Sealing Performance & Thermal Management for E-Mobility
When Material, Design and Application Must Work Together
Battery systems, inverters and electronic control units are among the key components of modern electric vehicles. To ensure reliable performance throughout their entire service life, they must be protected against moisture, dust, dirt and other environmental influences.
At the same time, increasing power density is driving higher thermal and electromagnetic requirements. Components need to be cooled, heat must be dissipated in a controlled manner, and temperature-sensitive areas have to be protected. In addition, vehicle designs continue to demand more compact installation spaces and increasingly complex housing geometries.
As a result, sealing performance and thermal management can no longer be considered independently.
The reliability of a solution depends on the interaction of numerous factors, ranging from material selection and resistance to temperature and media to housing design, installation space and mechanical requirements.
Frenzelit combines comprehensive material expertise with engineering and manufacturing know-how. Together with our customers, we develop solutions that are precisely tailored to the specific application and its challenges.
The application should not adapt to the gasket.
The gasket must adapt to the application.
New Requirements Demand New Sealing Concepts
The requirements placed on components in electric vehicles vary significantly from one application to another.
A battery housing requires a different sealing solution than an inverter. An electronic control unit operates under different geometric and thermal conditions than a cooling system. Even within a single system, temperature ranges, media exposure and mechanical loads can vary considerably.
As a result, a universal solution is rarely the answer.
When developing a suitable sealing concept, the following factors must be considered:
Sealing Performance
Moisture, dust and dirt can impair sensitive electrical and electronic components. Sealing systems must therefore perform reliably even under changing environmental conditions.
Temperature
Temperature fluctuations and varying operating temperatures place demanding requirements on the material. The selected gasket must maintain its functionality under the thermal conditions relevant to the specific application.
Media Resistance
Depending on their location within the vehicle, gaskets may come into contact with coolants, oils and other media. The material must therefore be carefully selected to match the required operating environment.
Geometry and Installation Space
Electromobility often means achieving more functionality within less space. Complex housing contours, narrow sealing surfaces and limited installation space can push conventional sealing concepts to their limits.
Mechanical Loads
Vibrations, differing thermal expansion rates of adjacent components and varying operating loads can place additional stress on the sealing system. As a result, not only the material itself but the entire sealing concept must be aligned with the component design.
Sealing Becomes a System-Level Challenge
Particularly in e-mobility applications, focusing exclusively on the sealing material is often not sufficient.
This is because the final performance is created through the interaction of:
Material + Geometry + Component + Manufacturing Process + Operating Conditions
For example, a high-temperature-resistant material alone will not solve a sealing challenge if the housing geometry is not taken into account.
Likewise, a flexible gasket alone will not deliver the required performance if it is not permanently compatible with the media involved.
And a proven sealing concept from a different application cannot automatically be transferred to a new battery housing or electronics enclosure.
That is precisely why Frenzelit considers the application as a whole.
More Than Four Decades of Sealing Expertise
Frenzelit develops and manufactures a wide variety of sealing solutions for diverse industries and applications, including the food processing and chemical industries. We are accustomed to meeting demanding customer requirements with customized solutions designed to achieve the optimum performance for each specific application. For this reason, we do not develop standard solutions for sealing and thermal management in electromobility. Instead, we create customized products tailored to the specific requirements of our customers.
A Practical Example: novaform® FDV
When the Gasket Adapts to the Geometry
novaform® FDV demonstrates how Frenzelit translates material expertise and manufacturing competence into a specific, application-oriented solution.
The sealing systems are manufactured using a dispensing process. During this process, an elastomer sealing material is applied as a precisely defined sealing bead in the required contour.
This enables the gasket to be tailored precisely to the geometry of the respective component.
This is particularly beneficial when:
- complex sealing geometries are required,
- installation space is limited,
- individual components require customized sealing,
- demanding temperature and media resistance requirements must be met,
- or a conventional inserted gasket is not the optimum design solution.
Furthermore, novaform® FDV is not limited to use within conventional grooves. Depending on the design, the gasket can also be applied to components without grooves or shoulders.
This opens up additional design flexibility.
Material Selection Tailored to the Application
Even within a sealing concept such as novaform® FDV, the specific application determines the most suitable material.
Various silicone materials are available for novaform® FDV. In addition to non-corrosive curing silicones, fluorosilicone materials can be used where enhanced media resistance is required.
Depending on the selected variant, different operating temperature ranges can be achieved.
This follows the fundamental Frenzelit principle:
Not one material for every application – but the right material for every requirement.
System Solution Instead of a Single Product
E-mobility creates new challenges not only for individual components but also for the interaction of components within the overall system. When installation space is limited or technical requirements evolve during the development process, coordinated system solutions and application-specific expertise become essential.
With more than 145 years of materials expertise and the comprehensive Frenzelit portfolio, we support engineers and developers in e-mobility by creating solutions that address demanding technical requirements without losing sight of the overall system.
Reliable Protection for Demanding E-Mobility Applications
The combination of material properties, adaptability and dispensing technology enables sealing systems designed for demanding applications.
For example, novaform® FDV achieves permanent dustproof and waterproof performance according to protection class IP6K9K in accordance with ISO 20653.
Today, the technology is used in applications including:
- Battery housings
- Charging systems
- Power distribution systems
novaform® FDV is therefore a clear example of how material expertise and process competence can be transformed into a solution for the specific requirements of electromobility
Seal. Insulate. Decouple.
The primary function of a component does not necessarily have to remain its only function.
Depending on the application, additional functional requirements can be incorporated into the development of a customized solution.
In addition to the sealing function itself, requirements such as:
- thermal conductivity,
- thermal decoupling,
- galvanic isolation,
- acoustic decoupling,
- ease of assembly,
- serviceability,
- filtration functions,
- or integrated sealing lips
may also play an important role.
This results in a functional component precisely engineered for its role within the overall system.
Engineered and made by Frenzelit.
Practical experience Decoupling of door hinges
Our novaform® 770 material makes an important contribution to high-quality acoustic design in the automotive industry.
Which Sealing Solution Fits Your E-Mobility Application?
Are you developing a battery housing, inverter, electronic control unit or another component for electromobility?
Do you face specific requirements regarding sealing performance, temperature resistance, media resistance, geometry or available installation space?
Then talk to our experts.
Together, we assess your requirements and develop the optimum material and sealing solution for your application.
The application should not adapt to the gasket.
We develop the gasket to fit the application.