Trident™ Application Highlight: Thermal Conductivity and Effusivity of EV Car Seat Materials
This document highlights the use of the Modified Transient Plane Source (MTPS) method for characterizing the thermal conductivity and thermal effusivity of foam, insulation, and fabric materials used in an electric vehicle car seat.
The thermal properties of materials in direct contact with the human body influence perceived comfort and sensory quality. For an EV car seat, two thermal properties are particularly relevant. Thermal effusivity governs the immediate warm or cool sensation experienced when a person first contacts the seat surface; it quantifies how readily the material exchanges heat with the skin. Thermal conductivity governs heat dissipation through the seat structure and is relevant to the performance of active heating and cooling systems and to the thermal resistance (R-value) of the seat assembly.
Figure 1. Interior of an EV and a faux-leather car seat.
All measurements were performed using the Modified Transient Plane Source (MTPS) method, available exclusively on the Trident Thermal Conductivity Instrument, at ambient temperature. Results are the average of ten measurements taken over two test sets. The base foam was also tested under increasing compressive force loads from 10 to 500 gf using the Compression Test Accessory (CTA).
To read more, download the PDF below.