Looking to help automotive manufacturers meet stringent functional safety requirements for battery systems, Freescale has launched the MC33772, a device which can control from three to six Li-ion cells. According to the company, the device’s performance and functional safety features have been optimised for 14V Li-ion battery packs, allowing manufacturers to consider replacing traditional automotive lead-acid batteries.
“Drivers face a host of issues and concerns about lead-acid batteries, many of which are caused by outside elements, like extreme temperatures, that are hard to control, causing about 100 million batteries to be replaced every year in the US alone,” said Jaime Pla, general manager of the Freescale’s Analog Driver and Energy Systems organisation. “Freescale is helping reduce those concerns, making it easier for our customers to offer an effective Li-Ion alternative to lead-acid, while meeting stringent performance and functional safety requirements across a variety of battery sizes and types.”
The MC33772, supplied in a 48pin LQFP, is said to support a range of battery chemistries, including lithium iron phosphate, lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide, lithium titanate, and lithium polymer.
The device performs A/D conversions of the differential cell voltages and current, as well as Coulomb counting and temperature measurements. Data is transmitted through SPI or transformer isolation to an MCU for processing.
Freescale claims the part can also help to reduce the system electronics bill of materials in a range of automotive and industrial battery management applications, including 48V battery systems, high voltage hybrid and electric cars, E-bikes and energy storage systems.
Featuring accuracy, scalability and 2Mbit/s isolated communications, the MC33772 delivers an optimal balance of measurement accuracy, scalability and high speed isolated communications and can be used in a range of battery management system topologies.
The KIT33772ASP1EVB evaluation kit (pictured) is available to support product development and to highlight the chip's functionality.
Author
Graham Pitcher
Source: www.newelectronics.co.uk