Honeywell and Nexceris aim to develop a suite of battery monitoring sensors to prevent thermal runaway.
North Carolina-based conglomerate, Honeywell’s Indian subsidiary has partnered with energy solutions provider Nexceris, to develop lithium-ion gas detection solutions to make electric vehicles (EVs) safer.
Honeywell India’s collaboration with Nexceris aims to develop an advanced suite of battery monitoring sensors to help automotive manufacturers strengthen their battery health monitoring systems with the ability to detect thermal runaway conditions even earlier than before.
“Fires from lithium-ion batteries are dangerous and often difficult to contain after they start. By combining our shared expertise in battery sensing and gas detection technology with Honeywell’s extensive manufacturing capabilities, we will be working towards offering our vehicle manufacturing customers a more advanced safety solution and meeting the growing demand for lithium-ion batteries,” said Kyle Shen, president and CEO, Nexceris.
Lithium-ion batteries contain a large amount of energy in a very small space. Under normal operation, they rapidly convert chemical energy to electrical energy. Thermal runaway occurs when the battery cell short circuits and heats up uncontrollably, resulting in a fire.
The two companies will collaborate with leading global vehicle manufacturers to deliver advanced gas detection solutions in EV battery packs to allow for early intervention, helping avoid costly property damage and safety issues.
Rajesh Rege, President, Honeywell India, said, “As more people switch to electric vehicles, automakers need to supply Lithium-ion batteries that are reliable, safe and secure at every point of their lifespan. EV sales are likely to increase exponentially in the coming months and years due to the demand incentives provided under FAME II, the launch of State policies, rising fuel prices, tightening emission laws and increasing awareness of the green environment.”
Honeywell and Nexceris formed a strategic alliance in 2020 to address lithium-ion battery system safety for energy storage applications. Honeywell’s early warning smoke detection technology combined with Li-ion Tamer’s off-gas detection technology offered a safe, redundant way to protect facilities of any scale.
