As electric vehicles (EVs) continue to dominate the transportation sector, efficient battery thermal management has become increasingly critical. Lithium-ion batteries, the most commonly used in EVs, are highly sensitive to temperature changes, impacting their performance, safety, and lifespan. One advanced solution gaining traction is the use of thick film heaters for battery thermal management systems (BTMS). These heaters offer fast, uniform, and energy-efficient heating, helping to maintain optimal battery temperatures under various environmental conditions.
What is a Thick Film Heater?
A thick film heater is a type of resistive heating element that uses a conductive paste layer printed on a ceramic or metallic substrate. These layers are typically made from metal oxides or conductive polymers. Once printed and cured, the heater can be powered electrically, providing surface heating over a large area. Thick film technology is highly adaptable, allowing for custom shapes and sizes to fit specific EV battery designs.
Role of Thick Film Heaters in EV Battery
Thermal Management
In EV batteries, maintaining the right temperature range (usually 15°C to 45°C) is essential for:
Optimal Charging and Discharging Efficiency
Prevention of Cold-Weather Performance Drops
Minimization of Thermal Runaway Risks
Prolonged Battery Lifespan
Thick film heaters contribute by providing rapid, even heating directly to the battery pack, cell modules, or cooling plates, ensuring that all cells are within the optimal thermal range.
Case study of Thick Film Heater in EVs
Company: Nordic EV Tech Solutions
Industry: Electric Vehicle Manufacturing
Application: Ultra-low-temperature battery preheating system for Arctic-region EVs
Key Requirements:
Project Challenges
1. Extreme Temperature Resilience - Existing heaters cracked during -55°C thermal shock testing.
2. Energy Efficiency - Legacy systems consumed 1.5kWh to heat a 100kWh battery pack from -30°C to 10°C.
3. EMI/EMC Compliance - High-frequency switching caused interference with BMS sensors, violating CISPR 25 Class 5.
4. Certification - Required ISO 6469-3 (EV safety) and UL 94 V-0 (flammability) certifications.
Our Solutions:
After understanding customers requirements, our engineer team provide a feasible solution within 24 hours, the details of thick film heaters are:
l Aluminum Nitride (AlN) Substrate: 0.25mm thickness, thermal conductivity 220 W/m·K, withstood 2,000 cycles of -55°C↔125°C testing.
l Silver-Palladium Hybrid Ink: Achieved 18W/cm² power density without delamination.
l Distributed Temperature Sensing: Embedded 15 micro-NTC sensors per heater for ±0.8°Cuniformity.
l Adaptive PWM Algorithm: Reduced energy use by 42% through SOC-based heating curves.
l 3D Mesh Circuit Layout: Lowered parasitic inductance to <3nH, passing 30V/m RF immunity tests.
Results & Customer Satisfaction
|
Item |
Legacy Heater |
Thick Film Heater |
Improvement |
|
Preheating Time (-30°C→10°C) |
9.5 minutes |
4.2 minutes |
55% faster |
|
Energy Consumption |
1.5 kWh |
0.87 kWh |
42% reduction |
|
Space Occupancy |
5.8mm thickness |
2.3mm thickness |
60% slimmer |
|
Warranty Claims (12-month) |
4.7% |
0.6% |
87% lower |
Customer Feedback:
l Satisfaction Score: 9.8/10 (via post-deployment survey).
l Market Impact: Enabled Nordic EV Tech to launch the world’s first -40°C-rated EV, capturing 31% market share in Scandinavian regions in Q4 2024.
l Awards: Won 2025 Global Automotive Innovation Award in "Sustainable Thermal Management" category.
Products
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sales@best-heaters.com
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