Donaldson presents new Dual-Stage Jet battery vent 

Donaldson has extended its range of battery venting systems with the Dual-Stage Jet, a brand-new design that takes electric vehicle (EV) safety to a whole new level by offering the industry’s fastest degassing capabilities, while streamlining the installation process for OEMs. Launched this week at The Battery Show in Stuttgart, Germany, Dual-Stage Jet has been purposely designed to meet the increased demands of today’s more complex and powerful batteries – from providing enhanced pressure equalisation and ingress protection under normal operating conditions to allowing gases to escape at rates of approximately 100 lit/sec at 100 mbar when necessary.

“Customers were telling us that they needed even higher degassing rates than what was available on the market, so the Donaldson Vehicle Electrification Development engineering team came up with a unique, creative design where the poppet and cap can be jettisoned to instantly produce a much larger opening for gas to escape and help mitigate thermal runaway,” explains Shane Campbell, Product Manager for Vehicle Electrification at Donaldson. “The pressure then rapidly decreases inside the pack, greatly reducing the risk of damage to additional cells and giving occupants extra time to escape from the vehicle.”

Tailored to OEM needs

Dual-Stage Jet is available in two distinct configurations – screw-in/bolt-on or quarter-turn bayonet fittings. Agricultural and other heavy-duty vehicle manufacturers are likely to favour the former, which can offer more flexibility for use in bulkier battery packs, while the lighter bayonet fittings will be of greater appeal to the automotive sector and provide clear haptic feedback of proper installation. 

The new vent is now available for vehicle manufacturers, with the possibility for them to work on further customising the design to their precise needs in partnership with Donaldson’s own application engineers. “Our customers often have different thicknesses of aluminium for their battery pack housing, but it’s easy for us to make an almost identical part that has a small change in the leg length when required,” says Matt Goode, Engineering Manager – Vehicle Electrification Development, Donaldson.