Pioneering Sustainable Solutions for EVs!
In lubricant technology, the industry continues to develop alongside advancements in electric vehicle (EV) technology and sustainable energy solutions. Innovations in lubricants and fluids are crucial as OEMs shift towards hybrid and fully electric drivetrains, necessitating specialized products for optimal performance and efficiency. These developments are fundamental in enhancing the functionality and longevity of critical components such as batteries, e-motors and inverters, thereby supporting the broader adoption of EVs globally.
Volker Null, serving as Technology Manager Thermal & Dielectric Fluids with an illustrious 32-year career at Shell, exemplifies leadership in technology management for thermal and dielectric fluids. His journey at the company spans various essential roles, culminating in his current position, where he oversees global initiatives for battery thermal fluids, data center cooling solutions and industrial specialty oils. Volker’s expertise underscores the company’s commitment to advancing sustainable lubricant solutions tailored to meet the emerging demands of modern transportation and energy sectors.
At the forefront of these innovations stands Shell, a global leader in energy solutions committed to driving progress towards both net-zero carbon emissions from its operations and net-zero carbon emissions from the energy products it sells by 2050[1]. Through strategic partnerships with OEMs, component manufacturers and engineering firms, Shell continues to pioneer advancements in lubricant technologies that optimize performance and reduce environmental impact. These collaborative efforts are instrumental in shaping the future of mobility and energy efficiency, supporting a sustainable transition towards electric-powered systems and infrastructure.
Let’s explore the transformative journey of Volker:
Decades of Leadership in Lubricant Technology and Strategic Innovation
Volker has amassed a 32-year career at Shell, during which he held various pivotal roles within the lubricant technology organization. His expertise spans product development, lubricant application specialization, group management, technology management and strategic technology. Throughout most of his tenure, he operated at the interface between technical and commercial lubricant functions.
His career trajectory began with roles as project leader for transformer oils and team leader for special analytics, followed by his appointment as technology manager for industrial specialty oils. Subsequently, as delivery manager of lubricants, he oversaw operations at the company Technology Center Hamburg. During a brief stint as an advisor for strategic technology, he played a critical role in supporting the divestment of its lubricant manufacturing plant.
Volker then transitioned to roles as a product application specialist, catering to European automotive OEMs and the global power industry. Since 2019, he has held the position of managing the thermal and dielectric fluids technology area, assuming global responsibility for battery thermal fluids, immersion cooling fluids for data centers and industrial specialty oils (including transformer oils and refrigeration and heat transfer oils).
Recognizing his profound expertise and contributions, three years ago, Volker was appointed as one of Shell’s Principal Science Experts.
From Organic Chemistry to Pioneering Fluid Innovations in EV Technology
After earning a doctorate in Organic Chemistry from the University of Stuttgart, Germany, Volker commenced his career at Shell in 1992, starting at the technology center in Hamburg. His initial responsibilities included serving as project leader for transformer oil, followed by leading the special analytical team responsible for conducting physical and electrical tests on dielectric fluids.
Reflecting on his extensive 32-year tenure in lubricants technology at Shell, Volker dedicated over two decades to various facets of dielectric fluids. His experience ranged from development, testing and technology management to specialized expertise in lubricant applications within the power industry and OEM relationships. Alongside these roles, he honed his leadership skills in group management and gained exposure to strategic technology initiatives.
Around five years ago, driven by the emerging priority of ultra-fast charging performance in electric vehicles (EVs), Volker transitioned into his current role as technology manager for thermal & dielectric fluids. Leveraging his accumulated knowledge, he focused on assessing the technical potential of hydrocarbon fluids for battery thermal management in collaboration with car OEMs, battery manufacturers and component suppliers. His responsibilities also encompassed pioneering the development of this innovative fluid category.
Advancing Lubricant Technology for Electric Drivetrains
In response to the evolution towards hybrid and fully electric drivetrains by OEMs in the transport sector, new components and hardware are necessitating innovative lubricants and fluids for optimal functionality. For instance, wet e-motors may require specialized e-transmission fluids for cooling and lubrication of gears or thermal fluids for cooling both e-motors and inverters. These lubricants and fluids play a crucial role in enhancing the efficiency of components and systems, thereby contributing to the extended range of electric vehicles.
Shell is actively engaged in close collaboration with numerous OEMs, component manufacturers and engineering firms to advance lubricant technology tailored for new hardware and systems.
Advanced Lubricants and Fluids for Electric Vehicles
Various types of lubricants, greases and fluids play critical roles in electric vehicles (EVs) akin to internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. EVs incorporate new components such as batteries, inverters and e-motors that require lubrication, cooling and protection. Hybrid vehicles, which integrate both combustion engines and electric motors, necessitate specialized engine oils formulated to meet distinct operational requirements differing from traditional ICE vehicles. Conversely, full-battery electric vehicles (BEVs) exclusively rely on electric motors, electrical systems and larger batteries, demanding unique fluid types and quantities compared to ICE vehicles. Effective thermal management of batteries, inverters and e-motors is crucial for ensuring efficient and safe vehicle performance and supporting their longevity.
In parallel, sustainable and alternative fuels like ammonia, hydrogen and ethanol are under active development across various transport sectors. These fuels require dedicated lubricant formulations to ensure optimal performance and equipment protection. Lubricants remain essential for both hybrid and full EVs, with specific applications such as engine oils for hybrid vehicles and thermal fluids for cooling e-motors in EVs, either through conventional water-jacket systems or direct oil cooling methods.
Advancing Sustainable Lubricant Solutions
Shell’s “Powering Progress” strategy aims for the company to be a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050, emphasizing a shift towards low and carbon-free solutions while facilitating customer decarbonization efforts. Noteworthy advancements include the development of synthetic base oils derived from gas rather than crude oil leveraging Shell’s proprietary gas-to-liquids (GTL) technology, reflecting its commitment to continued research and development. Aligning with the growth of e-mobility, it offers a dedicated portfolio of specialized fluids and greases tailored to electric vehicles (EVs), including both readily biodegradable GTL options alongside new bio-based ester formulations through the recent acquisition of MIVOLT. Additionally, it utilizes re-refined base oils sourced from used oils received from Puraglobe facilities in Germany, enhancing sustainability across its lubricants blending operations.
Further reinforcing its commitment, Shell is investing in its Energy and Chemicals Parks in Rheinland, Germany, by converting a hydrocracker unit into a new base oil manufacturing facility. These advanced base oils support the formulation of high-performance engine oils, gear oils and the EV-Plus product line. As OEMs transition towards EVs to mitigate environmental impact, Shell’s fluid solutions help to bridge the competitive gap with internal combustion engines (ICEs), promoting solutions that enable wider and faster adoption of EVs and contributing to reduced carbon footprints with enhanced circularity potential.
Collaborative Advances in Battery Fluid Technology
The organization collaborates closely with OEMs to comprehensively understand their requirements and jointly develop fluids that meet both technical specifications and commercial objectives. A prominent example of this technical partnership is evident in its collaboration with Austria-based battery manufacturer KREISEL Electric. Approximately six years ago, Shell proposed a candidate fluid for assessment in KREISEL’s equipment, leading to the development and commercialization of Shell E5 TM 410 thermal e-fluid, specifically designed for direct, immersive cooling of EV batteries. Subsequently, KREISEL has integrated this fluid (currently marketed as Shell EV-Plus TM 410 HP) into their commercialized battery packs, marking a significant milestone in their partnership.
Shell’s commitment to innovation extends to long-standing technical collaborations with institutions such as Tsinghua University in China and engineering firms like Exoes in France. These partnerships have successfully delivered multiple projects focused on enhancing battery performance.
Innovation in fluid development includes a diverse range of candidate fluids leveraging its GTL base oil technology and ester-based formulations. These developments are supported by in-house testing capabilities across Shell’s technology centers in Japan, China, Germany, the UK and the USA. Furthermore, it augments its development efforts with computational modeling expertise from specialists based in Bangalore.
Successful safety tests with Shell thermal fluids demonstrated no thermal propagation and no fire across multiple abuse tests involving immersive modules for all three cell form factors (cylindrical, prismatic and pouch). These abuse tests included the most challenging high-energy battery cells with both prismatic and pouch NMC-811 cell chemistry.
Compared to indirect cooling, immersive battery designs have also been shown to remove heat and allow better temperature homogeneity, which can extend battery cell and pack life and thus can contribute to TCO savings.
Immersive thermal management can also deliver more effective cooling (and heating) than indirect cooling, which can enable faster charging of battery packs and faster pre-conditioning from cold.
Innovating Battery Thermal Management Technology
Listening to customers and understanding their needs is important in steering technology development towards addressing both product performance and commercial viability. This process demands continuous learning, adaptation of new ideas and a collaborative approach in partnerships with OEMs, component manufacturers and engineering firms to drive innovation in lubricant technologies.
Until recently, immersive battery thermal management was perceived as a niche technology predominantly reliant on fluorinated liquids. However, by generating compelling technical data using PFAS-free thermal fluids, demonstrating their superior performance in battery safety and efficiency tests, and consistently advocating these results, the industry can broaden the adoption of this promising technology.
Advancing Dielectric Fluid Applications
For over 130 years, transformer oils have served as essential cooling agents for transformers. Recently, dielectric fluids have found new applications, particularly as thermal fluids for EV battery management, cooling agents for e-motors, inverters and fast chargers, and immersion cooling fluids for data centers as well as battery energy storage systems.
The global expansion of electric power generation and distribution forecasts a rise in transformer installations. With increased reliance on wind and solar power, significant investments in stationary battery units are anticipated to stabilize the energy supply during periods of low renewable energy production. Additionally, the burgeoning demand for AI technologies necessitates expanded data center capacities equipped with more powerful CPU or GPU technologies.
Dielectric immersion cooling fluids offer an efficient alternative to traditional air-cooled systems, potentially reducing energy consumption in data centers by up to 48%.
