INFICON Showcases Systems To Combat Electric Vehicle Battery Fires

SAN DIEGO, Nov. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- INFICON is introducing technology that for the first time will allow automakers and battery suppliers to reliably check critically important EV battery cells for dangerous leaks.

Billions of lithium-ion battery cells are produced annually and more than five percent are estimated to have small undetected leaks that could affect battery life or cause vehicle fires.

INFICON's leak-detection technology will be on display (Booth #409) at the Advanced Automotive Battery Conference on Dec. 7-9 at the San Diego Convention Center.

The company's new ELT3000 systems can, for the first time, accurately test all types of lithium-ion battery cells – the single most important leak-detection development in the past decade, according to Dr. Daniel Wetzig, the company's research and development director.

"The rapid detection of even the smallest battery-cell leaks is absolutely essential to achieving extended service life and meeting necessary safety requirements," Wetzig said. "Today only a fraction of new battery-cell leaks can be detected through traditional methods."

Today's pressure-decay methods simply are either too slow or unreliable and allow significant leaks to go unnoticed," the INFICON executive noted.

Developed at the company's research facilities in Cologne, Germany, INFICON's new quality-control systems incorporate industry-first mass-spectrometer technology that can detect dangerous leaks 1,000 times smaller than other test methods and will pave the way for the industry's first quality standards for EV battery cells.

Thomas Parker, INFICION's North American automotive sales manager, said INFICON already is working with several companies to develop robotic and other high-speed assembly-line applications for its new ELT3000 technology.

The technology was discussed last year for the first time publicly in an SAE International paper entitled "Methods for Leak Testing Lithium-Ion Batteries to Assure Quality with Proposed Rejection Limit Standards."   

The 2020 paper was followed by a second SAE paper this year entitled "New Leak Detection Methodology to Protect Against Microscopic Leaks and Water Ingress in Battery Cells, Battery Packs and ADAS Sensors" co-authored by Wetzig and Marc Blaufuss, an INFICON applications engineer. Print or digital copies of the paper (2021-01-0754) are available from SAE International at https://bit.ly/3tMRKGq for $33. An 18 percent discount is available for SAE members.

Wetzig and Blaufuss found that gas-based test methods can be used to accurately detect potential water and other liquid leak channels in various battery-housing materials, noting that similar tests also are effective for leak testing sensors used for automated driving systems.  

"Research provides scientific proof that gas-based leak detection is needed to meet IP67 standards," Parker pointed out. "Using equipment with high sensitivity rates will ensure batteries operate as intended, help increase consumer confidence in EVs and drive growth in coming years.

"Every step in the leak-detection process, from calibration and determining signal rates up to establishing actual leak rates, is completely automated by our new ELT3000 systems," Parker added. "The user simply needs to click 'start' and wait until the answer appears on the display. Ten minutes of operator training will be sufficient for learning how to use the system on a regular basis."

INFICON offers a variety of gas-based leak-detection systems, including ELT3000 mass-spectrometer systems that for the first time now can reliably test battery cells filled with electrolytes.

Recent lab tests have demonstrated the accuracy and effectiveness of INFICON's ELT3000 gas-based leak-detection systems, according to Parker, who said that customers already are conducting validation tests for gas-based leak-detection systems on their own production lines.

Under development for the past four years, INFICON's ELT3000's spectrometer technology can help assure extended EV battery life of up to 10 years or more, reduce warranty costs and help guard against dangerous battery fires, Parker said.

"Automakers in North America and elsewhere around the world want to maintain the very highest quality standards and customer-acceptance levels possible for their future waves of electric vehicles," he pointed out. "Car companies will have the most to lose if their batteries can't achieve mileage targets, require early replacement or cause safety concerns."

A new e-book from INFICON, "E-Mobility: Leak Testing for Electric and Fuel Cell Vehicles," describes available leak-detection technologies and explains how they can be used through various phases of development and production. It can be downloaded free of charge at https://bit.ly/3sdRKxq.

Leak-detection training also is available through a special INFICON webinar program which offers free, interactive instruction on basic leak-detection methods. More information can be found at www.inficon.com/en/academy/webinars.

ABOUT INFICON
INFICON is one of the world's leading developers, producers and suppliers of instruments and devices for leak detection in air conditioning, refrigeration and automotive manufacturing. The company has manufacturing facilities in Europe, China and the United States, as well as sales and service offices throughout the world. More information about INFICON automotive technology is available online at www.inficonautomotive.com.

SOURCE INFICON