Ally Winning, European Editor, PSD
Welcome to the October edition of Power Systems Design Europe.
The first article in the Special Report was submitted by Bytesnap Design. In the piece, Dunstan Power tells us how designs for ATEX environments have moved from passive monitoring to active control. ATEX environments are places that have a high risk of of explosive atmospheres, so are inherently dangerous. Previously, ATEX environments had minimal electronics, as even a small spark could cause damage and death. Now, electronics are being used more frequently in these areas to improve safety, primarily by having shorter control loops, which allow faster responses.
Next, we have an article from Keysight on virtual prototyping, with a focus primarily on EV batteries. We probably all have seen news articles featuring ships carrying EVs ablaze because of battery malfunctions or even burned out EVs at the side of the road. Lithium batteries can be very dangerous if not handled correctly. Virtual prototyping allows engineers to design, model and test products before making a physical prototype. It is an innovative technique that uses simulation software to provide the designer with the ability to make informed decisions on the interaction of different components, which should allow safer designs, while also reducing costs.
The third and final article in the Special Report comes from SGS. This article also looks at the safety of EV batteries. The main reason that lithium batteries fail is because of thermal runaway - when the cell experiences an uncontrollable rise in temperature and pressure. There are a variety of ways that a thermal runaway event can be triggered, and once it starts, it is very difficult to stop, and it often affects adjacent cells, leading to a catastrophic failure. SGS has developed a way of using AI to perform accurate testing, which leads to early detection of the events that lead to thermal runaway. The tests are also much quicker than manual testing could be, which is very important as the number of batteries being used in growing almost exponentially. The article investigates the advantages of the new process, with details of the benefits achieved. The new tester is now fully operational and installed in the company’s Chongqing Renewable & Advanced Energy Laboratory, where it is integrated into the automated testing process for EV chargers and power conversion systems.
As well as the Special Report, this month’s issue will also include more articles of interest to power engineers in our Tech Focus section, as well as the latest news and views from the industry.
Best Regards,
Ally Winning
European Editor, PSD
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