Battery energy storage systems (BESS) demand fluid routing solutions that can withstand years of thermal cycling, vibration, and chemical exposure without failure. Unfortunately, traditional approaches using multi-piece assemblies with mechanical fittings create numerous potential leak points and introduce assembly complexity that increases both cost and risk.
Engineered, formed tubing with overmolded connections eliminates these vulnerabilities by integrating multiple components into single, leak-resistant assemblies.
If you’re designing BESS cooling systems, you’re in luck.
Read on to find out how engineered tubing improves reliability in your cooling systems and directly impacts long-term system performance.
The Problem With Multi-Piece Fluid Routing Assemblies
Conventional BESS cooling systems rely on extruded plastic tube sections connected by mechanical fittings, clamps, or threaded joints. Each connection point introduces potential failure modes.
Mechanical Joint Vulnerabilities
Fittings and clamps depend on compression forces to maintain seals. Over time, thermal expansion and contraction cycles weaken these connections. Vibration from transportation or operation loosens clamps. Chemical interaction between coolants and O-rings or gaskets causes degradation.
Assembly Complexity and Cost
Multi-piece assemblies require significant labor during production. Each connection must be properly torqued, inspected, and tested. Assembly errors introduce quality risks that may not manifest until the system is in operation.
Formed Tubing: Routing Through Complex Geometries
BESS pack geometries present routing challenges that straight tube sections cannot efficiently address. Formed tubing allows coolant paths to navigate tight spaces between cell modules while maintaining consistent flow characteristics.
Eliminating Unnecessary Joints
By forming tubes to precise three-dimensional geometries, you eliminate the need for elbow fittings and couplers at every direction change. A single formed tube can replace what would otherwise require five or six separate components joined by mechanical fittings.
Maintaining Flow Performance
Custom plastic injection molding techniques create smooth bends without flow restrictions.
Unlike threaded fittings that create turbulence and pressure drops, formed tubes maintain laminar flow throughout the routing path. The resulting flow consistency improves heat transfer efficiency and reduces pump requirements.
Overmolded Connections: Permanent, Leak-Free Joints
Thermoplastic injection molding over tube ends creates molecular bonds between the tube and fitting that cannot be achieved with mechanical compression. Plastic injection molders use precisely controlled processes to encapsulate tube ends within injection-molded fittings, creating unified assemblies.
Superior Chemical and Thermal Resistance
Overmolded joints withstand the same coolant exposure as the tube itself. There are no dissimilar materials or interfaces where chemical attack can compromise seal integrity. When you select materials with appropriate crosslinked polyethylene properties or other engineered polymers, the entire assembly maintains chemical resistance throughout its service life.
Pressure and Temperature Cycling Performance
Mechanical seals rely on compression forces that change as materials expand and contract with temperature. Overmolded connections flex uniformly with the tube body, eliminating differential movement that causes seal failure. Testing demonstrates that overmolded assemblies maintain leak-free performance through thousands of thermal cycles.
Vibration Resistance in Mobile and Containerized Systems
Transportable BESS units and shipping container installations experience significant vibration during transport and operation. Mechanical connections can work loose over time, particularly at stress concentration points where rigid fittings meet flexible tubing.
Overmolded assemblies distribute stress across the entire joint area rather than concentrating forces at clamp points. The molecular bond between the tube and fitting prevents relative movement that causes fretting and eventual failure. For mobile applications, eliminating vibration-induced failures significantly improves reliability.
Material Engineering for Demanding Environments
BESS cooling systems require materials that resist glycol-based coolants while maintaining mechanical properties across wide temperature ranges. Material selection directly impacts long-term reliability.
Crosslinked Polymer Performance
Crosslinking enhances several critical properties. Burst strength increases substantially compared to non-crosslinked materials. Heat deflection temperature rises, allowing operation at higher coolant temperatures. Chemical resistance improves, particularly against aggressive coolant formulations.
The crosslinked polyethylene properties make XLPE particularly suitable for high-performance cooling applications where standard polyethylene would degrade prematurely.
Tailored Material Selection
Different BESS applications require different material solutions. Stationary grid-scale installations may prioritize long-term chemical resistance. Mobile units require enhanced impact resistance. Working with experienced plastic injection molders allows you to select materials optimized for your specific operating conditions.
How Formed Tubing Simplifies OEM Production Workflows
Pre-assembled tubing systems with overmolded connections arrive ready to install. Your production team connects fewer components, performs fewer quality checks, and reduces assembly time.
Quality control shifts upstream to the component supplier. Leak testing, pressure testing, and dimensional verification occur before parts arrive at your facility. Assembly errors decrease because there are fewer operations to perform incorrectly.
Design Better Cooling Systems With the Right Manufacturing Partner
Designing effective BESS cooling systems requires understanding how manufacturing processes, material properties, and assembly techniques intersect. You need partners who bring expertise in formed tubing, custom plastic injection molding, material science, and application engineering.
Improve reliability in your BESS cooling system in just one call.
Contact us today to discuss how thermoplastic injection molding and formed tubing solutions can enhance performance and reduce assembly complexity in your next project.
