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White Paper fuses for the automotive industry according to AEC-Q200

White Paper fuses for the automotive industry according to AEC-Q200
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White Paper fuses for the automotive industry according to AEC-Q200 - 1

White Paper Automotive www.schurter.com/downloads Fossil fuels are only available until they are exhausted and when they are burned, they release harmful gases. The role of the electric car is certain to be in our future. But even here, there are challenges ahead, especially when it comes to fuse protection of the battery. In recent decades, cars have increased in numbers as well as dimensions. They have become more comfortable, more powerful, safer and therefore heavier as well, with mid-range cars already weighing 1.5 tons. It goes without saying that a significant amount of energy will be required to adequately power an electric car of this class in the future. Thousands of battery cells This is achieved by interconnecting small battery cells - size 4 VDC/3200 mAh per cell - in parallel and in a row. 100 cells in a row are needed to attain an operating voltage of approximately 400 VDC. The endurance, range and performance of the overall package are then achieved by connecting many of these 400 V strings in parallel.In very powerful electric vehicles, several thousand cells are quickly assembled in this way. You may recall ... Not long ago, a smartphone manufacturer in Korea had to deal with a battery problem, which cost them a fortune. A single, small battery led to panic; it even went so far as the smartphone being banned. Airlines declared that this type of mobile phone would no longer be allowed on the aircraft. Ordinary paying passengers were faced with the choice to hand over their mobile phone or get off the plane. Was this panic justified? It’s hard to say. But when you know how much energy can be stored in a small battery nowadays, it is advisable to err on the side of caution. Battery Balancing Bearing in mind that thousands of such battery cells are fitted in an electric vehicle, the charging process is of great importance. The cells must ultimately be charged within the shortest amount of time possible. The solution for this tricky task is referred to as "Battery Balancing". This describes an electronic circuit - usually part of a battery management system -which ensures a steady even electrical charge of numerous battery cells within a battery pack, that are similar in their construction but with slightly differing manufacturing tolerances. And this is how it works: The cells that absorb energy very quickly are slowed down a little. The weakest link in the chain sets the pace during the charging Circuit Protection

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White Paper fuses for the automotive industry according to AEC-Q200 - 2

White Paper Automotivewww.schurter.com/downloads process. Each cell needs to be handled individually. This is the only way to use the maximum capacitance of a battery pack and to counteract any aging/weakening of individual cells. Protect against a short circuit: Cell by cell Of course each individual cell in the battery pack must be protected against overcurrents. This takes several thousand fuses per battery pack, depending on each individual one. There is no tolerance for errors here. So what demands are placed on this kind of fuse? Complete reliability is key. Such protection must work...

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