AEC-Q200 fuses offer reliable EV battery protection

7th June 2017

Schurter AG

Barney Scott

0 0

Fossil fuels are limited in availability. And when they are burned, harmful exhaust gases are generated. The fact that the future belongs to the electric vehicle is now out of question. Schurter comes into play, fusing electronics and battery cells. Automobiles are becoming stronger, safer, more comfortable, and therefore also heavier. In order to accelerate an electric vehicle adequately, a lot of energy is needed. This is achieved by interconnecting small battery cells – size around 4VDC / 3200mAh – in parallel and in series.

In order to achieve an operating voltage of about 400VDC, you need 100 cells in series. The endurance is achieved by parallel connection of many such 400V strings. In very powerful electric vehicles, several thousand cells come together.

The charging process is very important. "Battery balancing" means an electronic circuit which ensures a uniform electrical charge of a plurality of similarly constructed but slightly different battery cells due to manufacturing tolerances within an accumulator. Those cells, which absorb energy very rapidly, are decelerated somewhat. The weakest link in the chain indicates the beat. Each cell receives its individual treatment. This is the only way to reach the maximum capacity and to counteract an aging/weakening.

Each cell must be protected against overcurrent. This makes several thousand fuses per battery pack. It depends on each individual fuse. Such a fuse must work for many years without grumbling. It must do just as willingly in the coldest winter as in the brim of heat. Shocks, vibrations? Everyday life. Switching on, switching off, accelerating - cyclic strength is indispensable.

Behind the abbreviation AEC (Automotive Electronics Council) is a US-American organization for the standardization of the qualification of electronic components in the automotive industry. The standard Q200 introduced in the middle of the 1990s describes the requirements for passive components. These standards are valid worldwide. Specific tests and a requirement profile for fuses were not relevant at the beginning. However, this has changed with the introduction of electronic control units and electrical drives. SCHURTER was oriented to the high requirements of the aerospace industry, which were developed in cooperation with ESA. In cooperation with global key players in the automotive industry, test procedures for fuses have been developed which meet the requirements profile Q200.

SCHURTER now offers a variety of fuses according to AEC-Q200 for a wide range of applications (battery management, climate control, power electronics for diesel/petrol engines, etc.). The close networking with international automotive organizations and the industry itself make SCHURTER the competent partner for all questions concerning the protection of electronics in automotive engineering.