PRODUCTS & SERVICES
High voltage isolation
Enhanced crash protection of occupants through isolation of hybrid and
electric vehicles’ complex network of critical systems is a crucial challenge
How electric and hybrid
vehicles behave in crash
situations is one of the greatest
di erences between the latest,
and traditional, solely ICE-based
technologies. Isolating, and
therefore protecting, occupants
as well as first responders such
as ambulance personnel and
firefighters from high voltage
systems is one of the biggest
challenges. High impact crashes
can have devastating
consequences for a vehicle’s
structure, so protecting
the network of high
voltage cabling from
fracture is a priority.
In 2011, Federal-
Mogul’s system
protection business unit,
now part of Tenneco’s
Powertrain division,
introduced CrushShield
technology to provide
crash protection for high voltage
cabling, which in an automotive
context is anything above 60V,
although many applications exceed
350V. The crash protection
technology has since been updated
to provide further benefits for the
wider network of vehicle systems.
CrushShield safety sleeving uses
lightweight and flexible materials to
help optimize cabling harness mass
while protecting cables from
damage, isolating the electric
system from the vehicle. Since
its introduction, the flexibility of
High-voltage and potentially dangerous
cabling can be well protected by the
CrushShield technology
CrushShield protection products
have made harnesses easier to
route than those using
conventional, sti shielding. This
substantially reduces the risk of
incurring last-minute design
changes necessitated by potential
safety updates.
“Electric and hybrid vehicle
technology has moved on so
quickly in the last five years, in
particular, and the increasing
complexity of these vehicles
introduces fresh challenges,”
explains Gian Maria Olivetti, vice
president global engineering,
Tenneco Powertrain. “The volume
of cabling, tubing and wiring
required by latest generation
vehicles is vast when compared to
earlier models, all of which requires
a robust solution for protection.”
In response, says Olivetti, the
company’s technology has
undergone further development to
meet the demanding requirements
of 2019 and beyond.
156 // July 2019 // www.electrichybridvehicletechnology.com
For simple installation over cumbersome
connectors, the textile sleeves have a 4:1
shrink ratio
CrushShield 2448 sleeving is the
latest evolution of the technology
and features a high-performance,
multi-layer textile and a new heat
shrinkable design o ering even
greater energy absorption and
dissipation characteristics in a
crash situation, while also
protecting from abrasion.
CrushShield 2448 sleeves are
particularly suitable for hybrid and
battery electric vehicles, providing
protection for metallic tubes as well
as for other potentially sensitive
components such as air
conditioning and bus bars.
When crash tested, CrushShield
2248 technology enhanced crash
protection by more than 70-100%,
depending on the application. The
sleeve was tested using LV312-3
specifications and is classified as
class D. When tested for abrasion
according to LV312-3 specifications,
CrushShield 2448 sleeves far
exceeded the highest abrasion
category G ( 30,000 cycles).
CrushShield systems protection
products are designed in Exton,
Pennsylvania, USA and
manufactured at the company’s
Crépy-en-Valois facility in France.
In addition to its safety benefits,
CrushShield 2448 sleeving also
supports ease of installation and
meeting increasingly tough
packaging demands of the latest
vehicles. The textile sleeves have
a shrink ratio of 4:1 and a minimum
shrink temperature of 140C
284F, which enables simpler
installation over large connectors,
brackets and complex, sharp
contours. By eliminating the
need for additional fixation clips
or devices, and covering various
diameters with a single application
the product further helps
manufacturers to reduce
installation time and complexity.
CrushShield has
been developed
to protect cabling
and metallic tubes
in high impact
vehicle crashes
FREE READER INQUIRY SERVICE
To learn more about Tenneco Powertrain,
visit: www.magupdate.co.uk/PEHV
/www.electrichybridvehicletechnology.com
/PEHV