C-Therm and ZFW launch high-temperature instrument for battery thermal runaway testing
Category: Aerospace, Automotive, Batteries, Battery Management Systems, Insulation, Materials & Manufacturing, Testing & Validation, Thermal Management
The ZFW Guarded Heat Flow Meter operating at high temperature, used for battery thermal runaway testing and thermal conductivity characterisation of insulation materials up to 850 °C
(Image courtesy of C-Therm Technologies)
ZFW, the Stuttgart-based thermal management institute, has launched a Guarded Heat Flow Meter capable of testing insulation materials at temperatures up to 850 °C. C-Therm Technologies, the North American distributor of ZFW’s product line, will support distribution of the instrument, which targets applications including battery cell pads and thermal runaway protection systems. For engineers developing safer EV battery packs, it addresses a measurable gap in high-temperature material characterisation.
Battery thermal runaway testing at extreme temperatures
The new Guarded Heat Flow Meter measures thermal conductivity, thermal resistance, force, and compression across a temperature range of 25 to 850 °C. ZFW describes it as designed for demanding research environments, with high accuracy and reproducibility as core design targets.
The instrument covers a thermal conductivity range of 0.01 to 3 W/mK and accommodates samples from 0.1 to 25 mm in thickness, with a minimum sample size of 100 by 100 mm. Surface pressure can be varied between 0.01 and 4.0 MPa, allowing engineers to replicate realistic compression conditions for battery cell pad materials during characterisation.
Thermal management materials across six application areas
The Guarded Heat Flow Meter targets six stated application areas: aerospace, defence, battery cell pads, thermal barrier materials, thermal runaway protection systems, and high-performance insulation development. That breadth reflects ZFW’s wider research remit, which spans electromobility and battery thermal management alongside autonomous driving systems and LED technology. The institute handles over 100 industry and research projects each year.
C-Therm CEO Adam Harris said the meter represents a major step forward in material characterisation under extreme thermal conditions. Harris added that combining high-temperature capability with measurement accuracy is intended to help customers push the boundaries of material innovation.
C-Therm already distributes ZFW’s TIM-Tester in North America. The Guarded Heat Flow Meter extends that portfolio into higher-temperature battery thermal runaway testing territory, where validated material data directly supports pack-level thermal management design. The instrument was announced at the Thermal Management Expo in Cleveland, Ohio.
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