LG Energy Solution recently announced it signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI), a global semiconductor provider, to strengthen the competitiveness of its battery management total solution (BMTS).
Through the MoU, the companies have agreed on a two-year joint effort through which ADI will supply high-performance battery management integrated circuits (BMIC) and the two companies will co-develop algorithms that could precisely measure the internal temperatures of electric vehicle (EV) battery cells. This is expected to lead up to the development of advanced fast-charging technologies.
In electrical science literature, impedance is defined as the opposition of an electrical component to alternating current and voltage in a circuit. Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) is the technology that measures it at different frequencies. ADI EIS solutions use first-in-the-market BMIC to accurately measure the impedance at controlled frequencies.
Since the impedance varies based on the battery’s state, age, and temperature, its exact measurement leads to a deep understanding and diagnosis of its internal conditions.
In a conventional battery management system (BMS), a separate temperature measurement device is attached to the exterior of a battery cell, and once it obtains information, it is then managed by BMIC. As traditional devices cannot measure the exact temperature inside an individual battery cell in real-time, a battery’s safe charging temperature must be set to a conservative number, limiting opportunities to further enhance charging speeds.
EIS solutions address these limitations by precisely estimating the internal temperature of individual battery cells without the need for a separate temperature measuring device, opening the door for improving charging speeds. In addition, these solutions are expected to contribute to improving battery performance and longevity by enhancing the safety of fast-charging and accurately assessing the charging and general status of the batteries.
Used primarily to analyze defects in used-batteries, the technology is yet to be commercialized, although many research institutions are investigating its application to EV batteries. If successful, the joint effort between LG Energy Solution and ADI would be the innovative case of applying a real-time impedance measurement case to analyzing EV batteries’ internal status.
LG Energy Solution plans to integrate its accumulated battery manufacturing and BMS capabilities with ADI’s advanced impedance measurement technology to further enhance its BMTS and deliver additional customer value.
“The joint effort with ADI, which has an innovative BMIC portfolio, will further strengthen the capabilities of LG Energy Solution’s battery management solution,” said Dalhoon Lee, VP and head of the BMS R&D Center at LG Energy Solution. “Through this joint effort, we will continue to enhance LG Energy Solution’s technological prowess and deliver differentiated value to our customers.”
Filed Under: Batteries, Technology News