Eaton introduces battery vent valve for EVs
Energy management company Eaton is introducing a 3-in-1 vent valve for electric vehicle batteries. The valve is designed to be flexibly installed, using a spring-based actuation technology, which allows Eaton to accommodate different opening pressure requirements with the same valve design.
The valve combines three functions: a mechanism to check the tightness of the battery housing, as well as passive and active venting to relieve excess pressure in the battery housing. The venting function eliminates the need to install a vent valve as the final step of the battery assembly process, which is standard in today’s electric vehicle architectures.
Eaton further advertises that the vent’s battery case leak-check feature eliminates the need to install the vent valve, as “Leak testing with Eaton’s 3-in-1 battery vent valve is more thorough than traditional methods, as it includes testing the sealing surface of the vent itself when the battery vent valve is already assembled”. In addition, a software tool was developed to allow customers to actuate leak-checking already on the assembly line, allowing for testing through pressurization or in a vacuum.
“Our new 3-in-1 battery vent valve can be assembled both through our robust quick-connect feature or by a screwed metal-to-metal connection, providing our customers the freedom to choose their preferred assembly method while ensuring a sturdy connection that stays in place,” said Jens Buhlinger, manager, Battery Technology Development, Eaton’s Vehicle Group. He further explained: “We’re excited to offer a 3-in-1 technology that helps ensure the system integrity of increasingly powerful EVs.”
In 2021, Eaton had last made headlines with a $4.9 million grant from the US Department of Energy to reduce the cost and complexity of DC charging infrastructure. “We’re leveraging long-standing expertise, research and partnerships to fast-track the electrification of transport by reducing the steps required to connect charging systems directly to the utility distribution system,” said Chris Butler, president for Critical Power and Digital Infrastructure at Eaton at the time. With the new product development, it appears that Eaton took simplicity in EV development to heart.
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