Batteries & Other Energy Storage Devices

July 2023

Click image to enlarge

Figure 1: A typical dual-bus electrical system in a mild hybrid has the addition of a bi-directional DC-DC converter to allow power to flow between the two voltages when needed

The Evolution of Low Voltage Power Distribution in Automotive Electronics – From ICE to MHEV to BEV

Alex Lidow Ph.D. – CEO and Co-Founder, Michael de Rooij Ph.D. – Vice President of Applications Engineering, Efficient Power Conversion

Automotive electronics have gone through several eras of evolution in the past 30 years. The first stage was with pure internal combustion engines (ICE) that had mostly mechanical, or engine-driven systems such as power steering and air conditioning. The second stage – mild hybrid (MHEV) – was wi

. . . Learn More

Date:

07/28/2023

Jason Lomberg, North American Editor, PSD

Battery Swapping Desperately Tries to Stay Relevant

Jason Lomberg, North American Editor, PSD

Battery swapping is that curious legacy solution that just refuses to die. And now one of the leading players, Ample, has debuted a station promising “recharge” times of 5 minutes! We previously spoke about the battery swapping phenomenon and arguably its most high-profile failure. Startup Better Place rai

. . . Learn More

Date:

07/01/2023

Kevin Parmenter, Director, Applications Engineering. TSC, America

Batteries and Energy Storage Devices

Kevin Parmenter, Director, Applications Engineering. TSC, America

Less than 30 years ago, not much thought was given to battery technology. Today the electrification of transportation market, as well as R&D investment in related technology, is fueling the need for batteries. Plus, the high use of uninterruptable power supplies in healthcare, process control, mission-critical IT

. . . Learn More

Date:

07/01/2023

Click image to enlarge

Figure 1. The battery fuel gauge can be implemented on the host side or in the battery pack

A Guide to Battery Fast Charging

Franco Contadini, Alessandro Leonardi, Analog Devices

In this era of mobile devices, battery life is one of the primary factors that affects the user experience. While implementing power saving technology inside devices is important, it is only one part of the solution. Given the increasing capabilities—and greater power requirements—of mobile devices, original eq

. . . Learn More

Date:

07/01/2023

Click image to enlarge

Fuel Cell Versus Battery Power for Trucks

Simone Bruckner, Cressall

There are two main types of electric vehicle, categorised by their power source. Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) rely on a lithium-ion battery for power. Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs) on the other hand use a fuel cell, which combines hydrogen gas with oxygen to generate electricity. Hydrogen Power Hydroge

. . . Learn More

Date:

07/01/2023

Click image to enlarge

Figure 1. ZapBatt battery lab testing

NYC's Burning Issue - Micro-Mobility Batteries

Charlie Welch (Co-founder and CEO) and Amiad Zionpur (COO) of ZapBatt

In 2022, NYC experienced 216 fires related to these batteries, resulting in six deaths and 147 injuries. This represents a significant uptick from 2021’s 104 fires, which resulted in four deaths and 79 injuries. In the first two months of 2023, there were already 2 deaths and 40 injuries from these battery fi

. . . Learn More

Date:

07/01/2023

Click image to enlarge

Figure 1: A typical Battery Management System for lithium ion batteries

Putting Batteries in Parallel? Better Watch Out for These Failure Modes

JD DiGiacmandrea, Green Cubes

As the demand for increased energy storage capacity grows, engineers are frequently challenged to place multiple batteries in parallel. Using multiple batteries can offer extended runtime, enhanced reliability, and the ability to carry energy to different locations that may not have charging capabilities. With th

. . . Learn More

Date:

07/01/2023

Click image to enlarge

Figure 1: A battery pack assembly featuring Interplex Cell-PLX™ interconnect technology

Advanced Cell Interconnect Structure for Improving Battery Performance While Maximizing Cost Efficiency

Till Wagner, Product Manager, Energy System, Interplex

The battery pack is the most vital element of any electric vehicle (EV). It is through this that the electricity needed by the drivetrain is supplied. The battery also represents the most expensive part of an EV - having a major influence on its overall bill-of-materials (BoM) costs. Ensuring that it delivers pr

. . . Learn More

Date:

07/01/2023

Ally Winning, European Editor, PSD

Time to Recharge

Ally Winning, European Editor, PSD

Welcome to the July edition of Power Systems Design Europe. I’m not sure what the weather is like where you are, but as I write this, here in Scotland the sky is blue and the temperatures are in the mid 20s Celsius. When the weather is like this, there is no better place to be. July is the start of holiday se

. . . Learn More

Date:

07/01/2023

Jason Lomberg, North American Editor, PSD

Managing Batteries and Expectations

Jason Lomberg, North American Editor, PSD

We’ve now passed the official start of summer, and at the risk of sounding cliché, things are about to heat up with one of – if not the – hottest topics for our publication, batteries. Batteries are uniquely critical in that they’re vital to myriad portable devices and the electric vehicles in operat

. . . Learn More

Date:

07/01/2023