structures.
• Assessing challenges and opportunities for alternative materials in battery housings, including flame resistance and sustainability.
• Balancing cost considerations and high-volume production for composite materials in battery housing applications.
• Identifying strategies for overcoming technical and economic barriers in the adoption of innovative battery housing materials

14:30 Table 1: ALUMINUM ALLOYS – COST, MITIGATING AGAINST GALVANIC CORROSION AND MANUFACTURING

Evaluating Cost and Manufacturing Factors for Aluminium Battery Housings: Addressing Key Challenges including Energy Absorption and Galvanic Corrosion

• Weight reduction and design choices
• Evaluating whether weight reduction is a priority for the battery housing
• Assess the thermal management requirements of the battery system to determine if aluminum can provide the necessary heat dissipation properties
• Determine if the strength-to-weight ratio of the chosen aluminum alloy is sufficient for the specific battery housing application, keeping in mind that steel generally offers higher strength than aluminum
• Cost considerations

Table 2: CASING AND OUTER SHELL OF THE BATTERY HOUSING

Material Selection & Design Choices For Battery Enclosure Casing & Outer Shell

• Comparing material properties: Strength, weight, thermal conductivity, electrical insulation, corrosion resistance, and cost
• Balancing performance, cost, and environmental factors in material selection
• Factors influencing design: Battery size and capacity, vehicle architecture, and thermal management requirements
• Structural considerations: Rigidity, energy absorption, and crashworthiness
• Integration with vehicle systems: Thermal management, battery management system (BMS), and electrical connections

15:00 Group Feedback and Questions

15:10 – 15:40 Afternoon Refreshment Break

15:40  Table1: BEST PRACTICE THERMAL AND ELECTRICAL INSULATION OF BATTERY MODULE HOUSING

Utilizing A Combination Of Materials With Complementary Properties & Coatings To Improve Thermal Insulation & Electrical Isolation Of The Battery Module Housing & Interconnects

Focusing on multi-material selection for the battery module housing - the protective casing or frame that holds these cells together, providing structural support and ensuring the cells remain securely in place.

What are the latest options for cost-competitive materials to use for the module housing to ensure optimal thermal conductivity and low electrical conductivity to facilitate heat transfer and prevent short circuits?

Table2: FOCUS ON THERMAL INSULATION AND ELECTRICAL ISOLATION OF THE BATTERY PACK ENCLOSURE

Selection Of Materials, Coatings & Linings To Provide Thermal Insulation & Electrical Isolation Of The Battery Pack Enclosure

The battery pack enclosure, also known as the battery casing or battery box, is the outermost protective structure that houses the entire battery system, including one or more battery modules, the battery management system (BMS), cooling system components, and electrical connections.

The session looks at materials used for the battery pack enclosure that prioritize durability, structural rigidity, and environmental protection while also considering thermal management and electrical isolation properties.

16:10 Group Feedback and Questions

16:20 Table1: MULTI-MATERIAL SELECTION FOR COOLING SYSTEM COMPONENTS

Selecting Materials With High Thermal Performance & Corrosion Resistance For Cooling System Components

• Understand the importance of thermal conductivity, corrosion resistance, and mechanical strength when selecting materials for cooling system components, such as heat exchangers, cooling plates, and coolant lines
• Common Material Choices: Familiarize yourself with popular materials used in cooling systems, such as aluminum, copper, stainless steel, and various plastics or polymer composites, along with their
• Assessing the advantages and Drawbacks of
  • Aluminium,
  • Copper,
  • Stainless Steel,
  • Various Plastics Or Polymer Composites
• Analyze the trade-offs between material cost and performance, ensuring that the chosen materials strike the right balance between thermal efficiency, corrosion resistance, and affordability
• Assess the compatibility of selected materials with other components in the cooling system, as well as their suitability for various joining techniques, such as welding, brazing, or adhesive bonding
• Evaluate the ease of manufacturing the selected materials

Table2: BEST PRACTICE SIMULATION AND MODELLING INNOVATION

Best Practice Simulation & Modelling For Material Strength, Thermal Management, Electrical Insulation, Fire & Chemical Resistance 

• Software Selection – Evaluating the latest simulation and modeling software tools, such as finite element analysis (FEA), computational fluid dynamics (CFD), or multiphysics modeling software,
• Material Properties Database - Utilizing comprehensive and accurate material properties databases that include mechanical, thermal, electrical, and chemical characteristics to ensure realistic simulations and reliable results
• Model Validation – Validating the simulation models using experimental data or benchmark cases to ensure their accuracy and reliability before applying them to new material systems or configurations
• Multiscale Modeling - Implementing multiscale modeling approaches, which combine simulations at different scales (e.g., atomic, micro, and macro) to predict material behavior more accurately and capture complex phenomena that may arise from the interplay of various physical processes

17:00 Group Feedback and Question

17:10 Chair's Closing Remarks For Day 2