January 2013

Feature Article

Testing Requirements in the Electric Vehicle Industry
Electric vehicle sales have steadily increased over the last few years, and the number of electric and plug-in hybrid models available on the market is expected to nearly double by the end of 2013. This increase in sales and manufacturing coupled with innovative technological achievements in the US automotive industry gives promise to this relatively new and emerging industry. ...read more

Battery Blog

The Tail Wagging the Dog
The end-of-the-year holidays (hopefully) gave all of us a little quiet time to relax and reflect. This year, I finally took the time to clean out some old boxes that had been tucked away in the back corner of my office closet... mostly old notebooks and drawings from projects long ago forgotten. But I found one interesting artifact that I decided to keep for its historical value,  the first Lithium-Ion battery spec sheet that I had,  a faxed copy, no less, from 1993. ...read more

Cadex Electronics, Inc. is an established global leader in battery management products. With 30 years of experience developing and commercializing technologies for testing and servicing batteries, Cadex has delivered solutions to many of the world’s largest companies in radio and cellular communications, medical devices, portable computing, and aviation.

New innovations include the versatile C8000 Advanced Battery Testing System that allows you to optimize batteries at every stage of product life, and the C5100 Battery Testing System that delivers tremendous value to cellular retailers.

Cadex is ISO 9001and ISO13485 (Medical) certified and our products are sold in over 100 countries.

Cadex Electronics Inc.
22000 Fraserwood Way • Richmond, BC V6W1J6 Canada
Contact: Sales • 604-231-7777 • info@cadex.com
www.cadex.com • www.BatteryUniversity.com

Microchip Launches 8-bit Microcontrollers with Integrated Configurable Logic in 6- to 20-pin Packages
The PIC10F(LF)32X and PIC1XF(LF)150X MCUs each feature new peripherals, including Configurable Logic Cells (CLCs), Complementary Waveform Generators (CWGs) and Numerically Controlled Oscillators (NCOs), enabling functionality that was not possible before with low pincount MCUs. These general-purpose MCUs enable designers to enhance the functionality, reduce design size, and decrease the cost and power consumption of products.

The CLC peripherals on the PIC10F(LF)32X and PIC1XF(LF)150X MCUs enable software control of combinational and sequential logic, which increases the on-chip interconnection of peripherals and I/Os, thereby reducing external components, saving code space and adding functionality. The CWG peripheral works with multiple peripherals to generate complementary waveforms with dead-band control and auto shutdown, which provides improved switching efficiencies. Additionally, the NCO peripheral enables linear frequency control and high resolution, which is required for applications such as lighting ballast, tone generation and other resonant control circuits. The MCUs also feature low power consumption, with currents of less than 30 µA/MHz in active mode, and less than 20 nA in sleep; as well as an on-chip 16 MHz internal oscillator, Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC), and up to 4 Pulse-Width Modulation peripherals. An integrated temperature-indicator module enables low-cost temperature measurements.

To facilitate application development, the PICDEM Lab Development Kit (part # DM163045, $134.99) now includes samples of both the PIC10F322 and PIC16F1507 MCUs. Additionally, the F1 Evaluation Platform (part # DM164130-1, $39.99) is available for development with enhanced mid-range core 8-bit PIC MCUs, including the PIC1XF(LF)150X family. Also available is a free CLC Configuration Tool, to streamline the setup process of the CLC module by simulating the functionality of the registers and combinational logic in a graphical user interface (GUI).

The PIC10F(LF)320 and PIC10F(LF)322 MCUs are available in a 6-pin SOT-23 package, as well as 8-pin PDIP and 2 mm x 3 mm DFN packages. The PIC12F(LF)1501 MCU will be available in 8-pin PDIP, SOIC, MSOP and 2 mm x 3 mm DFN packages, and the PIC16F(LF)1503 MCU in 14-pin PDIP, SOIC and TSSOP packages, as well as a 3 mm x 3 mm QFN package. The PIC16F(LF)1507 MCU is available in 20-pin SSOP, PDIP, SOIC, and 4 mm x 4 mm QFN packages, as will the PIC16F(LF)1508/9 MCUs, when available. Pricing starts at $0.37 each, in 10,000-unit quantities.

Click here for more information.

Narrow Profile CR2032 Battery Retainer
MPD newest edition to the retainer family is a narrow profile version, P/N BC-2003 for 20 mm diameter batteries. Offering a narrow width and weighting 0.48 grams is just the beginning of its benefits. The low cost of the BC-2003 retainer make it particularly suitable for consumer products, single-use devices, RFID other price sensitive applications.

The Lithium battery retainer is made of nickel-plated phosphor bronze. Offering dual pressure contacts with low electrical resistance that are optimized to keep a tight connection with the battery. Shock and vibration resistant with trouble free use in most electronic applications. The battery is easily changed without tools or instructions due to the intuitive design and shape.

Typical lithium coin cells used in the BC-2003 retainer include the ever popular BR2032 and CR2032 batteries. Rechargeable types included ML2032, VL2032 and LIR2032 batteries. The BC-2003 also accepts other types of batteries with a height of 2.5 to 3.2 mm. CR2032 lithium batteries typically have a capacity of 220 mAh with a weight of approximately 3.0 grams. The product family features more than 25 variations accepting cells from 4 mm diameter (ML414) and up to 24 mm diameter (CR2450).

Renesas Electronics Introduces Lithium-Ion Battery Charge Controller IC with Support for Large-Current Rapid Charging
Renesas Electronics Corp. has released the R2A20057BM lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery charge controller IC for mobile devices employing one cell Li-ion batteries, such as digital still cameras and smartphones. The R2A20057BM integrates a step-down DC-DC converter and supports 2 A large-current charging in very small package in the world’s smallest class.

As digital still cameras, smartphones and other mobile devices gain higher levels of functionality, their current usage increases, requiring bigger capacity of Li-ion batteries, and larger currents for charging these batteries. However, systems for large-current charging employ multiple power metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) and discrete passive components, and large-scale heat emission structure under large-current handling, while they need mounting area compactness especially for mobile devices.

To solve these problems, the R2A20057BM reduces the mounting area by integrating multiple power MOSFETs and charging circuits in a single chip, using a wafer-level package, a packaging technology that can also supply large amounts of current due to reduced package resistance. In addition, it incorporates a highly efficient on-chip step-down DC-DC converter to realize large-current charging while keeping heat generation to a minimum.

Low-Cost Battery Testing Solution from CAS DataLoggers
>Heavy machinery, electric forklifts and other systems often experience battery drains during startup, when much of the current is devoted to running large engines, leaving this equipment starved for power. Now CAS DataLoggers supplies the low-cost solution with the Two Channel DC Voltage and Current Data Logger, recording DC voltage and DC current (avg, max and min) at high accuracy. The voltage and current logger is provided in a comprehensive kit which includes the data logger, a DC current probe, three fused voltage leads, a USB lead, a 12 VDC  PSU and software.

This model is specifically designed to accurately monitor one or two DC voltage channels from 1 V to 300 VDC, and one DC current channel (+/-10 A or +/-100 A). This enables many battery testing applications including monitoring PV (photovoltaic) cell output, DC charger performance, and other uses including equipment monitoring of DC motors. For reliable protection from dust and damage, the data logger is rated IP65, with NEMA 12/4 rated versions also available.

Users can select an averaging period to suit each situation, accurate to <1 percent of range. When recording, the DC logger will store the average DC voltage and DC current over the period chosen (user-settable from 1 sec to 60 min), and will also record the highest and lowest values during that period. Memory capacity is 32,000 true RMS values per channel (10 bit), providing up to 300 days of continuous recording. All the stored data is uploaded to a PC via the supplied USB cable, and for simple storage, the data logger fits easily into the included carrying case.

Gomadic Unveils Solar Chargers

Gomadic has launched SunVolt and SunVolt Max portable solar chargers. Unlike typical solar chargers, the SunVolt allows for charging speeds identical to that of a traditional wall charger, while still boasting a portable design. Equipped with multiple charger outputs, users can power more than one electronic device at a time.

SunVolt and SunVolt Max are engineered with monocrystalline photovoltaic technology.. There is no battery required for operation, offering an instant charging experience. The specially crafted power circuit has been carefully designed to ensure power from the sun is converted to usable energy and not wasted on electrical overhead. These solar chargers power any device at 5.5 V or less which accounts for most consumer electronics including smartphones, cameras and MP3 players.

By doubling as a lightweight water-resistant carrying case, SunVolt’s intelligently portable design offers maximum traveling capabilities for any type of outdoor activity. It is also equipped with a built in arm-strap, a zipper pouch and inside pockets for all of your devices. Additionally, the custom-designed adjustable “prop” system delivers a quick and easy way to charge virtually anywhere, and ensure optimal exposure to the sun. 

The SunVolt and SunVolt Max are packaged with one USB tip that is compatible with most popular devices, and other tips are available for separate purchase.

Innergie Introduces the Compact and Lightweight PocketCell Duo
Innergie has introduced the PocketCell Duo rechargeable battery bank. Accompanying the growing number of portable consumer devices is the all too familiar experience of low battery warnings at the most inconvenient time. With 6,800 mAh battery capacity, more than double the power of PocketCell, and dual 2.1 Amp USB power ports, the PocketCell Duo can fast charge two devices at the same time, delivering portable power when battery power is exhausted or typical power sources are not accessible. The PocketCell Duo is certified for use with iPads, iPhones and iPods, works with Android tablets and smartphones, and has a suggested list price of $99.99 US.

The PocketCell Duo includes Innergie’s InnerShield suite of protections with short circuit, over temperature, over current, over power, and over voltage protection ensuring reliable performance with over 10,000 portable devices and giving consumers the confidence to charge their device with greater efficiency and less impact on the long term life of device batteries.

Panacis Receives Patent that Improves Performance and Extends Life of Lithium Batteries at High Temperatures
The US Patent Office has granted Panacis, Inc. a patent that improves rechargeable battery operation and cycle life at high ambient temperatures, a challenge for high energy density lithium ion cells.  The proprietary technology involves a complex algorithm in the Battery Management System (BMS) that dynamically adjusts certain parameters in response to cell temperature.

To date, Panacis' preliminary testing has shown a lifetime increase from four months to more than 19 months for a battery exposed to temperatures of 55°C.

"The ability both to operate efficiently at high temperatures and to extend the battery's life at these temperatures is critical for our military markets," said Steve Carkner, inventor, founder and CTO of Panacis.  "It is particularly applicable for our soldier system and ground vehicle applications." 

Panacis utilizes its own in-house, proprietary BMS in its products. This allows custom tailoring of the battery and also allows innovations to be deployed easily, sometimes by simply updating the battery's software.

"Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) battery management systems are fine for toys and consumer gadgets, but they lack the flexibility to tackle the serious energy storage needs of our military and industrial clients," added Mr. Carkner.

This patented technology is also relevant to other applications such as electric vehicles.  Extending the life of lithium batteries under extreme temperatures could reduce or even eliminate the need for cooling on electric vehicles. This would in turn reduce battery pack cost, size and weight resulting in vehicles that can go farther on a single charge.

Saft Awarded Additional $1.3 Million by BAE Systems for US Army’s Ground Combat Vehicle Lithium-Ion Energy Storage System
BAE Systems has awarded Saft with $1.3 million in new funding for the continued development of a Lithium-ion (Li-Ion) energy storage system for the US Army’s Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV) program.  Saft, which is designing and building ultra- high-power cells for the vehicle’s hybrid electric drive system, has already completed the demo battery system including hardware and software.

The GCV is part of a growing list of military vehicle prototypes for which Saft has supplied advanced energy storage solutions (ESS). The new funding for the GCV project is an addition to the initial 2010 contract.

The GCV is a nine-man Infantry Carrier that can protect against threats, move in urban and off-road terrain and accommodate emerging technologies such as lightweight armor composites and electronics. Comprised of ultra-high-power, high-voltage VL 5U cells, the Li-ion ESS supports the GCV’s electric drive system when the vehicle is not running on gasoline, such as during silent watch missions. The ESS system employs green technologies which improves vehicle fuel consumption and improves weight savings. Saft’s proposed ESS reduces the program cost and provides a highly reliable product by leveraging already developed subsystems and components from other qualified system to use on the GCV program.

Axion Power Residential Energy Storage Hub Certified To UL, CSA Safety Standards
Axion Power International, Inc.’s Residential Energy Storage Hub (HUB) has achieved certification to UL1741, IEEE 1547 and Canadian Standards Association (CSA) safety standards. The certification will effectively allow the HUB to be marketed and installed throughout North America. The UL 1741 Standard covers converters, inverters, controllers and interconnection system equipment for use with distributed energy resources.  Going forward, all Axion HUB units will bear labeling attesting to the certifications.

The Residential Energy Storage Hub offers secure home power for the high-end residential market segment including uninterruptible, distortion-free power capabilities, as well as an ability to store energy from renewable sources or from the electric grid. The HUB also protects a residence's electrical circuitry, prioritizes its circuits and has the ability to be grid-connected so that either on a regular or occasional basis the homeowner can participate in demand-response and/or power curtailment with a local utility.

Axion Power Chairman and CEO Thomas Granville said, "The Residential Storage Hub performed very well throughout the entire testing protocol. End dates are sometimes difficult to predict when strenuous testing protocol standards such as UL are involved, so we didn't commit to specific go-forward time frames back in September. Now that this major hurdle has been cleared, we can move forward on all fronts of commercialization and bring the product to market."

The HUB is based on the same technology and design as the Axion PowerCube, a power storage system that includes strings of PbC batteries that provide the product's real value proposition. The PowerCube leverages the PbC's exceptionally long life, extremely high charge acceptance, fast rate of re-charge and its inherent ability to equalize charge in battery strings and in individual battery cells.
The basic "plug and play" HUB residential system includes PbC batteries and all the necessary electronics including a bi-directional inverter and electronics that modify operation to four-quadrant functionality. Other premium products would add features to produce exceptionally clean undistorted power when used with renewables, such as solar or wind, the utility grid, or from generators. 

ZPower Announces ISO 9001:2008 Certification for Rechargeable Silver-Zinc Batteries

ZPower LLC, has received ISO 9001:2008 certification from the global auditing firm BSI. This certification covers ZPower’s processes for the design, manufacture, marketing and distribution of rechargeable silver-zinc batteries.

“ISO 9001:2008 certification reflects our commitment to being the premier developer and manufacturer of silver-zinc batteries through continually improving the effectiveness of our quality management system,” said Dr. Ross Dueber, President and CEO of ZPower. “During the past three years we have designed and installed two manufacturing lines to produce rechargeable hearing aid batteries, and we’ll soon release our first batteries into the market. Certification is a significant milestone given that quality is such a critical element for this application. Hearing aid manufacturers, hearing care professionals, and their patients can be confident that ZPower batteries are designed and produced according to the highest standards of quality.”

“Our silver-zinc chemistry possesses significantly more energy than either nickel metal-hydride or lithium-ion technologies, and is the key enabler for new hearing aid designs to continue moving from disposable, zinc-air batteries to rechargeable batteries,” said Herb Weigel, ZPower’s Vice President Manufacturing. “ISO 9001:2008 certification further assures our customers that we are highly capable of delivering a quality product that will bring the convenience and environmental benefits of rechargeable battery technology to this market.”
ISO (International Organization for Standardization) is the source of the ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 families of quality and environmental management standards and some 18,200 International Standards for business, government and society.

Arkema and OXIS Partner to Develop Next Generation of Battery Technology

Polymer Lithium Sulfur cells battery technology is considered to be the next generation of battery, complementary to Lithium-ion systems. It has the best performance record among all battery technologies to date. Compared to other batteries currently on the market, this technology displays double the energy density as well as reliability and low manufacturing and operating costs. OXIS Energy Limited, a company that specializes in the design, development and commercial production of these batteries, and Arkema, a global chemicals producer,have signed a Joint Development Agreement to further improve the performance of Polymer Lithium Sulfur cells battery.

During the past 10 years, Arkema has built up a great knowledge base in the Lithium-ion battery technology. This expertise, along with its portfolio of specialty components, is why a partnership with   OXIS will inevitably improve the performance components of the Polymer Lithium Sulfur cells technology. OXIS and Arkema have identified several areas where key enhancements could be made, both in terms of both power delivered and reliability of Polymer Lithium Sulfur electro-chemical technology.

The parties have agreed that Arkema will provide access to different specialty materials like carbon nanotubes, electrolyte and advanced technical polymers that could be tested by OXIS for use in developing and extending its technology. The collaboration’s aim is to optimize two aspects: the conductivity increase of the electrolyte that should improve energy density, and reinforcement of mechanical resistance of some components in order to extend the lifetime and safety of the battery.

This partnership is expected to last several years, and it is hoped that Arkema will become the leading supplier of new high technical compounds used in next-generation Polymer Lithium battery systems for electric vehicles, solar and wind power systems and defence equipments. 

Event Listings

The conference provides an excellent forum to discuss new developments in technology, market conditions and end-user requirements that are driving innovation, capabilities and features, application trends and performance improvements. Attendees include top executives, technical managers and engineering professionals from battery pack and cell manufacturers, original equipment manufacturers, system developers and integrators, dealers and component providers.

Call for Presentations •  Exhibitor Information

IWCE
March 11-15
Las Vegas, Nev.

IWCE Connects the Working World to Mobile Voice, Video and Data Solutions
IWCE, taking place March 11-15 (Exhibits: March 13-14), is the authoritative annual event for communications technology in the working world. Over 7,500 technology buyers from a diverse group of industry professionals from government, public safety, transportation, utilities and other enterprises gather together at IWCE to see the latest in effective and efficient wireless communications systems. The tradeshow features over 330 of the top manufacturers showcasing the latest in communications technology, and the conference program features an impressive lineup of the most influential industry leaders presenting on next-generation networks, spectrum utilization, emerging technologies, regulatory issues, smart cities, infrastructure and interoperability.    More details can be found at www.iwceexpo.com.

APEC 2013

March 17-21
Long Beach, Calif.

As The Premier Event in Applied Power Electronics, APEC focuses on the practical and applied aspects of the power electronics business. This is not just a designer's conference; APEC has something of interest for anyone involved in power electronics:

• Equipment OEMs that use power supplies and dc-dc converters in their equipment

• Designers of power supplies, dc-dc converters, motor drives, uninterruptable power supplies, inverters and any other power electronic circuits, equipment and systems

• Manufacturers and suppliers of components and assemblies used in power electronics

• Manufacturing, quality and test engineers involved with power electronics equipment

• Marketing, sales and anyone involved in the business of power electronics

• Compliance engineers testing and qualifying power electronics equipment or equipment that uses power

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