With the ongoing development of producing high-quality lithium-ion batteries (LIB), the influence of moisture on the individual components and ultimately the entire cell is an important aspect. It is well know.
How does humidity affect a battery system?
As gas enters the battery system interior, humidity can also enter. If the surface temperature of e.g. cooling plates falls below the dew point, condensation on those cold surfaces inside the system will occur. So an additional device is required to prevent condensation. 3. Humidity control
Operation in hot, humid climates will pose the greatest challenge as the air entering the HV battery system will carry more water vapor, thus increasing the absolute humidity inside the system. As eficient battery cooling is also required especially under these conditions, the risk of water condensation is especially high.
Do EV batteries need moisture control?
There are four facets to moisture control that affect the majority of EV battery projects and a recent survey found that addressing them is a significant challenge to many teams. If these factors are not accounted for early on, they can lead to retrofitting or project redesigns later. Learn more » ©2025 SAE International. All rights reserved.
It is not possible to seal the battery system housing hermeti-cally for total protection, as this would lead to mechanical stresses on the housing caused by pressure diferences between environment and the HV battery system interior.
How to reduce the complexity of a battery system?
3. Humidity control To reduce the system complexity, two important functions – pressure balancing and emergency degassing – are com-bined into one unit. The unit has to ensure that no liquid water can enter the battery housing under all conditions. A PTFE membrane was validated for this application.
Do battery systems get heated?
Battery systems get heated while in the application. To ensure the desired life span and performance, most systems are equipped with a cooling system. The changing environmental condition in daily use may cause water condensation in the housing of the battery system.