Using energy harvesting and a rechargeable battery to power a remote wireless IoT node seems like an obvious and straightforward solution, but there are some unique aspects to consider. Don’t get me wrong: I really like rechargeable batteries; in fact, I like them a lot. Whether based on lead-acid, nickel-cadmium, lithium-ion, or other chemistry, our […]

Sensata Technologies announced the availability of its new i-BMS battery management system (BMS) for electrified applications up to 60V. The new i-BMS Battery Management System from Sensata’s Lithium Balance product brand, acquired by Sensata earlier in the year, is cell chemistry agnostic, compact, integrated BMS developed for the cost-optimized mass-production of applications up to 60V, such as […]

Battery electric vehicles (BEV) and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV) are two “zero-emissions” vehicles. Although none achieve zero emissions, as discussed below. The amount of energy stored in a battery or hydrogen tank for a FCEV can be measured in two ways: Energy Density: Energy per unit volume, also known as volumetric energy density Specific…

Analog Devices, Inc. announced the MAX17330 battery management integrated circuit (IC) with integrated fuel gauge and advanced battery protection for one-cell lithium-ion/polymer batteries that delivers a longer battery runtime for consumer applications than similar products. The new IC expands ADI’s battery management portfolio, which already delivers accuracy for the automotive and industrial markets that are […]

The BD71631QWZ battery charger IC from Rohm Semiconductor is designed to provide low-voltage charging of wearables (e.g., wireless ear buds) and thin, compact IoT devices (e.g., smart displays) powered by rechargeable batteries. In recent years, the need for safer, higher density rechargeable batteries has led to the development of new battery types. This includes all-solid […]

Wireless charging allows an electric vehicle to be charged simply by parking it over a wireless charging pad containing an electrical coil. Vehicles can even be charged dynamically while driving along roads having multiple embedded coils. This works using the same principle as wireless phone charging or a transformer – electromagnetic induction. Induction is the…

Lithium-ion batteries are a popular type of rechargeable battery which stores energy in lithium ions. They typically have a lithium metal oxide cathode and a graphite anode, separated by a thin layer of lithium salt solution acting as the electrolyte. Different battery chemistries use different cathode, anode, and electrolyte materials to change the battery’s performance.…

Texas Instruments introduced a new bidirectional buck/boost converter with an ultra-low quiescent current (IQ) of 60 nA – one-third the IQ of competing boost converters. The TPS61094 buck/boost converter integrates a buck mode for supercapacitor charging while providing ultra-low IQ, enabling engineers to extend battery life by as much as 20% when compared to commonly used hybrid-layer […]

Siemens presents a new power conversion system for battery storage applications. The SINAMICS PCS grid converter makes locally generated batter power usable for industrial and public power grids. SINAMICS PCS controls the charging and discharging process of the battery and helps to handle load peaks and grid disturbances via the battery storage, to store the […]

With its new DCHV320 DC-DC converter, BrightLoop Converters is aiming to provide the best off-the-shelf DC-DC conversion solution to fuel cell vehicles by focusing on extreme power density and versatility. In a Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV), the fuel cell produces electricity to power the high-voltage batteries needed to run the electric motor. However, fuel […]