DITION Edition 2/2017 | € 9.

75

ESS E
BUSIN

HOMELAB STARTUP TRADE

Modular Wind Energy

Appliance wins electronica
2016 Fast Forward Award

CHARGE

AC/DC
Converter Design
with latest control IC technology

Focus on: Power Supplies, Batteries & Energy

Battery Management System Tutorial • Modular Wind Energy
Appliance • Safety Questions about Large Lithium Batte-
ry Packs • Integrity • Power Supply Noise Issues when
Dynamic-Load Charging Cells • To ‘e’ on the Safe Side • Op Amp
Test Bench Input Overvoltage Protection • Brushless DC Motor
for brushless DC motors Test Bench • Elektor Business Store • The Intel
Quark Microcontroller • Advanced AC/DC
Converter Design • and more

17.104-EBM-Cover-UK-03.indd 1 16-03-17 12:47

 PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARDS HIGHTECH-OPTIONS
AT LOWCOST PRICES
NEW: Calculate & Order Flexible Circuit Boards online ! 1-48 layers | from 48h Express

1-10 layers, from €232,05 €195 net • Ultra finest-line

Pricing examples Flexible Circuit Boards • Filmless laser-direct-imaging (LDI)
• Impedance control, incl. test report
100mm 1 layer in 9 WD 2 layers in 10 WD • HDI boards
x 25mm gross net gross net • Blind & Buried Vias
• Microvias lasered
3 pcs. ea € 96,65 € 81,22 € 118,52 € 99,60 • Via Plugging / Via in Pad overplated
10 pcs. ea € 35,63 € 29,94 € 41,03 € 34,48 • Via Stacking
• Plated-through slits
25 pcs. ea € 17,39 € 14,61 € 19,64 € 16,50 • Scoring
50 pcs. ea € 10,98 € 9,23 € 12,35 € 10,38 • Countersink holes
• Z-axis milling
Discount prices for longer production times (SAVING-Option 12WD)! • Plated halfholes
• Sideplating
Inclusive:
• Customer specific layer-buildup
• 125µm tracks
E-Test HIGH
• Thin laminates for small layer spacing
• Surface chem. gold inclusive SPEED • PCB thickness up to 6mm
• Polyimide 25µm / 50µm • Backplanes, Backdrill
• Coverlay or solder-stop • PCI cards
• 0.2mm drills, unlimited  min.
195,-  • Thick copper
Design-Aid online, • E-Test, Design-Rule-Check
RoHS
compliant
€
order value
RoHS
compliant • Panel production
Detailed advice! Optional: Stiffener, Express, ... • Production acc. to:
· IPC-A600 class 2 (standard)
· IPC-A600 class 3 (optional)
• UL certified (E198312)
High Tech PCBs and lasered precision SMD-Stencils
• SMD-Stencils, lasered
Pricing examples Printed Circuit Boards • Flex (10 layers), optional stiffeners
1 piece gross net WD • Rigid-flex (14 layers)
• Special colors & -lacquers
2 layers 100mm x 100mm € 48,79 € 39,70 5
• Peelable solder-stop
SAVING-OPTION
at longer production time € 42,60 € 35,80 8
Surface finishes:
• HAL lead-free, HAL SnPb
4 layers 75mm x 100mm € 70,21 € 59,00 5
• Chem. gold (ENIG)
6 layers 75mm x 100mm € 116,62 € 98,00 6 • Chem. nickel-palladium-gold (ENEPIG)
• Chem. silver
8 layers 75mm x 100mm € 186,83 €157,00 6
• Chem. tin
• Gold fingers (contacts)
Inclusive:
• Bondgold
• 2L, 4L: 125 µm tracks, surface HAL lead-free Materials::
• 6L, 8L: 100 µm tracks, surface chem. gold (ENIG) E-Test • FR4, FR4 HTg
• FR4 1.55mm, 35µm Cu inclusive • FR4 halogen-free
e.g. + SMD-Stencil from • 0.2mm drills, unlimited • High frequency material
• 2x solder-stop green · Rogers
€ 40,22 € 33,80 net   · Teflon / Taconic TLX
• 1x marking-print white
RoHS RoHS • RCC
• E-Test, Design-Rule-Check compliant compliant
incl. unlimited pads! • A.O.I. & X-Ray for multilayers • Alu core
• Polyimide
All prices plus delivery costs from € 8,03 gross / € 6,95 net - We sell solely to business customers and public institutions.

SMD-Stencils and Printed Circuit Boards coordinated under one roof:

Hotline DE/EN:
• Only 1 x production data +49 (0) 81 04 / 628-0
• Only 1 x order
• Our know-how
• Combined shipping
• Prices, order and order-tracking online
Try it now:
Contact: Multi Leiterplatten GmbH
w w w. m ult i- c b. d e Brunnthaler Str. 2, 85649 Brunnthal, Germany
Tel: 0049 (0)8104 - 628 0, info@multi-cb.de

Directly from
your data:

17.103-EBM-Adv-UK.indd 3 21-02-17 11:35

 Colophon
Elektor Business Magazine
Edition 2/2017
Power Supplies, Batteries
and Energy
Foreword April & May 2017
www.elektor.com
Elektor Business Magazine,
English edition, is published six
Danger: High Tension times a year by
Elektor International Media
PO Box 11
NL-6114-ZG Susteren
I’ve been in the electronics business long enough to fully agree with, and The Netherlands
subscribe to, that age old maxim: nothing works properly without a proper Phone: +31 46 4389444
power supply. In many cases, the power supply is crucial to success or Fax: +31 46 4370161
failure of a product. No matter if you are a start-up company, a homelab
Editor-in-Chief
worker or the one nerd in a bunch of friends kicking ideas around to Jan Buiting, MA
‘launch the gizmo and get filthy rich’, read this. Be ready to deal with Email: newsdesk@elektor.com
Email:
the electrical supply to your product in all of its facets, from technical to
jan.buiting@eimworld.com
legal. Never assume powering the equipment is the customer’s care and
business. You might just be able to get away with that if the device you’re Deputy Editor
Robert van der Zwan
Kickstarting is battery powered. Nope, even in that case due consideration
Email: robert.vanderzwan@
must be given to the battery type, current drain, rechargeable or dry cell, eimworld.com
disposable/permanent, etc. — “hang on, why don’t we go for all-solar?”
Good idea. Or consider a supercap. I hope the articles in this edition Advertising
Margriet Debeij
provide clues and pointers to help you in the complex decision process.
Tel. +49 241 955 09-174
Email: m.debeij@elektor.de
AC line powering is a different kettle of fish where technology seems to
Julia Grotenrath
have matured to a light odour and now takes a back seat to legalities and
Tel. +49 241 955 09-177
liability chasing. Suppose n electronics designers are busy juicing the last Email: j.grotenrath@elektor.de
tenth of a per cent of efficiency from a switch-mode, and succeed (“we’re
Layout
up .12% on the previous IC”), then n+1 people — not necessarily in the
Elektor Content & Brand
same company — will subsequently work on aspects like electrical safety, Management
carbon footprint, cost, recycling, EMC and other approvals, and marketing. Jack Jamar Graphic Design,
Maastricht
Due respect to all. As an enthusiastic product engineer stepping into the
Translators
marketing dept. to beseech funding for “your” invention, it’s best not to Jan Buiting, Martin Cooke,
mention power supplies, let alone that P = I2 × R thing you learned at college. Kurt Diedrich, Rolf Gerstendorf
It will nerdify you instantly. Try this. After one G. S. Ohm: P = T2 / R, or
Publisher
in words: “the Power of the (my) new product shall be the quotient of the Don Akkermans
Email:
Tension we can build up on Kickstarter divided
don.akkermans@eimworld.com
by your Resistance to go with my idea.”
Where T is for tension, an agreed
Mission
English synonym for voltage (V), Elektor Business Magazine
right? Like “high tension lines”, offers to electronics engineers,
homelab owners, and start-
okay? Success guaranteed.
up companies, essential
information and insights into
the latest products,
research and intelligence
from the industry.
Power Supplies, Batteries & Energy
17.104-EBM-Editorial-UK-03.indd 1
Distribution and Supply
Elektor Business Magazine
appears synchronously in
English and German and
is supplied free to Elektor
Magazine Gold members in
print, and to Elektor Green
members as a pdf download.
The magazine is also on free
distribution at selected trade
fairs including Productronica
(Munich), electronica (Munich),
and embedded world
(Nuremberg).
Printers
Senefelder Misset, Doetinchem
Reader Notices
Elektor Business Magazine
contains contributed/sponsored
content. The Publishers
acknowledge all trademarks
that may exist in connection
with products, services,
materials and company names
that appear in this publication.
Copyright Notice
The content of this magazine is for educa-
tional use only. All drawings, photographs,
printed circuit board layouts, and article
texts published in this magazine (other
than third-party advertisements) are
copyright Elektor International Media b.v.
and may not be reproduced or transmit-
ted in any form or by any means, includ-
ing photocopying, scanning and record-
ing, in whole or in part without prior writ-
ten permission from the Publisher. Such
written permission must also be obtained
before any part of this publication is
stored in a retrieval system of any nature.
Patent protection may exist in respect of
circuits, devices, components etc. des-
cribed in this magazine. The Publisher
does not accept responsibility for failing to
identify such patent(s) or other protection.
The Publisher disclaims any responsibility
for the safe and proper function of reader-
assembled projects based upon or from
schematics, descriptions or information
published in or in relation with Elektor
Business Magazine.
© Elektor International Media b.v. 2017
www.eimworld.com
Printed in the Netherlands
3
14-03-17 18:56
 Contents
Elektor Business Magazine
Edition 2/2017, April & May 2017
44
Focus on: Power Supplies, Batteries & Energy

Regulars
24 Jumpstart
Sparking contributions from industry analysts,
business advisors, financial experts, fundraisers,
and free thinkers.
In this edition: Eaton USA.

40
34 Infographics
Whither, whence? Positive (and of course
negative) facts and figures. Battery Management
24 Talking Heads
Five experts answer pertinent questions.
System Tutorial
30 Jumpstart
Sparking contributions from industry analysts,
business advisors, financial experts, fundraisers,
and free thinkers.
In this edition: SAS.

64 Elektor Business Store

Selected products for makers and start-ups.

66 Index of Advertisers | Our Contributors

Next Edition

News pages 31, 32, 33, 39, 51, 52, 53 and 63

Articles
6 Modular Wind Energy Appliance
MOWEA’s wind turbines are designed to
plug into existing off-grid solar systems to
provide additional electricity. MOWEA’s system
differentiates itself from competitors in three
ways: low cost, easy installation and scalability.
The modular system can scale from 500 watts to
1.5 kilowatts by installing up to three turbines.
9 Finding and Fixing Power Supply Noise
Issues when Charging Cells
Power test equipment including standard
off-the-shelf electronic loads to discharge the
cells is easily found in R&D labs and can be
more flexible than dedicated cell testers. That’s
because you can program standard power
supplies and e-loads to provide a wide variety
charging and discharging profiles to meet the
specific needs of the application.
12 Op Amp Input Overvoltage Protection:
Clamping versus Integrated
High precision op amps enable system designers
to create circuits that condition signals (amplify,
filter, and buffer) while maintaining the precision
of the original signal. When information is
contained in very small variations of the signal,
it is critical that op amps in the signal path
perform their operation while contributing very
little DC and AC error.

4 Elektor Business Magazine 2/2017

17.104-EBM-Contents-UK-01.indd 1 14-03-17 19:09

 Test Bench HOMELAB STARTUP TRADE

16 Design Advantages of Solid State Bat-

teries versus Supercapacitors

with Highly Dynamic

Understanding the important differences
between rechargeable solid state battery
technology and legacy supercapacitor

Load System for Testing technology should enable today’s electronics

designers, makers and start-ups to leverage the

Brushless DC Motors
advantages of solid state batteries in their new
products.

20 To ‘e’ on the Safe Side

48
Power cord securing devices help prevent

Advanced AC/DC accidental unplugging and sudden power

outages. How do they work? What are the

Converter Design different solutions available on the market? Of

all of the methods available which is the best
with Latest Control IC Technology one, the cleverest solution of them all?

36 The Intel Quark Microcontroller

Intel’s new IoT microcontroller product line
is the Intel Quark microcontroller family, and
it emulates the small yet highly powerful
subatomic particle it is named after. With the
Intel Quark microcontroller, Intel has rolled out
its ground-breaking 32-bit i486 architecture –
that’s right, the same CPU architecture used
to run desktop PCs is now powering little
embedded IoT applications.

56 Li-ion Energy Storage Takes Microgrids

to the Next Level

26
Here’s how microgrids that combine diesel
generators, renewable energy resources and
lithium-ion (Li-ion) energy storage can enhance
Maximizing Cell security of electricity supply while reducing fuel

Monitoring Accuracy
costs and greenhouse gas emissions.

and Data Integrity in Energy 60 How Battery Manufacturers are An-

swering the Safety Questions about
Storage Battery Management Large Lithium Battery Packs
Systems In portable consumer devices, lithium-ion
battery technology has won the day. Every
manufacturer of mobile phones, tablets and
notebook computers looks to lithium-ion
technology to provide a lightweight, long-lasting
and reliable energy storage capability that can
fit easily inside a small enclosure or housing.
Crucially, after billions of hours of use worldwide,
lithium-ion batteries in these applications have
proved to be safe. How come?

Power Supplies, Batteries & Energy 5

17.104-EBM-Contents-UK-01.indd 2 14-03-17 19:10

 winner

Modular Wind Energy Appliance

Battling darkness with modular 500–1500 watt wind systems
By Tessel Renzenbrink — Elektor Business Magazine Correspondent

The modular pico-wind-energy system from the Berlin based company MOWEA was the overall winner of the
electronica Fast Forward Award 2016 staged by Elektor. The wind turbines are designed to plug into existing
off-grid solar systems to provide additional electricity. MOWEA’s system differentiates itself from competitors
in three ways: low cost, easy installation and scalability. The modular system can scale from 500 watts to 1.5
kilowatts by installing up to three turbines.

MOWEA’s cofounders CEO Till Naumann (PhD, Ing) and CMO little money they have on fossil fuels and battery charging
Laura Obst (MSc) entered their project in the Prototype cat- services, explains Obst.
egory defined for the award. Having convinced the Jury with The answer comes from the renewable energy revolution.
their promising technology, the sound business model and an Leapfrogging 20th-century centralized grid technology, many
outstanding pitch they were awarded the grand prize: a media in remote areas jump straight to decentralized renewable tech.
campaign worth $75,000 and a booth at the 2018 edition of The market for micro solar home systems is expected to grow
electronica Munich 60% annually, said Obst.
The function of the MOWEA (Modular Wind Energy Appliance)
Darkness
Obst kicked off the pitch with a dim picture that barely showed
anything. “What do you see here?” she asked the audience.
Looking closer you could make out a vast starry sky looming
over a mountainous landscape clad in darkness. Dotted here
and there were a few sources of light. “This is an area in India
where people live with limited access to grid electricity”, said
Obst. “It is hard for us to imagine, but this is the reality for
nearly a quarter of the world population.”
Lack of a grid connection forces people to use fossil fuelled
alternatives like kerosene lamps. These form a health hazard,
are bad for the environment and forces people to spend what

6 Elektor Business Magazine 2/2017

17.104-EBM-Mowea-UK-03.indd 1 15-03-17 10:51

 system is to boost the amount of electricity home systems can
supply. The turbines are built to plug into most of the micro
solar systems on the market today, exploiting the controller
and battery system of the original system to keep costs low.
They can complement solar energy during the night and in
the rainy season.

New aerodynamic concept

The turbines are optimized for low wind speeds. This is
accomplished by the rotor diameter which is larger than those
of similar wind systems. The turbines are also more efficient
than their brethren. CEO Naumann based their design on
a new aerodynamic concept he developed during his PhD
studies. Using a novel way to calculate the geometry of the
blades he was able to improve the aerodynamic efficiency
substantially.
To keep costs low the design favours simplicity. There are no
complicated mechanics such as gearboxes or cooling systems.
Thus improving the system’s robustness MOWEA can guaran-
tee a long life span. Almost all the parts can be manufactured
with injection moulding to allow for cheap mass production.
The MOWEA team has a working prototype that is currently
in pre-testing phase. In a future iteration of the device they
aim to add IoT capabilities. “We want to develop an energy
and communication hotspot and prepare those micro-energy-

Almost all the parts can be manufactured with injection moulding to allow
for cheap mass production.

systems for integration into micro grids”, said Naumann dur-

ing the pitch.

Tesla strategy
MOWEA plans to get their wind system on the market through
resellers. These partners will offer energy services on a pay-to-
go basis to end users. But first the team must produce a system
that is market ready. To get there they apply the Tesla strategy:
start out with a high-tech high-cost product, use to proceeds
of sales to slash costs and end up with a high-tech low-cost
product. The first Mowea systems will be sold on the German
market to green tech aficionados who can afford them. That
money will be used to start mass production and lower cost.
By 2020 they aim to have reduced costs enough to enter their
true target markets: people with limited grid access.

Beginner Trading Theoretical

Level: Intermediate Company Status: Start-Up Approach: Practical
Professional Potential Mixed

Product Production Website:

Subject: Advice: Technology www.mowea.world
Service
Advice Regulatory
EBM ARTICLE TAGGING

Power Supplies, Batteries & Energy 7

17.104-EBM-Mowea-UK-03.indd 2 15-03-17 10:51

 Seventy-five thousand dollars!
When asked what MOWEA would do with the first prize €75K
media campaign budget Naumann answered: “Being a start-
up, we need marketing in every direction you can imagine:
corporate design, a better looking homepage, testimonial vid-
eos of our prototypes and of our field tests, content for B2B
partners, presentation opportunities at relevant trade shows
and especially community building, on Facebook and other
media. We are planning a crowdfunding campaign, tentatively
at the end of 2017.”
Caught on video!
You can watch the MOWEA pitch on Elektor-TV’s
Youtube channel: www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtYaJ0mFmuQ
The Author
Tessel Renzenbrink is a freelance writer with a focus on the
impact of technology on society. She is especially interested
in information technology and the transition to a low carbon
energy system. For Elektor she is the editor of the columns
Elektor Ethics and Elektor Energy. Tessel is a board member
of the Dutch chapter of the Internet Society and studied
Philosophy at the University of Amsterda.
8 Elektor Business Magazine 2/2017
17.104-EBM-Mowea-UK-03.indd 3
Questions & Answers
Ranking
What do you need the most to make your project a
success? Rank the options below from 1 to 4 where 1 is the
most important.
1. Finance
2. Operational support
3. Technological support
4. Marketing
Tell us a little bit more about option 1. What do you need?
1. Finance / BA-Investment: 150K to reach the proof of
concept in 2017 (paying customers, first pre-series).
2. Operational support / partners from the off-grid renewables
field: wind and micro-grid experts would be best.
3. Technology- and supply-chain co-development, to
establish the production process and the channels to
reach the end customer in remote off-grid areas
4. Marketing: publish content in magazines / social
media about our idea & team, visibility on fairs
(especially in B2B areas)
Markets
What are your primary markets? And what are your
secondary markets?
Primary market:
West India, East-South Africa, South America.
Secondary market:
Europe, Australia, Russia, USA – RV, boating and leisure
markets.
Target groups
Who are your primary target groups? And what are your
secondary target groups?
• primary target group: SMEs, small industries and
farmers who want to replace expansive fossil fuel diesel
generators as back up for their energy supply.
• Secondary target group: RV, caravan, yacht, boat owners
Channels
Which channels are you using, or would you like to use, to
bring your product to market?
In the beginning, we focus on the social care market. First we
will address nursing homes and hospitals, then we will also
address private care. But we have also applications for smart
home, industry 4.0, laboratories and prisons on our mind.
Investment
How much financial investment are you aiming for?
150K will allow us to successfully develop in 2017 the
first pre-series of our product and have the first paying
customers. Moreover, with this money we can hire two
more people (IoT, software and business development),
focusing on growth.
15-03-17 10:51
 Finding and Fixing
Power Supply Noise Issues
when Charging Cells
By Bob Zollo — Solution Architect for Battery Testing,
Automotive and Energy Solutions, Electronic Industrial Solutions Group,
Keysight Technologies, Inc.

During the design phase of a battery powered product, engineers will need to qualify cells for suitability in the
application. While often this testing will be done with dedicated cell test equipment, sometimes engineers
will turn to standard off-the-shelf power supplies to charge the cells and standard off-the-shelf electronic
loads to discharge the cells. This standard power test equipment is easily found in R&D labs and can be more
flexible than dedicated cell testers because you can program standard power supplies and e-loads to provide
a wide variety charging and discharging profiles to meet the specific needs of the application.

Let’s look at using a standard power supply for the charge
step of a typical charge/discharge cycle for a lithium-ion cell.
See Figure 1. The charge begins with the power supply pro-
grammed to the desired cell charge current and operating
in constant current mode (CC). As the cell begins to charge,
the voltage on the cell climbs. As the charge step progresses,
the cell will be charged up to the cell’s open circuit voltage.
At that point, power supply will hit its programmed voltage
limit (which would be programmed to the cell’s open circuit
voltage) and then begins operating in constant voltage (CV)

Beginner Trading Theoretical

Level: Intermediate Company Status: Start-Up Approach: Practical
Professional Potential Mixed

Product Production Website:

Subject: Advice: Technology www.keysight.com
Service
Advice Regulatory
ebm article tagging

Power Supplies, Batteries & Energy 9

17.104-EBM-Keysight-UK-04.indd 1 15-03-17 10:54

 mode. Once in CV mode, the current out of the power supply
into the cell will begin to drop off and the voltage will stay
constant on the cell. You will want to terminate the charge
step when the charge current drops to below some prede-
termined cutoff value. For example, if you were charging a
large cell, perhaps for an automotive application, if the maxi-
mum charge current is 20 A, the cutoff might be 50 mA. Now,
when the cutoff value is reached, the cell is considered fully
charged, the charging should stop, and the cell charge/dis-
charge cycle will proceed to the next step, which is typically
some rest period.
First, let’s think about what instrument will make the measure-
ment of the cell charge current. Since we are talking about
high current charging, measuring the current with an ammeter
may not be practical, as the maximum current may exceed a
typical DMM’s current rating.
So let’s assume you are using the power supply’s built-in cur-
rent measurement to measure the charge current. We’ll come
back to this later.
Figure 1: Typical charge/discharge cycle for Lithium-Ion cell.
Figure 2: Power supply connected to charge a cell with low
internal resistance.
10 Elektor Business Magazine 2/2017
17.104-EBM-Keysight-UK-04.indd 2
As mentioned above, to terminate the charge step, the cur-
rent is measured and compared to a cutoff value. Should the
current measurement be noisy, it will be difficult to determine
the right moment to cutoff the charge step. This cutoff current
threshold will be a low current value compared to the maximum
charge current, meaning you have to measure current over
a wide dynamic range, and so noise can be a real problem at
the low end. Recall that we are talking about a large cell with
a maximum charge current of 20 A and a cutoff of 50 mA. If
you experienced 100 mA of noise at full charge current of 20 A
this would be 0.5% measurement error due to noise and that
is perhaps tolerable. However, that same 100 mA of noise will
obscure the 50 mA cutoff making it hard to determine the right
time to stop charging.
Understanding the source of the current
measurement noise
Let’s look at the test setup. See Figure 2. In this very simple
setup, the power supply is connected to the cell that needs to
be charged. The cell is often modeled as an ideal cell with an
internal resistor in series. This series resistance can be mea-
sured using an AC resistance (ACR) measurement on dedi-
cated cell test equipment or by an LCR meter. Cell internal
resistance will be in the range of tens of milliohms for high
current cells, to hundreds of milliohms for smaller cells, or
even 1 ohm or more for really small cells, such as button cells.
But in this example, we have been talking about high current
cells, so let’s continue by assuming we have tens of milliohms
of internal resistance.
The power supply that is charging the cell will have voltage
noise on its output. A reasonable specification for voltage noise
is 10 mVp-p on a 10-V power supply. Figure 3 shows simple
models for the cell and for power supply with the impedances
and noise sources shown. At frequencies below 100 Hz, Rps_out
will be virtually 0 ohms. The power supply’s output voltage
noise appears as an AC voltage source in series with the DC
output. That AC voltage (the noise) will appear as an AC cur-
rent across the very low-ohm series resistor in the cell, cour-
tesy of Ohm’s Law:
Inoise = Vnoise / (Rps_out + Rcell)
Figure 3: More complex model of power supply connected to charge a cell
with low internal resistance.
15-03-17 10:54
 So the noise on the current measurement is not measurement
noise, but in fact, it is real current noise due to the power sup-
ply’s output voltage noise appearing as current through the The Author
cell’s internal series resistance. Even a low noise power supply During his more than 30 years with Hewlett-Packard
can end up creating current noise on the cell when the cell’s HP, Agilent, and now Keysight, Bob has been part of the
internal resistance is so low. company’s marketing organization for power supplies,
electronic loads, data acquisition equipment, and test
To determine when the charging has reached the cutoff cur- systems. As solution architect, Bob is responsible to
rent in face of the induced current noise, the easiest solution create Keysight’s battery testing solutions roadmap by
is to average the measurement. By applying a long measure- researching customer and industry trends and developing
ment integration time of a few seconds, or even one minute, plans to meet emerging customer needs.
to the current measurement, this AC noise component will be
averaged out and you will have a stable dc value to measure Bob holds a degree in Electrical Engineering from Stevens
and to compare against the cutoff threshold. But what if the Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ.
power supply does not have programmable current measure-
ment integration time? In this case, you could make several
measurements and bring them into a computer, average them
together, and use the average to determine if you have reached
the cutoff current.

Another method would be to use an inductor in series with the

cell —see Figure 4. The inductor will have low impedance at
low frequency and have a higher impedance at higher frequen-
cies. Again using Ohm’s Law where

Inoise = Vnoise/(Zps_out + Zinductor + Zcell)

As the frequency goes up, Zinductor goes up with it and domi-

nates the denominator, and so the current noise Inoise drops off [Advertisement
with increased frequency. The inductor, therefore, will create

5707
a low-pass filter and attenuate the noise as you look at higher
frequencies. This will clean up the noise and so you can better
determine if you have reached the DC cutoff current. Ideally,
that filter will cut off below 10 Hz to greatly reduce the induced
noise currents near dc. Assuming 20 A of charge current and a
cell series resistance of 10 milliohms, the inductor would need
to be hundreds of microhenries (mH). Note that the inductor
will need to be able to carry the full dc charge current of 20 A,
so this will not be a small, surface-mounted component. How-
ever, it is quite feasible to hand wind a wire around a toroidal
core to make a suitable inductor.

Safe power entry for

medical applications

- Strong in Design and Safety

- Medical fuse holder and mains filter
- IP 65 protection to the appliance
- V-Lock cord retaining

v-lock.schurter.com
Figure 4: Adding inductance to reduce noise when using a power supply
to charge a cell with low internal resistance.

Power Supplies, Batteries & Energy 11

17.104-EBM-Keysight-UK-04.indd 3 15-03-17 10:54

 Op Amp Input Overvoltage Protection:
Clamping versus Integrated
By Daniel Burton — Applications Engineer, Analog Devices

High precision op amps enable system designers to create circuits that condition signals (amplify, filter,
and buffer) while maintaining the precision of the original signal. When information is contained in very
small variations of the signal, it is critical that op amps in the signal path perform their operation while
contributing very little DC and AC error. The precision of the total system depends on maintaining
the precision of the signal path.

In some applications, a situation may occur in which the inputs
of the op amp get driven by voltages outside the level of the
supply voltages — this is called an overvoltage condition. For
example, if an op amp is configured to run with its positive
supply at +15 V and its negative supply at −15 V, any time an
input pin goes more than one diode drop beyond those supply
rails (such as ±15.7 V), the op amp’s internal ESD protection
diodes can be forward-biased and start conducting current.
Excessive input current over long periods of time or even short
periods of time, if the current is high enough, can damage
the op amp. This damage can result in a shift in the electrical
specification parameters beyond the data sheet’s guaranteed
limits; it can even cause a permanent failure of the op amp.
When system designers are faced with this possible situation,
they often add overvoltage protection (OVP) circuits at the
inputs to the amplifier. The challenge then is to add OVP cir-
cuitry without adding errors (loss of system precision).
Clamping: a classic overvoltage protection
technique
A very popular way to add OVP is shown in Figure 1. When
the amplitude of the input signal (VIN) exceeds one of the
supply voltages plus the forward voltage of a diode, the
diode (D OVPP or D OVPN) will forward-bias and send the cur-
rent to the supply rails rather than into the op amp inputs
where the excess current could damage the op amp. In this
application, we are using an ADA4077, an extremely high
precision op amp with a maximum power supply range of
30 V (or ±15 V).
The clamping diodes are type 1N5177 Schottky devices because
they have a forward voltage of approximately 0.4 V, which is
less than the forward voltage of the of the op amp’s input elec-
trostatic discharge (ESD) protection diodes; thus, the clamp-
ing diodes will start conducting current before the ESD diodes

12 Elektor Business Magazine 2/2017

17.104-EBM-AnaloogDevices-UK-04.indd 1 15-03-17 11:01

 do. The overvoltage protection resistor, ROVP, limits the forward be many times greater than the low offset inherent to the
current through the clamping diodes to keep them under their precision op amp.
maximum current rating, preventing them from being dam-
aged by excessive current. The resistor RFB in the feedback Reverse-biased diodes exhibit a reverse leakage current that
loop is there because any input bias current on the noninvert- flows from the cathode through the anode to the supply.
ing input can cause an input voltage error across ROVP—adding
RFB will null out the error by generating a similar voltage on When the input signal voltage (VIN) is between the supply rails,
the inverting input. the diodes DOVPP and DOVPN have a reverse voltage on them.
With VIN at ground (the middle of the input voltage range),
How overvoltage conditions occur the reverse current through DOVPN is approximately equal to
Overvoltage conditions can be caused by a number of differ- the reverse leakage current through DOVPP. However, when VCM
ent situations. Consider a system where a remote sensor is
located in the field — for example, measuring fluid flow in a
refinery and sending its signal through a cable to data acqui-
sition electronics that reside at a different physical location.
The first stage in the data acquisition electronics signal path
can often be an op amp configured as a buffer or a gain ampli-
fier. The input to that op amp is exposed to the outside world
and therefore can be subjected to overvoltage incidents, like
a short circuit from a damaged cable or incorrectly connecting
the cable to the data acquisition electronics.

Similarly, a situation that can cause an overvoltage condi-

tion is when an input signal that is usually within the input
voltage range of the amplifier suddenly receives an exter-
nal stimulus causing a transient spike that exceeds the op
amp’s supply voltages.

A third scenario that can result in an input overvoltage condi-

tion comes from the power-on sequence of the op amp and
other components in the signal path. For example, if the sig- Figure 1: Classic clamping circuit for overvoltage protection.
nal source, such as a sensor, gets powered up before the op
amp does, the output of the source can start to output a volt-
age that will then be applied to the input of the op amp even
though the op amp supply pins have no power yet and are
essentially at ground. This will create an overvoltage situation
and likely force excessive current through the input of the op
amp to ground (the unpowered supply pins).

The tradeoff of a diode clamping circuit—reduced

precision
Although the classic circuit in Figure 1 protects the op amp
inputs, it contributes a significant amount of error to the
signal path. Precision amps generally have input offset volt-
ages (VOS) in the microvolts range. For example, the maxi-
mum VOS for an ADA4077 is 35 µV over the full operating
temperature range of
−40 °C to +125 °C. Adding the external diodes and an over-
voltage resistor contributes an input offset error that can
Figure 2: Input offset voltage vs. input voltage for ADA4077.

Beginner Trading Theoretical

Level: Intermediate Company Status: Start-Up Approach: Practical
Professional Potential Mixed

Product Production Website:

Subject: Advice: Technology www.analog.com
Service
Advice Regulatory
EBM ARTICLE TAGGING

Power Supplies, Batteries & Energy 13

17.104-EBM-AnaloogDevices-UK-04.indd 2 15-03-17 11:01

 moves above or below ground, a larger reverse current flows
through one diode than the other. For example, when VCM is at
the top of the op amp’s input voltage range, which is 2 V from
the positive supply or 13 V in this circuit, diode DOVPN will have
a reverse voltage of 28 V across it. According to the 1N5177
diode’s datasheet, this can cause a reverse leakage current
of close to 100 nA. As reverse leakage current flows from the
input signal (VIN) through ROVP , it will create a voltage drop
across ROVP that looks exactly like an increased input offset
voltage to the signal path.

Of additional concern is that diode reverse leakage current

Figure 3: Input offset voltage vs. input voltage for an OVP clamping
circuit added to ADA4077.
increases exponentially with an increase in temperature, caus-
ing an increase in the offset voltage penalty of the clamping
OVP circuit. As a baseline of comparison for op amp preci-
sion with no external overvoltage circuitry, Figure 2 shows
the measured offset voltage of the ADA4077 over an input
voltage range from −13 V to +13 V. The measurements
were performed at three temperatures: 25 °C, 85 °C, and
125 °C. Note that at 25 °C, the VOS of the ADA4077 used in
this test reached only 6 µV; even at 125 °C, the VOS is only
approximately 20 µV. When we add the external clamp-
ing OVP circuit to the same ADA4077 device and apply the
input at VIN, we see the results shown in Figure 3. At room
temperature, the VOS jumps to 30 µV—five times the signal
path error of the ADA4077 alone. At 125 °C, VOS goes to over
15 mV—an increase of 750 times the 20 µV of the ADA4077!
Precision is gone.

The 5-kΩ resistor does a great job protecting the clamping

Figure 4: ADA4177 input bias current is restricted as overvoltage
increases.
diodes as well as the op amp during an overvoltage condition
but it adds quite a bit of offset error during normal operation
when the diodes are leaking current across it (not to men-
tion Johnson noise from the resistor). What we would like is a
dynamic input resistance that has low resistance during opera-
tion within the specified input voltage range but high resistance
during overvoltage conditions.
An integrated solution provides the answer
The ADA4177 is a high precision op amp that includes inte-
grated overvoltage protection. The integrated ESD diodes act
as overvoltage clamps to protect the part. Depletion mode FETs
are in series at each input before the ESD diodes. They pro-
vide the dynamic resistance, which increases when the input
voltage (VCM) exceeds the supply voltages. As input voltage
increases, the drain-to-source resistance (RDSON) of an internal
FET increases, thus restricting the current flow exponentially
with the increased voltage (shown in Figure 4). Because the
ADA4177 uses depletion mode FETs on the inputs and not a
series protection resistor, the op amp doesn’t suffer the off-
set voltage penalty across the resistor that the clamping OVP
circuit does.

The ADA4177 can withstand voltages on its inputs of up to

Figure 5: Input offset voltage vs. input voltage for ADA4177 with its
integrated OVP.
32 V beyond the supply voltage. It limits overvoltage current
to a typical 10 mA to 12 mA, protecting the op amp without
the use of any external components. As shown in Figure 5,
even at 125 °C this tested unit is showing an offset voltage of
only 40 µV. That’s less than 3% of the error that the clamping
circuit showed at that temperature. Precision is maintained!

14 Elektor Business Magazine 2/2017

17.104-EBM-AnaloogDevices-UK-04.indd 3 15-03-17 11:01

 What this means to system performance
When analyzing the effect of varying input voltage on the
precision of the signal path, a system designer will consider
the amplifier’s common-mode rejection ratio (CMRR). This is
a measure of how much of the common-mode input voltage
is rejected from showing up on the output (or how little gets
through). Since op amps are often configured to provide gain
between the input and the output, we normalize the CMRR
specification by referring to change in the input offset volt-
age, which is the change in output divided by the amplifier’s
closed-loop gain. The common-mode rejection ratio (CMRR)
is a positive value expressed in dB and calculated from the
following formula:
CMRR = 20 log (ΔVCM / ΔVOS) [dB]
From this ratio, we see it is clearly desirable to keep the VOS as
small as possible. The ADA4177 is specified to have a guaran-
teed minimum CMRR limit of 125 dB over full operating tem-
perature. Using the test results from the units measured in
this experiment, we can calculate and compare the CMRR of
the clamping circuit and the ADA4177.
Table 1 shows the extreme loss of precision when using the
classic clamping diode circuit, and the excellent CMRR of the
ADA4177 with its integrated FET overvoltage protection.
Overvoltage 25 °C 85 °C 125 °C
Protection Method
ADA4177 only 143 dB 145 dB 142 dB
ADA4077 and Clamping OVP 113 dB 78 dB 58 dB
Table 1: CMRR comparison of ADA4177 to discrete OVP with clamping diodes
#redCUBE
PCIM Europe Hall 7 Booth 229
17.104-EBM-AnaloogDevices-UK-04.indd 4
References
Arkin, Michael and Modica, Eric: Robust Amplifiers Provide In-
tegrated Overvoltage Protection. Analog Dialogue, Volume 46,
Number 1, 2012.
Video: ADA4096-2 Input Overvoltage Protection Amplifier. Ana-
log Devices, Inc.
Video: ADA4177: Op Amp with OVP and EMI Provides Robust-
ness and Precision. Analog Devices, Inc.
ADA4177 product pages and datasheet: www.analog.com/en/
products/amplifiers/operational-amplifiers/ada4177-2.html
ADA4077 product pages and datasheet: www.analog.com/en/
products/amplifiers/operational-amplifiers/high-voltage-amplifi-
ers-greaterthanequalto-12v/ada4077-2.html
The Author
Daniel Burton [daniel.burton@analog.com] is an
Applications Engineer at Analog Devices. He acquired his
B.S.E.E. from San Jose State University and he has worked
on sensing and precision linear signal paths for much of
his career. Dan has been with Analog Devices since 2010,
focusing on precision amplifiers and voltage references.
[Advertisement]
REDCUBE Terminals are the most reliable high-power cont-
acts on the PCB level. www.we-online.com/redcube
 Flexibility in processing and connection technologies
 Highest current ratings up to 500 A
 Board-to-Board and Wire-to-Board solutions
 Extremely low self-heating
 Robust mechanical connection
REDCUBE PRESS-FIT REDCUBE PLUG REDCUBE SMD REDCUBE THR
Power Supplies, Batteries & Energy 15
15-03-17 11:01
 Design Advantages of
Solid State Batteries
versus Supercapacitors
A white paper contribution from Cymbet Corporation
Understanding the important differences between rechargeable solid state battery technology and legacy
supercapacitor technology should enable today’s electronics designers, makers and start-ups to leverage the
advantages of solid state batteries in their new products.
As shown in Figure 1, there are four key technology drivers
for product innovation:
• ultra low power electronics;
• wireless smart devices;
• integration and miniaturization;
• eco-friendly renewable energy.
Legacy supercapacitors and coin cell batteries do not have the
characteristics to meet the requirements of new products. To
leverage these technology trends in new product designs, a
new type of energy storage device must be used.
Unique EnerChip rechargeable solid state battery
construction
EnerChip Solid State Batteries are fabricated on silicon wafers
using semiconductor processes as shown in Figure 2. As will
be demonstrated later in this paper, Cymbet customers use
EnerChip bare die or packaged parts as shown in the mobile
phone application in Figure 3.
16 Elektor Business Magazine 2/2017
17.104-EBM-Cymbet-UK-03.indd 1
Identifying product power backup requirements
In order to calculate the energy storage requirements in the
various power modes of a new product design, it is important
to ask the following questions:
a. Is the energy storage device backing up time and/or data
registers?
b. What is the current draw of the Real Time Clock or MCU
device?
c. What duration of backup time is required? Note that 99.7%
of customer applications require < 4 hours.
d. Is a small footprint, thin package important?
e. Are there existing reliability, assembly, or warranty issues
with Supercapacitors or coin cell batteries in a current
design?
f. Is WEEE Directive product disposal or battery replacement
important?
g. Is SMT, RoHS, REACH and automated assembly needed?
15-03-17 11:08
 Having answers to these questions often indicates that the
power backup solution can be solved by an EnerChip Recharge-
able Solid State Battery or a Supercapacitor. Figure 3 shows
how an EnerChip CC CBC3105 could be used in a mobile hand-
set power backup secondary battery application. The CBC3105
is priced competitively to typical supercapacitors used in this
application.
Many technical considerations that were design requirements
for the mobile application in Figure 3 are described in the next
section.
4. Minimal device aging — This is a critical feature when
long cycle-life is a requirement. EnerChips provide high charge/
discharge cycle life and stable performance over time. After
5,000 cycles at 10% depth-of-discharge, EnerChips retain 80%
of specified capacity. Supercapacitors are affected by tem-
perature, voltage, age, cycling, and other factors, and this
information is not typically specified in Supercapacitor data-
sheets. Typical vendor specifications for capacitors identify
1000 or 500 hours of service life for a Supercapacitor at ele-
vated temperature.

12 technical advantages of solid state batteries

vs. supercapacitors
When choosing an energy storage technology, it is impor-
tant to identify the total cost of ownership that takes into
account product requirements such as: assembly costs, PCB
footprint, component height, external circuitry, service life,
storage capacity, and other factors in addition to the base
component purchase cost. The following key technical require-
ments must be reviewed and prioritized in order to optimize
energy storage device selection for new product designs. In
each area, Solid State Batteries have unique advantages over
supercapacitors:

1. Low Self-Discharge – EnerChip batteries have minimal self-

discharge – on the order of 1-2 percent per year as opposed to
the 10-20% per day of a supercapacitor. The high daily energy
loss of supercapacitors requires the entire power system to be
over-designed to compensate for these losses, which in turn
increases cost and requires additional components. Figure 1: key innovation trends drive the need for solid state batteries.
left: coin cells; right: supercapacitors.
2. Small footprint, low profile – With the miniaturization of
new products, a small size or thinner energy storage device is
required. Packaged EnerChips are as small as 4 mm x 5 mm x
0.9 mm. EnerChip bare die are only 150 microns thick. Many
Supercapacitors are much thicker or larger, occupying more
board space and volume within the end system.

3. SMT/Reflow solder assembly – EnerChips are delivered on

tape-and-reel and are compatible with Pb-free reflow soldering
processes. This eliminates hand soldering or using SMT sockets
and assembly often required with Supercapacitors, which adds
material and labor cost and reduce reliability. Supercapacitors
are generally de-rated in capacity if they’ve been soldered at
high temperature; also Pb-free tolerant supercapacitors can
cost as up to twice that of devices not rated to Pb-free reflow
temperatures.
Figure 2: EnerChip wafer fab bare die packaged parts
SMT/reflow board.

Beginner Trading Theoretical

Level: Intermediate Company Status: Start-Up Approach: Practical
Professional Potential Mixed

Product Production Website:

Subject: Advice: Technology www.cymbet.com
Service
Advice Regulatory
EBM ARTICLE TAGGING

Power Supplies, Batteries & Energy 17

17.104-EBM-Cymbet-UK-03.indd 2 15-03-17 11:08

 5. Higher output voltage — EnerChip batteries provide a
level output voltage – 3.8V from the EnerChip and 3.3 V from
the EnerChip CC products – until the device is completely
discharged down to 3 V at cutoff. This voltage profile allows
nearly all of the stored charge to be delivered to the load at
a useful voltage. Many Supercapacitors are specified at 2.6 V
output voltage, and this voltage decays with discharge. As a
Enerchip RTC CBC348093 36nA Real
Time Clock with integrated battery
in handheld system.
Figure 3: EnerChip CBC3105 used in a mobile phone secondary battery
application.
Figure 4: Comparing device volume (cm3) of coin cells, supercapacitors
and EnerChips.
Figure 5: Comparing normalized average selling price.
18 Elektor Business Magazine 2/2017
17.104-EBM-Cymbet-UK-03.indd 3
result, the narrow usable voltage range limits the operating
margin for designers.
6. Flat output voltage — Many product designs require all
the energy from a storage device to be delivered at a stable
output voltage. EnerChips provide most of their energy capac-
ity at 3.6 V and higher (3.3 V for the EnerChip CC products).
Even with 95% of the capacity exhausted, the EnerChip
delivers charge at an output voltage of greater than 3.6 V!
Supercapacitors produce an output voltage that is linearly
proportional to their charge. For example, a Supercapaci-
tor fully charged to 3.3 V will deliver 3.3 V at 100%; but at
50% charge, the voltage will be only 1.65 V, which is below
the level at which many processors and other devices will
operate. If this cannot be tolerated, a boost circuit on the
backup power rail might be needed, adding cost and circuit
complexity.
7. Faster charge time — EnerChips charge quickly – just
10 minutes to 80% rated capacity – using simple constant volt-
age charging, with no constant current phase or safety circuit
required. Conversely, many Supercapacitors are charged with
a recommended current-limiting series resistor that results in
a long charge time.
8. Safe non-cytotoxic biocompatibility — Gamma ster-
ilized Cymbet EnerChip™ bare die batteries were found to
be non-cytotoxic (0% cell lysis) using both the Medium Elu-
ate Method Eluation Test and Agar Diffusion Test feasibility
screening procedures. The lack of any adverse biological
responses in these very sensitive in vitro cell culture assays
is indicative (although not a guarantee) of biocompatible
test results in the other in vitro and in vivo aspects of bio-
compatibility as suggested by the ISO 10993-1 and FDA
G95-1 guidelines.
9. Temperature range documentation — There are simi-
larities in the effects of temperature on the long term perfor-
mance of both Supercapacitors and EnerChips. However, the
effects of the EnerChip under these conditions are well under-
stood and documented in Cymbet’s datasheets and Application
Notes. This is not true for many Supercapacitors on the market
today. Clarity of EnerChip temperature specifications enables
designers to create a power solution that is robust and meets
the system requirements.
10. Long term energy storage — Supercapacitors were
designed to filter out short term voltage transients and have
high self-discharge; consequently, they are inherently ill-suited
for long term storage of energy for backup or energy harvesting
applications. This affects many customer applications ranging
from: A microcontroller or RTC that needs several hours/days of
backup time; an Energy Harvesting solar-powered thermostat
in a conference room that needs to operate at a reduced level
of functionality for several days before the lights are turned
back on; or a device that stores energy when it is manufac-
tured and might sit on a shelf for many years before it is acti-
vated and used. To compensate for the leakage and losses in
a Supercapacitor-based energy storage system, designers are
required to “over-engineer” the power solution, which adds
significant cost and device footprint size to the system.
15-03-17 11:08
 11. Enhanced integrated functions — Designers often have
requirements for a supply supervisor with brown-out detec-
tion or other power management functions. If so, the power
management features of the EnerChip CC 31XX product fam-
ily with integrated battery management can provide some of
these capabilities and reduce the cost of the Bill of Materials
by removing a power supply supervisor chip or other power
management device.
12. Energy density increases & cost reductions — Superca-
pacitors are built using many of the same fabrication techniques
used for many years. Fabricating EnerChips using IC process-
ing and packaging enables Cymbet to realize cost reductions
and density improvements in the same way the entire semi-
conductor industry has enjoyed for years. Cymbet will utilize
chip-scale packaging, innovative attach methods, new materials
and advanced processing technologies to significantly reduce
the EnerChip cost structure while dramatically increasing its
energy density to compete with the more mature capacitor
technologies.
Important component size and cost comparisons
When choosing an energy storage device, it is important to
compare two key criteria:
• Compare the size of the energy storage devices in terms
of board footprint and height: Footprint × thickness =
device volume. Figure 4 shows the comparison of a vari-
ety of commonly used Coin Cells, Supercapacitors and
EnerChips that would be used in power back-up applica-
tions. Each of the devices has the energy storage capacity
to perform the energy transaction required by the back-up
application. Note that EnerChips have smaller physical vol-
ume compared to Supercapacitors.
Final thoughts
This white paper has provided electronic designers important
technical background for making an informed energy storage
device selection decision. It is critical that the following device
selection criteria are reviewed:
• Identify the energy transaction requirements for all the
operating states of the product design. There are diffe-
rences between primary (non-rechargeable) batteries,
rechargeable Supercapacitors, and rechargeable solid
state batteries.
• List and research all of the device requirements — foot-
print, height, assembly techniques and costs, environ-
mental standards, temperature range, voltage output
characteristics, current output, charging methods and
charging times, life expectancy of product, device aging,
storage device component cost, and implications to war-
ranty cost.
• Understand how the key technology drivers listed with
Figure 1 affect the new product design. Choose energy
storage components that support these trends.
When all product design requirements are identified and
the characteristics of energy storage devices are completely
reviewed, the resulting conclusion is rechargeable solid state
batteries offer unique advantages over supercapacitors and
should be utilized in new product designs.

• Compare the normalized cost of the energy storage

devices. Figure 5 shows the comparison of a variety of
commonly used coin cells, Supercapacitors and EnerChips
that are used in power back-up applications. Each of the
devices has the energy storage capacity to perform the
energy transaction required by the back-up application.
Note that in almost all comparisons, EnerChips have a cost
advantage compared to supercapacitors.

Advantages of integrating solid state batteries

into co-packaged devices
One area where EnerChips are significantly different from
Supercapacitors is the construction of the device. EnerChips
are built on silicon wafers as bare die and can be co-pack-
aged with other IC devices to create extremely small and
dense system solutions for medical, sensors, commercial,
consumer and industrial applications in innovative packag- Figure 6: EnerChip bare die integration in the Cymbet CBC34123 RTC with
ing solutions that Supercapacitors and conventional coin cell integrated battery.
batteries cannot match.

An excellent example of this “Embedded Energy” capability is

shown in Figure 6, where an EnerChip 5-μAh bare die bat-
tery is co-packaged with the NXP PCF2123 Real Time Clock
chip and the Cymbet CBC910 Power Management ASIC into
the EnerChip RTC Cymbet CBC34123.

Power Supplies, Batteries & Energy 19

17.104-EBM-Cymbet-UK-03.indd 4 15-03-17 11:08

 To e on the Safe Side
By Albert Bürgler — Schurter AG

Source: Ghetty Images

Power cord securing devices help prevent accidental unplugging and sudden power outages. How do they
work? What are the different solutions available on the market? Of all of the methods available which is the
best one, the cleverest solution of them all?

Unexpected power outages are thank-
fully rare events these days. Loss of
power cannot always be blamed on the
energy supplier however; sometimes it
can be the result of a mix-up. Tracing
back cables it’s easy to lose your thread
and mistakenly pull the wrong plug. Sud-
denly you’re plunged into darkness, or
maybe worse…
Loss of power to safety critical or medi-
cal life support equipment in a hospital
operating theatre, for example can have
dire consequences.
It all started a long time ago
Cable strain relief and connector lock-
ing mechanism have been around for
a long time. Take for example RF tech-
nology and measuring equipment. Test
equipment manufacturers provide small-
signal connectors along the front of their
equipment with integrated pull-out pro-
tection: BNC is a round bayonet connec-
tor with a spring-loaded locking detent
position. Wherever there is a test bench
or a collection of electronic systems you
are bound to find a spaghetti of cabling.
It doesn’t look much better around the
back of most PCs; usually there are a
whole bunch of cables in a really tight
space. There are of course some solu-
tions already in place and if we take a
look at the Ethernet LAN connector and
also the telephone connector for router
hook-up we see similar mechanical
latching systems to prevent accidental
unplugging.
For the power cord connection at the
back of the equipment however things
are not so simple. Why? Equipment
powered from a single phase supply
are almost exclusively obliged to use
power connectors compliant with IEC
60320 (IEC = International Electro-
technical Commission). That’s world-
wide. It makes sense for compatibility
reasons that we all use the same type
of power connector to the equipment.
One weak point however of the IEC-
connector design is that it was never
designed to incorporate cable strain
relief or some sort of latching mecha-
nism to prevent accidental unplugging
for applications where this is an impor-
tant consideration.

20 Elektor Business Magazine 2/2017

17.104-EBM-Schurter-UK-03.indd 1 15-03-17 11:10

 Solutions to the problem notched pin in the power cord connec-
The problem of preventing accidental tor which engages with the equipment- ebm article tagging
power-cord removal is not a new one mounted connector. This provides a Beginner
and over the years a number of differ- stable and robust mechanical fixing to Level: Intermediate
ent solutions have appeared. All are prevent inadvertent power cord discon-
Professional
mechanical. While not claiming to be an nection. Finger pressure on the connec-
exhaustive review here is a selection of tor release button disengages the latch Product
methods which provide some security pin for unplugging. Subject: Service
for IEC power-cord connectors.
Advice
Finger access to the connector top sur-
1: The cord retainer solution. This face is required to release the catch Trading
method could hardly be described as which can be a problem if a large num-
Company Status: Start-Up
state of the art but it fulfills its prime ber of IEC connectors are mounted in a
Potential
objective – low cost. A cord retainer small space. Depending on the orien-
clip secures the power cord to the tation of the sockets (vertical, horizon- Production
equipment enclosure with screws tal) one system or the other may not be
Advice: Technology
(Figure 1). The cable itself is secured used; V-Lock requires finger access from
Regulatory
and not the plug or socket. Acciden- the top and SecureLock needs oppos-
tal removal of the plug is practically ing finger-thumb pressure from the
Theoretical
impossible. This solution is a good sides to release the catch. When careful
Approach: Practical
solution for equipment in a fixed consideration is given to these access
installation which rarely needs to be requirements during equipment design Mixed
unplugged. Simple and low cost but this system provides a highly professional
Website:
not particularly elegant or flexible. solution.
www.schurter.com

2: IEC connector retaining clip. The

classic: A hinged clip attached to the
equipment connector clips over the
power cord connector to hold it in
place (Figure 2). Both simple and
effective as long as you are aware
of some possible problems: Depend-
ing on the type of connector and the
variety of power cord connectors
available it’s essential that the cor-
rect, corresponding retaining clip is
used. When the clip and connector
are not 100% compatible there will
be no security provided against pull-
out. Equipment that can be moved
around will often be used with dif-
Figure 1: Simple, effective, pull-out protection at Figure 3: Example of a dedicated solution:
ferent power cords; in this case this
its purest: solution using clip or cord retainer. V-Lock with EMI filter and fuse holder.
method cannot be relied upon to pro- Source: SCHURTER Source: SCHURTER / Raritan
vide a secure solution.

Dedicated solutions
Dedicated solutions from various man-
ufacturers variously known as V-Lock
(Figure 3), SecureLock (Figure 4) and
similar types are widely used in the field
of medical equipment and data centers.
These types of connectors set the stan-
dard for critical power-supply applica-
tions in much the same way that Ether-
net cables are synonymous with com-
puter technology. The plug and socket
system is designed to engage together
Figure 2: Matching connector and retaining
perfectly. This is a system that lives up clip, a valid solution. Shown here with
to its promises. additional gasket for improved IP rating.
The system provides a positive mechani- Source: SCHURTER Figure 4: SecureLock available in different colors.
cal latching mechanism consisting of a Source: SCHURTER / Raritan

Power Supplies, Batteries & Energy 21

17.104-EBM-Schurter-UK-03.indd 2 15-03-17 11:10


Figure 5: Neat locking mechanism contained in
the connector. IEC-Lock and Auto-Lock.
Sources: Schaffner / Quail
Figure 6: A lock at both ends: zLock.
Source: Zonit
Figure 7: Cheap, fast fitting but can be fiddly:
Plug Lock.
Source: tripplite
22 Elektor Business Magazine 2/2017
17.104-EBM-Schurter-UK-03.indd 3
An additional advantage of this system
is that the equipment mounted connec-
tor is available incorporating input sup-
ply filters and/or fuse holders as well
as complying with international ingress
protection standards. Altogether a truly
comprehensive solution.
Solution using standard
equipment-mounted IEC
connector
In contrast to the dedicated locking sys-
tem there is also the universal IEC-Lock
or Auto-Lock (Figure 5a, 5b) system.
This clever design incorporates a lock-
ing mechanism within the IEC connector
which grips the electrical plug pins. The
mechanism is contained in the connec-
tor which means it can be used with a
standard IEC-type equipment-mounted And the best solution is?
connector, making it both practical and Unfortunately it’s not that simple. There
universally applicable. are many factors to consider; will the
application be based indoors or out-
The disadvantage of the system is that side? For mobile equipment or for a fixed
any mechanical strain placed on the cord installation? There are so many param-
is transferred directly to the voltage-car- eters that need to be considered.
rying pins in the connector. In addition
access is required at the sides of the Then of course there is one other impor-
connector to operate the release tabs. tant factor: cost. Is it prudent to provide
The advantage of this system is that the protection using a 50 cent add-on gadget
power cord locking connector plugs into a for equipment costing many thousands
standard IEC equipment connector. This of Dollars? Is it really worth taking the
reduces the system costs because only chance? Where pull-out protection is of
one half of the connector assembly is critical importance cheap solutions can
non-standard. often prove to be a false economy.
Exotics
The Author
The zLock system (Figure 6) is some-
thing of an exotic solution. The system Albert Bürgler is the Product
is a cable with a locking IEC plug at one Manager for equipment connectors at
end and a locking IEC socket at the SCHURTER AG in Lucern/Switzerland.
other, using a pin/cam method with a SCHURTER offers a wide range of
twist lock at the other. This makes the equipment connectors along with a
system unique. The cable can mate with variety of cable pull-out protection
standard IEC plugs and sockets. It pro- systems. The range extends from
vides power cord security between two simple cable clamp devices and
standard IEC connectors. retaining clips all the way up to V-Lock
connectors with options to incorporate
Plug Lock Inserts (Figure 7) fit over EMI filters and fuse holders.
IEC connectors and fill the physical gap
between the plug and socket. When the
connectors are closely fitting the inserts
can require considerable force, some-
times giving rise to fatigue failure. When
there is sufficient clearance in connec-
tor mating the inserts offer a cheap
and quick method to prevent accidental
cord pull out but this system couldn’t be
described as a truly professional solution
to the problem.
15-03-17 11:11
 Pull-out protection system For
Cord retainer clip Universal solution
Connector retaining clip Familiar and proven
V-Lock Professional, secure, robust
and proven.
P-Lock (SecureLock) Professional, secure, robust
and proven.
IEC-Lock Universal for all IEC
connectors
Auto-Lock Universal for all IEC
connectors
zLock Cable with locking IEC
connector at either end. Mates
with standard IEC plug and
socket
Plug Lock Insert Low cost, universal fitting
(almost)
17.104-EBM-Schurter-UK-03.indd 4
Against Remarks
Tools needed to secure the clip The cable is secured (not the
connector)
Requires fitting to the A sealing kit on the equipment
equipment connector. Plug and connector can be used for
socket must be compatible improved ingress protection
(IP).
Additional space require Higher IP possible, EMI
for access to unlocking filter and fuse holder can be
mechanism incorporated. Dedicated system
Additional space require Dedicated system
for access to unlocking
mechanism
Additional space require
for access to unlocking
mechanism. Strain on
electrical pins
Additional space require
for access to unlocking
mechanism. Strain on
electrical pins
Additional space require
for access to unlocking
mechanism. Strain on
electrical pins
Can be tricky to fit with close-
fitting plug-socket assembly
[Advertisement]
Power Supplies, Batteries & Energy 23
15-03-17 11:11
 Jumpstart
JumpStart contains sparking contributions from industry analysts, business
advisors, financial experts, fundraisers, and free thinkers. At the invitation of
Elektor Business Magazine the author(s) provide key advice to start-up companies
and homelabs on aspects of the trajectory from product development and funding
right up to marketing and trade. In this instalment: disaster planning.

A Guide to Pre-crisis
Planning By Robert Kirslis, Data Center and Industrial Marketing Manager,
Electrical Engineering Services & Systems Division, Eaton

Specific systems within a facility

respond differently to power
losses. After a disaster, power
should be restored to the most
critical services first, but the
definition of “critical” changes
depending on the duration of the
outage. Attempting to sort out
priorities such as these during
the chaos that follows an event
can make the decision-making
process more difficult, underlining
the importance of thorough and
robust recovery planning.

Eaton recommends this document be
used as a guide for a planning session
prior to an actual emergency. With estab-
lished emergency procedures, the con-
sequences of the loss of electrical power
can be minimized if a disaster occurs.
Following these steps can also help train
employees so they know what to do in
an emergency and make emergency pre-
paredness part of the culture of an orga-
nization. Overall, a proper pre-crisis plan
should also allow your organization to
identify the following:
• the steps needed to create a suc-
cessful recovery;
• how to prioritize the recovery of
services;
• what is required to recover these
services, including facilities, IT,
financial and resources;
• what to expect in the event of a
disaster
The importance of pre-crisis
planning
Downtime carries an enormous price
tag, so it is critical to minimize inter-
ruption to your operations. However,
electrical emergencies are often inevi-
table due to the unexpected nature of
blackouts, equipment failures, hurri-
canes, lightning, floods, high winds and
other natural disasters.
Every business depends on electricity,
and ensuring its reliability is vital. When
the power is out, the costs to a business
can be immense, with losses in produc-
tivity, sales and even inventory.
The price tag varies not only by industry,
but also by the scale of business opera-
tions. For a medium-sized business, the
exact hourly cost may be lower, yet the
impact on the business can be propor-
tionally much larger. Nailing down the
cost of each hour of downtime varies
widely and is based on a number of fac-
tors, such as the nature of the business,

24 Elektor Business Magazine 2/2017

17.104-EBM-Jumpstart-UK-02.indd 1 15-03-17 11:14


59% of Fortune 500 companies
experience a minimum of 1.6 hours
of downtime per week. Assuming an
average staff of 10,000 employees
who are paid an average of $56 per
hour (including benefits), the
downtime loss in labor alone for a
Fortune 500 firm would ring up at
$896,000 per week — or more than
$46 million annually.
Dunn & Bradstreet
Cost of downtime
Typical hourly cost of downtime by
industry (in U.S. dollars)
• Brokerage service 6.48 million
• Energy 2.8 million
• Telecom 2.0 million
• Manufacturing 1.6 million
• Retail 1.1 million
• Healthcare 636,000
• Media 90,000
Sources: Network Computing, the Metro
Group and Contingency Planning Research
Power interruptions
Among the leading global causes of
business continuity insurance losses
Based on a study of nearly 2,000
business insurance claims from 68
countries between 2010 and 2014,
the report estimated the average
large business property claim at
a staggering $2.4 million, with
blackouts ranked among the top 10
causes of such losses.
Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty
17.104-EBM-Jumpstart-UK-02.indd 2
the size of the company and the critical-
ity of its IT systems related to revenue
generation.
For instance, a global financial services
organization may lose millions of dollars
for every hour of downtime, whereas a
small firm might lose only a margin of
productivity.
Some emergency plans
to consider
1. Perform pre-crisis audits. A pre-
crisis risk mitigation audit will help
your organization estimate the poten-
tial impact of credible disaster sce-
narios and identify ways of minimizing
vulnerability in the event of a disaster.
2. Identify sources of equipment
reclamation, life extension and/
or replacement with full manu-
facturing capabilities. Sources for
equipment reclamation must be certi-
fied for the equipment that is installed.
Because many facilities are older and
may include electrical equipment from
a variety of electrical vendors, look
for sources that have the certifica-
tion or other demonstrated proficiency
to repair, renovate and/or renew the
electrical equipment installed at your
facility.
For robust crisis response, make sure
your contracted support organizations
have expertise in staging support equip-
ment, including generators, replacement
electrical equipment and satellite com-
munication networks.
When searching for a qualified first-
response service provider, there are a few
critical capabilities to look for, including:
• proven results and performance;
• local support services with a national
network and global capabilities;
• up-to-date certifications for proce-
dures and facilities;
• adherence to original manufacturer
standards and tolerances;
• familiarity with your business, indus-
try and equipment;
3. Develop a plan for survival and
support accommodations for your
in-house crisis response team.
Depending on the severity of the disas-
ter, food, water and sleeping accom-
modations may be in short supply;
therefore, it is critical that your sup-
port teams can sustain themselves.
If you have a radio communication sys-
tem, make sure it will be operable fol-
lowing an electrical system failure. Typi-
cally, this involves supplying power to
chargers as well as repeaters.
Qualified crisis-response service provid-
ers will most often provide access to sat-
ellite communication networks to help
simplify communications. Contingency
plans for accommodating response staff
can also be arranged.
Conclusion
In the aftermath of a crisis, it is essen-
tial for facilities to have a recovery plan
in place as well as the support networks
needed to ensure the facility can return
to production in a rapid and safe manner.
It is also important to recognize there
is no one-size-fits-all template for disas-
ter planning. However, by following the
guidelines listed in A guide to pre-crisis
planning, organizations of all sizes can
better prepare themselves to minimize the
impact of electrical system failures.
Editor’s Note.
For the benefit of start-up companies this
article contains excerpts from the white
paper: A guide to pre-crisis planning
published by Eaton, USA. The complete
version is available at
www.eaton.com/crisisresponse
The Author
Robert Kirslis has more than 25
years of experience in the planning,
maintenance and operations of data
centers, power plants and other types
of facilities. Serving as the data center
and industrial marketing manager at
Eaton for its Electrical Engineering
Services & Systems division, he helps
customers advance their businesses
by delivering highly effective power
management solutions. Kirslis has a
degree in Electrical Engineering from
the Wentworth Institute of Boston,
Massachusetts.
Power Supplies, Batteries & Energy 25
15-03-17 11:14
 Maximizing Cell Monitoring Accuracy
and Data Integrity
in Energy Storage Battery Management Systems

By Mike Kultgen, Design Manager, Signal Conditioning Products,

and Greg Zimmer, Senior Product Marketing Engineer, Signal Conditioning Products,Linear Technology Corporation.
and Stefan Janhunen, Design Engineer, BMS Products, Nuvation Engineering.

Grid-connected battery arrays are viable backup and carry-through power sources; application-specific
measurement ICs which meet their unique and sophisticated requirements ensure reliable system performance.

The use of large-scale battery arrays
for backup and carry-through energy
storage is getting increasing attention,
as evidenced by Tesla Motors’ recent
announcement of their Powerwall sys-
tem for homes and offices.
The batteries in these systems are con-
tinually charged from the power-line grid
or other source, and then deliver AC-
line power back to the user via a DC/
AC inverter.
Using batteries for power backup is
not new, with many systems spanning
basic 120/240 VAC and several hun-
dred watts for short-term desktop-PC
backup, to thousands of watts for spe-
cialty vehicles, such as ships, hybrid cars,
or all-electric vehicles, up to hundreds
of kilowatts for grid-scale telecom and
data-center backup (see Figure 1). Yet
while advances in battery chemistry and
technology get much of the attention, an
equally critical part of a viable battery-
based installation is its battery manage-
ment system (BMS).
There are many challenges when imple-
menting battery management systems
for energy storage, and their solutions
do not simply scale up from small-scale,
lower-capacity battery packs. Instead,
new and more sophisticated strategies
and critical support components are
needed.

26 Elektor Business Magazine 2/2017

17.104-EBM-LinearTechno-UK-02.indd 1 15-03-17 11:18

 The challenge begins with the need for
high accuracy and confidence in the
many measurements of key battery cell
parameters.
Further, the design must be modular in
its subsystems to enable tailoring the
configuration to the specific needs of the
application, along with possible expan-
sion, overall management issues, and
necessary maintenance.
The operating environment of larger-
scale storage arrays brings other sig-
nificant challenges, as well. The BMS
must provide precise, consistent data
within an extremely noisy electrical and
often hot environment despite the high
voltage/current inverters and resultant
current spikes. In addition, it must pro-
vide extensive fine-grain data on internal
module and system temperature mea-
surements, which are critical for charg-
ing, monitoring, and discharging, rather
than just a few broad-brush aggregate
values.
Due to the basic role of these power sys-
tems, their operating reliability is inher-
ently critical.
To translate that easily stated objective
into reality, the BMS must ensure data
accuracy and integrity, along with con-
tinuous health assessments so it can take
the needed actions on an ongoing basis.
Achieving a robust design and safety is
a multi-level process, and the BMS must
anticipate problems, perform self-test,
and provide failure detection on all sub-
systems, then implement appropriate
actions while in standby and operational
modes. As a final mandate, due to the
high voltage, current, and power levels,
there are many stringent regulatory stan-
dards that the BMS must meet.
System design translates
concepts to real-world results
Although monitoring rechargeable bat-
teries is simple in concept – just place
the voltage and current-measurement
circuits at the cell terminals – the real-
ity of a BMS is quite different and much
more complicated.
Robust design begins with comprehen-
sive monitoring of individual battery cells,
which places significant demands on ana-
log functions.
The cell readings need millivolt and mil-
liamp accuracy, and voltage and current
17.104-EBM-LinearTechno-UK-02.indd 2
measurements must be time-synchro-
nized to calculate power. The BMS must ebm article tagging
also assess validity of each measure- Beginner
ment, as it needs to maximize data integ- Level: Intermediate
rity, while it must also identify errors or
Professional
questionable readings. It cannot ignore
unusual readings which may indicate a Product
potential problem, but at the same time, Subject: Service
it should not take action based on data
Advice
which has errors.
Trading
A modular BMS architecture enhances
Company Status: Start-Up
robustness, scalability, and reliability.
Potential
Modularity also facilitates use of isolation
where needed in the data links between Production
subsections to minimize impact of electri-
Advice: Technology
cal noise and to enhance safety. In addi-
Regulatory
tion, advanced data-encoding formats
including CRC (cyclic redundancy check)
Theoretical
error detection and link acknowledge-
Approach: Practical
ment protocols assure data integrity, so
the system management function has Mixed
confidence that the data it receives is
Website:
what was sent.
www.linear.com
An example of a BMS that incorporates
these principles is the scalable and cus-
tomizable battery management system where reliability and ruggedness are criti-
developed by Nuvation Engineering cal. The key advantage of this off-the
(Waterloo, Ontario and Sunnyvale, CA). shelf BMS is its tiered, hierarchical topol-
The Nuvation BMS design is proving itself ogy (Figure 2) with three subsystems,
with design wins in grid energy-storage each with unique functions, as shown
systems and power-backup equipment, in Figure 3.
Figure 1: battery-based backup is well-suited for fixed and mobile applications spanning
thousands of watts to hundreds of kW, and can provide reliable, effective power across a wide
range of applications.
Power Supplies, Batteries & Energy 27
15-03-17 11:18
 1. The cell interface provides tight man-
agement and monitoring of each bat-
tery cell in a stack; the system uses
as many cell interfaces as needed,
depending on the number of stacks.
These interfaces can be daisy-chained
as the number of cells and thus the
stack voltage increases.
2. The cell interface is connected to a
single stack controller which monitors
and manages multiple cell-interface
units. Multiple stack controllers can
be connected together, if needed, to
support large packs with many stacks
in parallel.
3. ,The power interface connects the
stack controllers to high voltage/
current lines and is the interface to
the inverter/charger. It isolates high-
voltage and high-current components
of the stack physically and electrically
from the other modules. It also pow-
ers the BMS directly from the battery
stack, thus eliminating the need for
any external power supplies for the
BMS operation.
The modular and hierarchical architecture
of the Nuvation BMS supports battery-
pack voltages ranging up to 1250 VDC,
using cell interface modules, each contai-
ning up to 16 cells, stacks with up to 48
cell-interface modules, and battery packs
that contain multiple stacks in parallel.
The entire array assembly is managed as
a single unit from the user›s perspective.

Solid design builds from the

bottom up
Factors such as modular architecture,
hierarchical topology, and error-aware
design are essential to the integrity and
expandability of the Nuvation BMS, but
not enough. A successful implementa-
tion requires high-performance func-
tional blocks to serve as the physical
foundation.

That’s why the LTC®6804 Multicell Bat-

tery Monitor IC from Linear Technology
(Figure 4) plays a critical role in the
Nuvation BMS implementation. It is
expressly tailored for the needs of BMS
systems and multicell designs, beginning
with providing precise measurements of
Figure 2: the Nuvation engineering battery management system is the interface between the ac up to 12 battery cells stacked in series.
power grid and an array of battery cells; it provides both sophisticated battery charging/discharge Its measurement inputs are not ground-
oversight as well as the DC/AC inverter function. referenced, which greatly simplifies mea-

Figure 3: The three major subsystems of the Nuvation BMS — cell interface, stack controller, power interface — comprise a modular, hierarchical design
which results in scalability, robustness, and reliability across a wide range of power levels.

28 Elektor Business Magazine 2/2017

17.104-EBM-LinearTechno-UK-02.indd 3 15-03-17 11:18

 surement of those cells, and the LTC6804 Although a high-accuracy reference is related voltage, current, and temperature
itself is stackable for use with higher-vol- a necessary feature to ensure superior measurements.
tage arrays (and it also supports a variety performance, that alone is not enough. To mitigate the system noise before it can
of cell chemistries). It offers maximum The A/D converter architecture and its affect the BMS performance, the LTC6804
0.033% error with 16-bit resolution, and operation must meet specifications in an converter uses a delta-sigma topology,
needs just 290 µs to measure all 12 cells electrically noisy environment, which is aided by six user selectable filter options
in the stack. Such synchronized voltage the result of the pulsewidth modulated to address noisy environments.
and current measurements are critical (PWM) transients of the system›s high The delta-sigma approach reduces the
to yield meaningful analysis of power current/voltage inverter. Accurate assess- effect of electromagnetic interference
parameters. ment of the state of charge (SOC) and (EMI) and other transient noise, by its
health of the batteries also requires cor- very nature of using many samples per
Of course, performance in the benign
environment of a prototype at the bench
is not the same as actual achievable per-
formance in an electrically and environ-
mentally hostile real-world BMS setting.
The LTC6804›s analog/digital converter
(ADC) architecture is designed to resist
and minimize those detrimental effects,
using filters specifically designed for the
noise of power inverters.
The data interface uses a single twisted-
pair, isolated SPI interface which supports
rates up to 1 Mbit and distances of up
to 100 meters.

To further enhance system integrity, the

IC includes an array of ongoing subsys-
tem tests. As further indication of its
reliability and ruggedness, the LTC6804
meets the stringent AEC-Q100 standard
for automotive quality. Figure 4: The LTC6804 multicell battery monitor IC from Linear Technology provides accurate
This IC achieves its results due to an precise measurements on stacked battery cells, which are the starting point for a successful BMS
application-specific design which focu- implementation.
ses closely on BMS issues and environ-
ments, including the unique system-level
objectives of the application and its many
challenges.

Three major issues resolved

The LTC6804 addresses three major
areas which affect system perfor-
mance, conversion accuracy, cell balan-
cing, and connectivity/data-integrity
considerations:

1. Conversion accuracy.
Due to the short- and long-term accuracy
demands of the BMS application, it uses a
buried-Zener conversion reference rather
than a bandgap reference. This provi-
des a stable, low-drift (20 ppm/√kHr),
low-temperature coefficient (3 ppm/°C),
low-hysteresis (20 ppm) primary voltage
reference along with excellent long-term
stability. This accuracy and stability is
critical since it is the basis for all sub-
sequent battery-cell measurements and
these errors have a cumulative impact
on acquired-data credibility, algorithm Figure 5: the LTC6804 supports an isolated SPI interface which can be daisy-chained for larger
consistency, and system performance. EMIi-resistant interconnect that minimizes cabling requirements and the number of isolators.

Power Supplies, Batteries & Energy 29

17.104-EBM-LinearTechno-UK-02.indd 4 15-03-17 11:18

 conversion, with an averaging, filtering
function.
2. Cell balancing.
The need for cell balancing is an una-
voidable consequence in any system
that uses large battery packs arranged
as groups of cells or modules. Although
most lithium cells are well matched when
first acquired, they lose capacity as they
age. The aging process can differ from
cell to cell due to a number of factors,
such as gradients in pack temperature.
Exacerbating the whole process, a cell
that is allowed to operate beyond its SOC
limits will prematurely age and lose addi-
tional capacity.
These differences in capacity, combined
with small differences in self-discharge
and load currents, lead to cell imbalance.
To remedy the cell imbalance issue, the
LTC6804 directly supports passive balan-
cing (with a user-settable timer). Passive
balancing is a low cost, simple method to
normalize the SOC for all cells during the
battery charge cycle. By removing charge
from the lower capacity cells, passive
balancing ensures these lower capacity
cells are not overcharged.
The LTC6804 can also be used to con-
trol active balancing, a more complica-
ted balancing technique which transfers
charge between cells through the charge
or discharge cycle.
Whether done using active or passive
approaches, cell balancing relies on high
measurement accuracy. As measurement
error increases, the operating guardband
which the system establishes must also
be increased, and therefore the effective-
ness of the balancing performance will
be limited. Further, as the SOC range is
further restricted, the sensitivity to these
errors also increases. The LTC6804’s total
measurement error of less than 1.2 mV
is well within system-level requirements.
3. Connectivity/data integrity
considerations.
Modularity in the battery-pack design
adds to scalability, serviceability, and
form-factor flexibility. However, this
modularity requires that the data bus
between packs has galvanic isolation (no
ohmic path), so failures in any one pack
do not affect the rest of the system or
put high voltages on the bus. Further,
the wiring between packs must tolerate
high levels of EMI.
30 Elektor Business Magazine 2/2017
17.104-EBM-LinearTechno-UK-02.indd 5
A two-wire isolated data bus is a viable
solution to achieve these goals in a com-
pact and cost-effective way. Therefore,
the LTC6804 offers an isolated SPI inter-
connect called iso-SPI, which encodes the
signals for clock, data in, data out, and
chip select into differential pulses, which
are then coupled through a transformer,
a rugged, reliable, and long established
isolation component (Figure 5).
Devices on the bus can be connected in a
daisy chain configuration, which greatly
reduces harness size and enables modu-
lar designs for large, high-voltage battery
packs, while maintaining high data rates
and low EMI susceptibility (Figure 6).
To demonstrate the noise immunity,
Linear Technology performed BCI testing
on the LTC6804. This involved coupling
100 mA of RF energy into the battery-
wiring harness, with the RF carrier swept
from 1 MHz to 400 MHz and with 1-kHz
AM modulation on the carrier.
The LTC6804 digital filter was program-
med for a 1.7-kHz cutoff frequency, and
an external RC filter and ferrite choke
were added as well.
The result: the error in voltage reading
was below 2 mV over the entire RF sweep
range.
An array of self-assessment and self-
test features adds to the suitability of
the LTC6804 for BMS applications. These
checks include open-wire detection; a
second internal reference for ADC clock;
multiplexer self-test, and even measure-
ment of its internal power supply volta-
Figure 6: Test results on the LTC6804 and iso-SPI interface showed no data errors despite 200 mA
of injected RF with the iso-SPI operating at 20 mA signal strength.
ges. The device is engineered for systems
that are intended to be compliant with
ISO 26262 and IEC 61508 standards.
Conclusion
There’s a lot of glamour associated with
backup and carry-through supplies for
grid-level systems. It seems so straight-
forward: just keep an array of batteries
charged (whether from the grid-AC line,
or solar, wind, or other renewable sour-
ces), then use the batteries with a DC/
AC inverter when you need to provide
line-equivalent AC power.
The reality is that batteries are not simple
in any of their behavior or performance
characteristics, and they need carefully
controlled charging, monitoring of their
voltage, current, and temperature, and
discharging. As power levels increase, a
practical, efficient, and safe system is not
a trivial design, and so a grid-connected
multicell BMS is a complex system. Many
unique problems need to be understood
and addressed, with safety a major con-
cern as well.
A successful and viable system design
needs a modular, structured, top-down
architecture that is supported from bot-
tom up by optimized components such
as the LTC6804.
When combined with sophisticated,
secure data-acquisition and control soft-
ware, the result is a high-performance,
reliable BMS that requires minimal opera-
tor involvement, and will function autono-
mously for years of reliable service.
15-03-17 11:18
 Elektor Presents: Rebecca Geier’s
Smart Marketing for

With the proliferation of marketing channels and the buy-

ing process moving online, marketing planning has become
a critical step to driving business success and ROI. Today,
business and marketing leaders struggle with tough choices:
How do I get my company found online? Do I go to the same
trade show or downsize my booth and increase investment
in SEO? Do I create more content and videos or advertise
on LinkedIn? And the questions and trade-offs go on. Using
a proven, research-based methodology for driving demand
and growing sales pipelines, this workshop will help you
answer these questions and more.

At the end of this workshop, you will have:

• A prioritized plan for marketing investments
• A draft campaign and content marketing plan
• Buyer personas defined
• Content themes and specific topics outlined
• Keywords identified
• A content repurposing plan to amplify your work
• Calls-to-action “paths” at each stage of the funnel to
drive engagement and conversion
• Metrics to measure marketing ROI

About Rebecca Geier About the book

Rebecca has over 25 years of global marketing experience in Rich in data showing engineers online content and browsing
engineering and scientific markets. Named by The Wall Street behaviour and preferences, the book is filled with lists,
Journal editors among the Ten Most Innovative Entrepreneurs templates, and examples from B2B engineering and scientific
in America, Rebecca released her debut book, Smart companies in industries including automotive, military/
Marketing for Engineers: An Inbound Marketing Guide to aerospace, consumer electronics, manufacturing, IT, and
Reaching Technical Audiences in 2016. oil/gas. If you are an engineer or technical business leader
looking for a straightforward, research-based guide to modern
Prior to co-founding TREW marketing or a professional marketer new to targeting
Marketing, Rebecca managed technical audiences, this book is for you.
marketing programs at a variety
of technology and marketing
companies and was a member
of the marketing leadership WHAT: One-and-a-half day marketing workshop
team at National Instruments for WHO: Business and marketing leaders and teams who
14 years. Rebecca is a regular target highly technical audiences such as engi-
speaker and writer on the neers or scientists
subject of effectively marketing WHEN: June 2017
to technical audiences. WHERE: Berlin, Munich, Aachen, Eindhoven (dates and
locations for each city TBD)

Further information:
www.elektormagazine.com/smart-marketing

Power Supplies, Batteries & Energy 31

17.104-EBM-News-UK-31-02.indd 1 15-03-17 11:20

 Sophisticated
power management IC offers
improved performance and more efficient
energy harvesting
The highly integrated AEM10940 from e-peas (distribu-
tor: KAMAKA Electronic) contains an extremely energy-
efficient boost converter (94% peak efficiency) together
with a voltage reference, energy management and LDO
regulator elements. Thanks to its innovative cold-start cir-
cuitry the device will be up and running even when there
is minimal stored energy remaining. An input of just 380
mV at a mere 11 µW proving to be more than sufficient
for operation.
The IC collects available input power up to 50 mW from an
assigned power source such as a solar cell. Its boost con-
verter (input voltage range 100 mV to 2.5 V) provides fast
charging of a connected energy storage device such as a
Li-ion battery, thin-film battery or supercapacitor, etc. The
charge rate can be almost three times higher than alter-
native solutions currently on the market. The two embed-
ded LDO regulators deliver close to 98% current efficiency
across a broad range of loads. These regulators have a
low voltage and high voltage supply associated with them.
The low-voltage supply (1.8 V) providing up to 10 mA will
typically be used to operate the system’s microcontroller.
The high-voltage supply, adjustable between 2.2 and 4.2
V can supply up to 80 mA to power the system’s wireless
transceiver (BLE, Zigbee, SigFox or LoRa, etc.)
The AEM10940 is ideally suited to a wide range of emerg-
ing energy-saving sensor applications including all aspects
of the Internet of Things (IoT), wearables, home automa-
tion, industrial monitoring and wireless geolocation, etc. An
evaluation board with all related components can be ordered
from KAMAKA Electronic to ensure rapid development.
www.kamaka.de
32 Elektor Business Magazine 2/2017
17.104-EBM-News-UK-31-02.indd 2
Power line chokes with
threefold higher rated voltage
compared to devices from regular series
A rated voltage three times higher than the voltage of the
existing family of WE-CMB chokes – this is the outstanding
feature of the current-compensated power line chokes of
the WE-CMB HV series offered by Würth Elektronik eiSos.
Europe’s leading supplier of electronic and electrome-
chanical components has designed these new common
mode chokes for network applications with alternating
voltages of up to 760 V. Aside from the power electronics
application area, the WE-CMB HV series is also designed
for use in input and output filters and for motor interfer-
ence suppression.
The threefold higher rated voltage offered by the WE-
CMB HV products, com¬pared with the regular series of
power line chokes, was made possible by doubling the
clearance and creepage distances. A new plastic casing
and an improved separating strip enable an insulation
voltage of 3,000 VAC to be achieved. All insulation mate-
rials used in these products are UL94-V0 listed. The new
series is compatible with the grid designs of the existing
WE-CMB and WE-CMB-NC series. The WE-CMB HV design
is available in the versions XL and XXL.
Free samples are available
upon request; all power line
choke products are directly
available from stock.
www.we-online.com
15-03-17 11:20
 A New Generation of Powerful
Thermal Imaging Cameras
for Electro-Mechanical, Plant and Building
Maintenance Professionals

With the introduction of the E75, E85 and E95

FLIR systems has added three new powerful thermal
imaging cameras to its Exx-Series for electrical, mechani-
cal, plant, and building maintenance applications. These
newly developed, Wi-Fi capable Exx-Series cameras feature
intelligent, interchangeable lenses, laser-controlled auto-
focus mode and scan-area measurements employing FLIR’s
optimized patented MSX® image enhancement together
with a large, bright 4-inch touchscreen display. With the
advantages of the imaging system’s increased sensitivity
and higher infrared resolution these high quality cameras
provide the support professionals need to quickly locate
hot-spots and identify potential trouble spots before they
can turn into big costly problems.
In the process of restructuring the Exx-Series FLIR has
developed a new range of compact intelligent, interchan-
geable lenses, automatically identified and calibrated by
the camera body, making manual calibration unnecessary.
With these, laser distance measurement is implemented, to
achieve precise auto-focus and correspondingly improved
temperature measurement accuracy with the measured
area information shown on the FLIR E85 und E95 display
in square metres or square feet. In addition the FLIR E85
and E95 offer improved thermal imaging resolution up to
464 × 348 (161,472) pixels with the temperature measu-
rement range extending to 1,500 degrees Celsius.
Together with FLIR Tools™ the FLIR E75, E85 and E95 are
the first Exx cameras with UltraMax®, FLIRs embedded
super-resolution technology, boosting the effective reso-
lution by four times, to 645,888 pixels and thermal sensi-
tivity up to 50 percent.
www.flir.com/exx-series
M12 Power:
compact and powerful
It is a major milestone in an age of miniaturization: the
presentation of the M12 Power connector for power trans-
mission. HUMMEL AG has presented this connector to the
public for the first time at the SPS 2015.
The compact M12 connector transmits power up to a nomi-
nal voltage of 630 V and a rated current of up to 16 A. This
development opens up more possibilities for use. A prime
example is: confined spaces.
The M12 Power now makes the use of power plugs possi-
ble. New challenges presented themselves when it came
to robustness and thermal resistance.
Thanks to the use of new materials, the new M12 Power
functions reliably up to temperatures of 125 degrees Cel-
sius. The sturdy metal housing complies with EMC stan-
dards and accommodates cables with cross sections of up to
11 millimeters. The M12 Power is available in four codings
and complies with IP 67 and IP 69K protection classes.
www.hummel.com

Power Supplies, Batteries & Energy 33

17.104-EBM-News-UK-31-02.indd 3 15-03-17 11:21

 Renewable Energy Is Here to Stay
According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, the combination of wind and solar energy generation will
account for 77% of the total energy generation in 2040 in Germany.
The UK will also benefit significantly from wind and solar, as does Australia. (Source: BNEF)

UK 63% Germany 77%

US 24%
France 30% China 37%

Mexico 32% India 32%

ME and Africa 26%

Brazil 34%

A Power Plant in Your Neighbourhood?

Some 1,000 German citizens were asked if they would accept a power plant in their neighbourhood. Most Germans do not mind
having a solar farm nearby. But the acceptance rate for a nuclear power plant is really low.
(Source: TNS Emnid/Renewable Energies Agency/Strom-Report.de)

Acceptance of power plants in your neighbourhood

72% Solar farm

61% Wind farm

39% Biogas plant

27% Gas-fired power plant

11% Coal-fired plant

5% Nuclear power plant

34 Elektor Business Magazine 2/2017

17.104-EBM-Infographics-UK-03.indd 1 14-03-17 11:16

 What if Solar Power Grew as Fast as Facebook?
What if, from now on, solar power would grow as fast as
Facebook did from its day of birth? Then all the globe would
by powered by solar in 2021/2022.
(Source: IBOG.org; www.imsresearch.com;
www.ren21.net; www.eia.doe.gov)

Day 1: 72.88 MW added - enough to power 12,000 homes

Day 2: 145,99 MW added - enough to power 24,000 homes

Day 15: All of Vermont powered by added solar

Japan 20% Day 31: All of Alaska powered by added solar

14 months: All of California powered by added solar

29 months: All of US coal capacity replaced by added solar

3.5 years: All of US powered by new solar

3.7 years: All global coal replaced with solar

dia 32%

4.7 years: All of the globe powered by solar

Australia 52%

Smart System Planning

Could Save $90 Billion

When the US electricity grid would be modernised

in order to accommodate local energy produc-
tion (solar, wind, biomass and so on), it could save
costs amounting to $90 billion during the coming 40
years. The modernisation during these years would
cost about $60 billion. However, by 2053 the accumu-
Cost and benefits of lation of savings would be around $150 billion.
modernisation: ratio 1 : 2.5 (Source: Co-optimatization of Transmission and Other Supply Resources,
NARUC 2013/America’s Power Plan)

Cost of additional transmission: $60 billion Savings from co-optimised transmission+generation: $150 billion

Solar Power Wins the Day Exajoules 1400

This century will become the century of solar

1200
power, judging from research done by the
German Advisory Council on Global Change.
1000
Its research was extensive, taking all relevant
energy sources into account. 800
(Source: WBGU)
Other Renewables
600
Solar Thermal Heating
Solar Power
Wind 400
Biogas
Hydropower 200
Nuclear
Gas
Coal 0 2000 2020 2040 2060 2080 2100
Oil
HOMELAB STARTUP TRADE
* 1 Exajoule = 278 Billion Kilowatt Hours
100 Exajoules = Current U.S. total energy consumption

Power Supplies, Batteries & Energy 35

17.104-EBM-Infographics-UK-03.indd 2 14-03-17 11:16

 The Intel® Quark™
Microcontroller
Why an x86 MCU is the Right Stuff
for the Internet of Things

By Bill Giovino —authoring for Mouser Electronics Europe

It seems that every semiconductor company has

a microcontroller solution for the Internet of Things
(IoT) today. We are seeing specs for low
power, high performance, and high
integration microcontrollers from the
usual core suppliers. But when Intel
announced that it was reentering the
microcontroller business with a 32-bit
x86 MCU for the Internet of Things, it was
like Thor picking up his hammer to take on
the competition again.

Intel’s new IoT microcontroller product line is the Intel Quark
microcontroller family, and it emulates the small yet highly
powerful subatomic particle it is named after. With the Intel
Quark microcontroller, Intel has rolled out its groundbreaking
32-bit i486 architecture – that’s right, the same CPU architec-
ture used to run desktop PCs is now powering little embedded
IoT applications.
The x86-Based Intel Quark Microcontroller D2000
The latest Intel Quark brand in the product line is the Intel
Quark microcontroller D2000 [1] As depicted in Figure 1 it
starts with a single-threaded i486 register-based core, then adds
the six Intel® Pentium™ optimization instructions, resulting in
a 32-bit Pentium-compatible instruction set architecture (ISA)
without the SIMD or x87 floating point support. The Pentium
instruction set actually has some surprising features that make
it applicable to embedded code, such as a single-cycle 32x32
multiply as well as some bit test instructions. There are also
some unusually complex logic instructions such as a “Bit-wise
Logical AND and NOT”.
The instruction set has a flexible opcode size, some instructions
are 32-bits long, while stack instructions need just a single byte.
This flexibility helps compilers generate more compact code.
The Pentium’s mature ecosystem
By choosing a Pentium-compatible instruction set, Intel has
made the Intel Quark processor core compatible with the large
number of Pentium compilers out there, giving it additional
optimizations from a code development ecosystem even more
mature than ARM®. This also allows access to a vast library
of Pentium-ISA compatible code which can be easily ported to
the Intel Quark microcontroller. Thread-X and Zephyr are two
popular small footprint x86 RTOS packages that can fit eas-
ily in the Intel Quark microcontroller. There are a number of
legacy RTOSs available that were tested, verified, and made
solid 30 years ago that can run flawlessly.
The Intel Quark processor core includes memory block pro-
tection, an internal AHB bus interface, a JTAG port, a wakeup
controller, and an interrupt control unit (ICU).
When looking at the low power figures of the Intel Quark
microcontroller D2000, the numbers are surprising. Running
the device at 32 MHz at 3.3 V, the draw is only 8 mA. This
results in a 32-bit Pentium-ISA core with the power draw of
some 8-bit microcontrollers. HALT current, with only the core
and the Real Time Clock (RTC) running, results in a current
draw of just 697 nA. These are impressively low numbers for
what is, let me remind you again, an Intel 32-bit embedded

36 Elektor Business Magazine 2/2017

17.104-EBM-Mouser-UK-02.indd 1 15-03-17 11:28

 Beginner Trading Theoretical
Level: Intermediate Company Status: Start-Up Approach: Practical
Professional Potential Mixed

Product Production Website:

Subject: Advice: Technology www.mouser.com
Service
Advice Regulatory
EBM ARTICLE TAGGING

Pentium microcontroller. Next-level intelligent sensor nodes

For edge computing where the Intel Quark D2000 is powering The Intel Quark Microcontroller SE takes the concept of a smart
a small sensor node, these power figures can result in almost sensor node to a new level. As illustrated in Figure 4, it takes
two years of battery life off a 9V lithium battery. the D2000 and makes it faster by adding 8 KBytes of 2-way
It is tied to 32 KBytes of Flash program memory and 8 KBytes
of SRAM. An additional 8 KBytes of Flash, divided into two
4KByte banks, is available for data storage. It can be treated
like EPROM; alternately, it can be set to be one-time program-
mable (OTP) in one or both 4KByte banks. For fault-tolerant
IoT applications this allows for local storage of critical sensor
data if, for example, the Intel Quark microcontroller determines
that the wireless connection to the sensor hub has been lost
and data needs to be saved locally.
The Intel Quark microcontroller D2000 sports the usual range
of communication peripherals which includes a real-time clock
(RTC), two 16550-compatible 2Mbaud UARTs, a master/slave
I2C, and two SPIs. The analog to digital converter (ADC) on
Figure 1: Intel Quark Microcontroller D2000 Block Diagram
the Intel Quark microcontroller D2000 has 19 channels and
(source: Intel).
can be configured to convert 12, 10, 8, or 6-bits, with speeds
from 3.3 Msps (6-bits) to 2.4 Msps (12-bits). This is quick
enough to grab plenty of atmospheric sensor data in a fast-
changing environment.
The Intel® Quark™ D2000 Development Board (Figure 2)
provides a wide variety of powerful features in a cost-effective
environment. It includes a 6-axis accelerometer with 12-bit
resolution, a 3-axis geomagnetic sensor, and a temperature
sensor. It includes connectors for Arduino Uno-compatible
shields for expanded functionality, and has a battery holder
for a CR2032 coin cell capable of powering the board in low-
power event driven applications for a couple of months. Appli-
cation code for the Intel Quark microcontroller family is built
using the Intel System Studio for Microcontrollers (Figure 3).
With this code development package, developers can quickly
build IoT sensor node applications including remote positional
sensing, free fall detection, tilt-compensated compass, or dead
reckoning applications. Figure 2: Intel Quark D2000 Developer Board with Arduino Headers
While Intel supports various versions of their System Studio, the (source: Intel).
version for microcontrollers is free. It is based on the popular
Eclipse Integrated Development Environment (IDE) and comes
with two C compilers. The first is a GNU C Compiler, and the
second is from Intel. Both compilers benefit from Intel Pentium
architecture-specific optimizations. Besides these, there are a
wide variety of 3rd party Pentium C/C++ compilers that can
be easily integrated with the Eclipse IDE. RTOS-aware debug-
ging, flash programming support, and power efficiency profil-
ing are all features that help to optimize application code for
small sensor-aware embedded applications that are typical of
low power IoT sensor applications. Full hardware debugging is
supported through a JTAG interface. Linux and Windows devel- Figure 3: Intel System Studio for Microcontrollers Components
opment environments are presently supported. (source: Intel).

Power Supplies, Batteries & Energy 37

17.104-EBM-Mouser-UK-02.indd 2 15-03-17 11:28

 associative L1 instruction cache. The x86 core also now has
192 KBytes of Flash and 80 KBytes of RAM. A flexible 8-chan-
nel DMA supports memory to memory, peripheral to memory,
memory to peripheral and peripheral to peripheral transfers.
Peripherals include an RTC, analogue comparators, timers,
PWM, UARTs, SPI, I2C, and USB ports.
Intelligent sensor processing
The sensor subsystem of the Intel Quark microcontroller SE con-
tains a standalone 32-bit ARC EM DSP core with 192 KBytes of
Flash. The DSP is capable of first order digital signal processing,
and is meant to offload sensor processing from the x86 core.
It directly interfaces a variety of peripheral resources including
SPI, I2C, ADC, GPIOs, and timers that can interface to exter-
nal sensors. The ARC DSP core supports fractional arithmetic,
floating point, divide, square root, and more complex processing
including trigonometric functions. The ARC DSP has 8 KBytes
of dedicated SRAM and also has a shared SRAM memory area
with the x86 Pentium core for inter-processor communication.
The sensor subsystem’s ARC DSP supports intelligent data
acquisition for low power applications. The DSP can be placed
in a sleep state until a peripheral wakes it up to send data to
be processed. The DSP wakes up, processes the data, and
sends the results to the main x86 Pentium processor. For intel-
ligent IoT sensor node applications, the sensor subsystem is a
valuable feature that provides fast and accurate processing of
sensor data supporting sensor fusion, data averaging, filter-
ing, artefact rejection, and error correction.
Intelligent pattern recognition
The new Pattern Matching Recognition Engine in the Intel
Quark microcontroller SE provides machine identification of
previously learned digital objects. The engine is composed of
a network of parallel arithmetic units, called Neurons, which
perform two types of pattern recognition. The first is called
K-nearest neighbour (KNN) and the second is call radial basis
function (RBF). Both allow the Intel Quark microcontroller to
do some pretty impressive edge processing by performing
simple pattern detection on sensor data. Upon processing a
pattern, the engine returns one of three states: identification,
uncertain, or unknown. Up to 32,768 identification categories
can be programmed.
The pattern matching engine features 128 arithmetic units
operating in parallel. In this configuration each arithmetic unit
Figure 4: Intel Quark Microcontroller SE Block Diagram (source: Intel).
38 Elektor Business Magazine 2/2017
17.104-EBM-Mouser-UK-02.indd 3
is referred to as a neuron. The recognition time is constant,
providing the added advantage in embedded systems applica-
tions of making the engine deterministic.
While this pattern matching engine can seem complicated at
first glance, in reality it supports four main operations:
• load a vector knowledge base to the engine;
• read the vector knowledge base from the engine;
• load a pattern to be recognized into the engine;
• read the results of pattern recognition from the engine.
Now, if the Pattern Matching Engine is tied into the Sensor
Subsystem, the Sensor Subsystem can pass a series of vec-
tors representing, for example, vibration, temperature, cur-
rent, and audio data, to the Pattern Matching Engine which
can match it against a stored dataset. If the dataset finds a
hit of a pattern it has been looking for, it can trigger a wakeup
event to the main x86 processor. This can then make a deci-
sion to, for example, turn a switch on or off, or send an alert
of the match to the main sensor hub.
This level of processing in an inexpensive chip is uncommon in
microcontrollers found today, and adds significant cost-effective
value to simple IoT sensor nodes. Complex processing that
would normally be sent wirelessly from the node to the main
sensor hub or a cloud server can be performed locally at the
sensor node itself. This not only saves processing power at
the sensor hub, but it also saves the node’s battery power. In
an IoT node, the power draw of the node must be worth the
value of the data. The more processing that can be performed
at the node level, the less data needs to be transmitted wire-
lessly, saving power.
Conclusion
Intel has taken a big step by re-introducing their familiar x86
32-bit Pentium architecture into the microcontroller arena, but
this makes sense in the IoT application field. The x86 Pentium
architecture leverages a development ecosystem of compilers,
debuggers, and evaluation tools that spans 30 years. While the
Intel Quark microcontroller D2000 introduces an entry-level
32-bit microcontroller architecture into the marketplace, the
Intel Quark microcontroller SE brings new intelligence into
small cost-effective nodes, rivalling existing solutions and intro-
ducing a new era of innovation in the Internet of Things.
Web Link
[1] http://eu.mouser.com/new/Intel/
intel-quark-d2000-mcu/
The Author
Bill Giovino is an Electronics Engineer with a B.S.E.E. from
Syracuse University. For the past 20 years he has enjoyed
creating and marketing new technologies to technical
and non-technical audiences with many semiconductor
companies including STMicroelectronics, Infineon, and
National Semiconductor, as well as an independent
consultant. Bill is moderator of the LinkedIn Semiconductor
Sales & Marketing Group.
15-03-17 11:29
 Holes in the electrode
Positrons as a new tool
for lithium ion battery research
Rechargeable lithium batteries with
cathodes comprising nickel, manga-
nese, and cobalt, are viewed as the
most potent today. But they, too,
have a limited lifespan. Already in
the first cycle they lose up to ten
percent of their capacity. Why this
happens and what can be done to
alleviate the ensuing gradual loss of
capacity has now been investigated
in detail by a team of scientists using
positrons at the Technical University
of Munich (TUM).
So-called NMC batteries, whose cath-
odes are made up of a mixture of
nickel, manganese, cobalt and lith-
ium have largely displaced conven-
tional lithium-cobalt oxide batteries
in the market. They are cheaper and
safer, and are thus deployed in elec-
tric and hybrid cars, among other
applications.
But ultimately, less than 50 per-
cent of the lithium atoms contrib-
ute to actual capacity. While elec-
trodes investigated at the TU Munich
released 62 percent of their lithium
17.104-EBM-News-UK-39-03.indd 1
Modular Micro Wind Turbines
DECENTRAL ENERGY
PRODUCT
Best in Class Efficiency
Scalable & Modular
Plug & Play with Solar
atoms during the first discharge,
only 54 percent of them returned
upon recharging. Although the loss
is significantly lower in subsequent Optimized for Low
and Medium Winds
cycles, the capacity continues to
decrease gradually. After a few thou-
sand cycles, the remaining capacity
is so small that the battery becomes
unusable.
The study clearly shows that linger-
ing “voids” in the lattice of the cath-
BENEFITS
ode material accompany the irre-
High-performance
versible loss of capacity, and that
turbines and low
this blockage is attributable to the investment costs
failed refilling of vacancies in the
material. Autonomy throuh
decentral energy
The research was funded by the Ger- production
man Federal Ministry of Education
and Research (BMBF) in the context Sustainability and
of the ExZellTUM project. Operation reduction of carbon
of the Coincident Doppler-Broadening footprint
Spectrometer used in the study was
also funded by the BMBF. Our Vision: Clean and
Affordable Wind Energy for All
[Advertisement]
Learn more at
www.tum.de
www.mowea.world
Power Supplies, Batteries & Energy 39
15-03-17 14:14
 Battery
Management
System Tutorial
An Intersil Americas LLC contribution

Today’s electronic devices have higher mobility and are greener than ever before. Battery advancements
are fueling this progression in a wide range of products from portable power tools to plug-in hybrid electric
vehicles and wireless speakers. In recent years, the efficiency of a battery in terms of how much power it can
output with respect to size and weight has dramatically improved. Think about how heavy and bulky a car
battery is. Its main purpose is to start the car. With recent advancements, you can purchase a lithium-ion
battery to jump start your car, and it only weighs a couple pounds and is the size of your hand.

The ongoing transformation of battery technology has prompted
many newcomers to learn about designing battery manage-
ment systems. This article provides a beginner’s guide to the
battery management system (BMS) architecture, discusses the
major functional blocks, and explains the importance of each
block to the battery management system.
Building blocks of a battery management system
As pictured in Figure 1 a battery management system can be
comprised of many functional blocks including: cutoff FETs, a
fuel gauge monitor, cell voltage monitor, cell voltage balance,
real time clock (RTC), temperature monitors and a state
machine. There are many types of battery management ICs
available. The grouping of the functional blocks varies widely
from a simple analog front end that offers balancing and moni-
toring and requires a microcontroller (MCU), to a standalone,
highly integrated solution that runs autonomously. Now let’s
take a look at the purpose and the technology behind each
block, as well as the pros and cons of the technology.
Cutoff FETs and FET Driver
A FET driver functional block is responsible for the connection
and isolation of the battery pack between the load and char-
ger. The behavior of the FET driver is predicated on measure-
ments from battery cell voltages, current measurements and
real-time detection circuitry. Figures 2A and 2B illustrate two
different types of FET connections between the load and char-
ger, and the battery pack.

40 Elektor Business Magazine 2/2017

17.104-EBM-Intersil-UK-04.indd 1 15-03-17 11:33

 Figure 2A requires the least amount of connections to the
battery pack and limits the battery pack operating modes to
charge, discharge or sleep. The current flow direction and the
behavior of a specific real-time test determine the device’s
state. For example, Intersil’s ISL94203 standalone battery pack
monitor has a CHMON input that monitors the voltage on the
right side of the cutoff FETs. If a charger is connected and the
battery pack is isolated from the charger, the current injected
towards the battery pack will cause the voltage to rise to the
charger’s maximum supply voltage. The voltage level at CHMON
is tripped letting the BMS device know a charger is present. A
load connection is determined by injecting a current into the
load to determine if a load is present. If the voltage at the pin
does not rise significantly when current is injected, the out-
come determines a load is present. The FET driver’s DFET is
then turned on. The connection scheme for Figure 2B allows
the battery pack to operate while charging.
FET drivers can be designed to connect to the high-side or low-
side of a battery pack. A high-side connection requires a charge
pump driver to activate the NMOS FETs. Using a high-side driver
allows for a solid ground reference for the rest of the circuitry.
Low-side FET driver connections are found in some integrated
solutions to reduce cost because a charge pump is not needed.
A low-side connection does not require high voltage devices,
which consume a larger die area. Using the cutoff FETs on the
low-side floats the battery pack’s ground connection, making
it more susceptible to noise injected into the measurement,
which can affect the performance of some ICs.
quency current spikes that are delivered to the load. For erra-
tic loads, a SAR ADC with perhaps a current sense amplifier
front end may be more desirable. Any offset error results in
an overall error in the amount of charge in the battery. Mea-
surement errors over time will cause significant battery pack
charge status errors. A measurement offset of 50 µV or less
with 16-bit resolution is adequate in measuring charge.
With most current measurement blocks, there are analog com-
parators monitoring for short circuit and over current condi-
tions. The analog comparator signal is directly connected to
FET drivers to minimize latency between the event and isolating
the battery pack from the load or charger. A latency time of
several 10s of microseconds is adequate for most applications,
and in most applications, the faster the time to disconnect the
battery, the better.
Cell voltage and maximizing battery lifetime
Monitoring the cell voltage of each cell within a battery pack
is essential in determining its overall health. All cells have an
operating voltage window that charging and discharging should
occur to ensure proper operation and battery life. If an applica-

Fuel gauge / current measurements

The fuel gauge functional block keeps track of the charge
entering and exiting the battery pack. Charge is the product
of current and time. There are several different techniques
that can be used when designing a fuel gauge. A current sense
amplifier and an MCU with an integrated low resolution ADC is
one method of measuring the current. The current sense amp-
lifier operates in high common-mode environments and ampli-
fies the signal, enabling higher resolution measurements. This
design technique sacrifices dynamic range. Other techniques
are to use a high resolution ADC, or to purchase a costly fuel
gauge IC. Understanding the behavior of the load in terms of
current consumption versus time determines the best type of
fuel gauge design.
The most accurate and cost efficient solution is to measure the
voltage across a sense resistor using a 16-bit or higher ADC
with low offset and high common-mode rating. A high resolution
ADC offers a large dynamic range at the expense of speed. If
the battery is connected to an erratic load such as an electric Figure 1: A simplified diagram of the building blocks of a battery
vehicle, the slow ADC may miss high magnitude and high fre- management system.

Beginner Trading Theoretical

Level: Intermediate Company Status: Start-Up Approach: Practical
Professional Potential Mixed

Product Production Website:

Subject: Advice: Technology www.intersil.com
Service
Advice Regulatory
EBM ARTICLE TAGGING

Power Supplies, Batteries & Energy 41

17.104-EBM-Intersil-UK-04.indd 2 15-03-17 11:34

 tion is using a battery with a lithium chemistry, the operating
voltage typically ranges between 2.5 V and 4.2 V. The voltage
range is chemistry dependent. Operating the battery outside
the voltage range significantly reduces the lifetime of the cell
and can render the cell useless.
Cells are connected in series and parallel to form a battery
pack. A parallel connection increases the current drive of the
battery pack, while a series connection increases the overall
voltage. Cell voltages are like everything that is manufactured.
A cell’s performance has a distribution: at time equal zero, the
cells charge and discharge rates within a battery pack are the
same. As each cell is cycled between charge and discharge,
the rate at which each cell charges and discharges changes,
resulting in a spread distribution across a battery pack. A sim-
plistic means of determining if a battery pack is charged is to
monitor each cell’s voltage to a set voltage level. The first cell
voltage to reach the voltage limit trips the battery pack char-
ged limit. If the battery pack had a weaker than average cell,
this would result in the weakest cell reaching the limit first
and the rest of the cells not fully charged. A charging scheme
as described does not maximize the battery pack ON time per
charge. The charging scheme also reduces the lifetime of the
battery pack because more charge and discharge cycles are
needed. A weaker cell discharges faster. The same type of
occurrence happens on the discharge cycle. The weaker cell
trips the discharge limit first leaving the rest of the cells with
charge remaining.

Figure 2: Cutoff FET Schematic illustrations for (A) single connection for the load and charger; (B) two-terminal connection that allows for charging and
discharging simultaneously.

Figure 3: Different types of cell balancing (A) bypass cell balancing FETs are used to slow the charge rate of a cell during the charge cycle; (B) active
balancing is used during the discharge cycle to steal charge from a strong cell and give the charge to a weak cell.

42 Elektor Business Magazine 2/2017

17.104-EBM-Intersil-UK-04.indd 3 15-03-17 11:34

 There are two means of improving the ON time of a battery pack
per charge. The first one is slowing the charge to the weakest
cell receives during the charge cycle. This is achieved by con-
necting a bypass FET with a current limiting resistor across
the cell (see Figure 3A). This takes the current from the cell
with the highest current resulting in a slowing of charge to the
cell, allowing the other cells in the battery pack to catch up.
The ultimate goal is to maximize the battery pack’s charge
capacity, which is achieved by having all the cells reach the
fully charged limit simultaneously.
The battery pack can be balanced on the discharge cycle by
implementing a charge displacement scheme. A charge dis-
placement scheme is achieved by taking charge via inductive
coupling or capacitive storage from the alpha cell and injecting
the stored charge into the weakest cell. This slows the time it
takes weakest cell to reach the discharge limit. This is known
as active balancing (see Figure 3B).
Battery packs with one to four batteries in parallel and three or
more in series benefit the most from balancing. As the parallel
combinations increase per cell, the weak cell’s performance is
averaged with other cells in parallel. The performance distribu-
tion between cells is tighter. The benefit of having more cells in
parallel is also a detriment because it is harder to find the weaker
cell in a battery pack. A battery pack sitting idle could be bur-
ning charge due to the strong cells propping up the weaker cell.
The cell voltage and balancing circuitry receives the harshest
treatment from hot plug events. There is not an OFF button on
a battery. Connecting the circuity to a battery, load or char-
ger can result in large transients occurring at the inputs of the
device. A designer should be aware of the maximum rating
of sensitive pins. The maximum voltage rating of a pin is a
key specification to determining the likelihood that a transient
event will damage the circuitry. The rule of thumb is the higher
the voltage rating of a pin, the more robust the part will be in
suppressing transients.
An IC manufacturer designing with a high voltage process
ensures that the device is protected from transient events at
the expense of design with large geometries. This raises the
cost of the device. Other IC manufactures will design with a
low voltage process and stack the devices such that a device
never exceeds the process rating. This approach relies upon
circuitry such as capacitors, resistors and diodes to suppress
the transient before it reaches the pin. Both manufacturing
types require the use of diodes, resistors and capacitors to
dampen transients. Using a high voltage rated IC adds further
protection against harmful and extraneous signals. Both design
approaches will work but the lower voltage rated device may
require more tweaking in the development stage to ensure
protection against harmful events.
The acquisition time of a voltage cell measurement is depen-
dent on the load behavior as well as the number of cells to
scan. Erratic behaving loads require fast scan times to monitor
a cell’s out of bounds condition. A SAR ADC is often used to
achieve quick measurements in a short period of time. A SAR
ADC consumes more power and has less resolution.
Temperature monitoring
Today’s batteries deliver a lot of current while maintaining a
constant voltage, which can lead to a runaway condition that
17.104-EBM-Intersil-UK-04.indd 4
causes the battery to catch fire. The chemicals used to cons-
truct a battery are highly volatile, and a battery impaled with
the right object can result in the battery catching fire. Tempe-
rature measurements are not just used for safety conditions,
they can also be used to determine if it’s desirable to charge
or discharge a battery.
Temperature sensors monitor each cell for energy storage sys-
tem (ESS) applications or a grouping of cells for smaller and
more portable applications. Thermistors powered by an inter-
nal ADC voltage reference are commonly used to monitor each
circuit’s temperature. The internal voltage reference is used to
reduce inaccuracies of the temperature reading versus envi-
ronmental temperature changes.
State Machines or Algorithms
Most battery management systems require an MCU or an FPGA
to manage information from the sensing circuitry and to make
decisions with the received information. In a select few offe-
rings, such as Intersil’s ISL94203, the algorithm is encoded,
with some programmability, digitally enabling a standalone
solution with one chip. Standalone solutions are also valua-
ble when mated to an MCU because the state machine within
the standalone can be used to free up MCU clock cycles and
memory space.
Other battery management system
building blocks
Other BMS functional blocks include battery authentication, a
real time clock, memory and daisy chain. The real time clock
and memory are used for black box applications where the RTC
is used for a time stamp and memory is used for storing data,
allowing the user know the battery pack’s behavior prior to a
catastrophic event. The battery authentication block prevents
the BMS electronics from being connected to a third-party bat-
tery pack. The voltage reference / regulator is used to power
peripheral circuitry around the BMS system. Finally, daisy chain
circuitry is used to simplify the connection between stacked
devices. The daisy chain block replaces the need for optical
couplers or other level shifting circuitry.
Conclusion
Battery management systems can be architected using a variety
of functional blocks and design techniques. Careful considera-
tion of battery requirements and battery life goals will guide
you in determining the right architecture, functional blocks and
related ICs to create your battery management system and
charging scheme to optimize battery life.
About Intersil
Intersil Corporation is a leader in the design and
manufacture of high-performance analog, mixed-signal and
power management semiconductors for the industrial and
infrastructure, personal computing and high-end consumer
markets. Intersil is now part of Renesas.
Power Supplies, Batteries & Energy 43
15-03-17 11:34
 Test Bench with Highly Dynamic
Load System for Testing
Brushless DC Motors
By Peter Deckelmann and Carsten Pabst — Berghof Automation GmbH, Eningen

Figure 1: Powertrain: Load unit (servo motor), safety clutch with release indicator output, shaft positional and torque measurements, metal bellows
coupling and BLDC motor under test.

Using the fully automated test bench, several DC motors can be tested at the same time asynchronously.
The load unit, which is coupled to the motor unit under test, allows the application of both passive and active load
behavior and a combination of both, so that realistic operational profiles can be simulated. The high-speed control
systems are taken care of by the Berghof Testing software, using NI PXI’s real-time technology, the NI SoftMotion
Module and Bosch Rexroth load motors. Combined with test drive control and corresponding sensor information,
complex and highly dynamic test sequences can be defined and implemented both easily and flexibly.

For quality control purposes, test rigs
should be able to recreate as closely as
possible the in-service operating stresses
placed on the device under test. For this
Berghof Testing has developed several
automated test benches for a customer
project, allowing sequences of highly
dynamic load profiles to be applied to
test electric motors.
In the current system, up to 8 indepen-
dently controlled test units (in this case
BLDC motors) can be accommodated.
Servomotors are used in the test rig to
generate the active and passive load
profiles.
The device under test is operated in a cli-
mate-controller chamber where ambient
conditions can be closely controlled. The
aim is to reproduce the most extreme
environmental conditions the BLDC motor
is likely to encounter during its opera-
tional lifetime. Using freely programma-
ble motor load profiles, the BLDC motor
loading conditions in the real application
can be recreated in the test environment
where the motor’s performance can be
measured and evaluated at the extremes
of its operational envelope.
These automated test systems are used
by our customers as an audit test facility
for quality control in parallel with pro-
duction. Its flexible design makes the
test system applicable to many different
applications.
In order to recreate real test conditions,
the device under test is stressed with
physical loads that it would encounter
under normal operating conditions (e.g.

44 Elektor Business Magazine 2/2017

17.104-EBM-National-UK-05.indd 1 15-03-17 11:46

 in a vehicle). The load unit closely regu-
lates the torque equivalent to real load
situations, while the device under test
drives to positions or at prescribed rota-
tional speeds. In order to provide truly
realistic testing and to meet the require-
ments for dynamics, a highly dynamic
load simulation machine is necessary.
These consist of high quality servomo-
tors with sophisticated drive control-
lers. To calculate the speed require-
ments and torque in real-time, a fast
real-time system with sensing tech-
nology is required. The sensors used
(angle, speed and torque) are spe-
cifically designed according to the
requirements of the test system.
The sensor system has a high angular
resolution of 0.2°. The load system can
generate torque levels up to 12 Nm and
rotational speed of 4,800 rpm along with
fast dynamics (acceleration, braking).
The servomotors used for the loading
system can be adapted to accommo-
date different speeds and torque require-
ments. Test systems based on Berghof
technology can also be implemented for
linear drives systems (Figure 1).
Figure 2: Block diagram showing the BLDC motor test environment.
17.104-EBM-National-UK-05.indd 2
Automation
To meet the demands for high perfor- EBM ARTICLE TAGGING
mance and the need for real-time capa- Beginner
bility, Berghof Testing have chosen the Level: Intermediate
powerful PXI-based real-time system.
Professional
The Quad-Core PXIe-8840 controller pro-
vides the power for the system’s real- Product
time capability. Asynchronous control Subject: Service
of the test units is taken care of by a
Advice
real-time sequencer designed by Berg-
hof Testing, which is integrated into Trading
the LabVIEW real-time application. The
Company Status: Start-Up
sequencer is freely configurable and
Potential
executes the test steps, controls the
test chamber climate, handles the test- Production
sequence specific limit values as well as
Advice: Technology
data acquisition and data logging func-
Regulatory
tions. The design of the Berghof Testing
sequencer is very user-friendly allow-
Theoretical
ing customers to easily create, test and
Approach: Practical
manage new sequences. All created
sequences can of course be stored and Mixed
reused as required.
Website:
www.ni.com.
The high-resolution data acquisition of
the driving characteristics for the device
under test, e.g. voltage and current per
motor phase (2-phase and 3-phase BLDC position, speed, torque and temperature,
motors), as well as additional sensor allow complete assessment of the device
signals measuring parameters such as under test. All data collected during the
Power Supplies, Batteries & Energy 45
15-03-17 11:46
 Dynamic Load Profile
Abstract
All load profiles can be parameterized
over time or position (rotational or angu-
In a durability test situation multiple direct-current motors are tested lar information).
asynchronously as well as parallelly. The load unit that is coupled to the
device under test (DUT) enables passive and active load behavior as well as a The load profiles for time and torque
combination of the two in order to simulate dynamic operating profiles. are made up of different sub-profiles,
The necessary fast control procedure is possible due to Berghof Testing Software, which can be freely combined. This
used with NI PXI real-time technology, the NI SoftMotion Module and allows real-world loading events to be
Bosch-Rexroth load machines. Combined with DUT control and relevant sensors, continuously recreated in the test envi-
complex and highly dynamic test sequences are realized that can be compiled ronment (Figure 3), the customer can
easily and flexibly. therefore individually define any new
motor-load profile.

automated test is stored and available
at any time for analysis of the tested
electric motors.
During the recording process the sys-
tem is monitored to detect any overload
conditions.
The corresponding drive controllers for
the BLDC motors under test, connect to
the test system using standard inter-
faces (e.g. CAN or CANopen). For more
flexibility, all parameters controlling the
BLDC motor under test can be modified
at any time during the automated test
sequence.
Load and Test Unit Control
Torque regulation is taken care of by the
Berghof Testing application running on
the NI Real Time Controller of the PXI
system. The control values to the servo
motor drive controller are sent via Ether-
CAT to guarantee optimum response time
(Figure 2).
Based on readings from the torque
measuring shaft a fast PID controller
regulates the load unit speed to achieve
the parameterized position or time-
dependent target value of torque. The
Berghof Testing application makes use
of the NI SoftMotion Module.
The performance-optimized testing appli-
cation, together with the National Inst-
ruments PXI system as a real-time con-
troller and the Bosch Rexroth Indradrive
drive controllers with EtherCAT interface,
provide a control rate of up to 4 KHz for
each load unit.
Characteristics Curves
During product automated testing a sin-
gle device can be isolated to allow the
measurement of its characteristics for
evaluation of the device’s condition. The
other devices under test will all continue
during this time. This optimizes test time,
avoids bottlenecks and promotes a more
efficient use of the test system.
To measure the motor torque charac-
teristics a test cycle begins with the
motor lightly loaded. The load level is
ramped up to a target value while the
current, voltage, motor rpm and torque
readings are taken. At the completion
of the test the measured torque values
are displayed.
This enables the user to monitor the
device under test during the test cycle
and allows manual intervention in the
process as necessary.

These automated test systems offer cus-

tomers significant advantages:

• Flexible and future-proof: New load

profiles for testing the next genera-
tion of electric motors for vehicle use
can be freely programmed.
• Quality assurance: Replication of real
load processes,
• Easy to use: An Open System
by using the Berghof Testing
RealTime-Sequencers,
• One stop shop: Berghof Testing,
your project partner from concept all
the way to the finished equipment.

Summary
Berghof Testing has developed a ver-
satile test bench incorporating highly

Figure 3: Example loading waveforms (spring characteristic)

46 Elektor Business Magazine 2/2017

17.104-EBM-National-UK-05.indd 3 15-03-17 11:46

 Anz-SV-59x254-4c-0317_Finish 08.03.17 08:41 Seite 1

Presentation The Authors

Peter Deckelmann Dipl.-Ing. (FH)

Berghof Automation GmbH Testing
studied communication technology
is a Silver Alliance Partner of
at Esslingen University of Applied
National Instruments and has more
Sciences and has been with Berghof
than 30 years of experience in the
et al since 1988 working as area
design of test systems. Berghof
manager and technical manager
Testing has established a worldwide
in technical project management.
reputation for supplying complete
Peter Deckelmann currently
component test systems for the
specializes in technical sales and is
automotive sector. The company
an expert in the field of engines for
offers productized and standardized
the Powertrain Testing division at
solutions for testing interior /
Berghof Testing.
exterior systems and power train
applications. Their testing portfolio
covers the entire spectrum from
high-performance measurement
technology, software and
mechanics through to dependable
project handling and bespoke
services

For almost four decades,

automotive customers and their
suppliers worldwide have been
using Berghof’s product testing
solutions.

In this article, Berghof Testing

presents an automated test bench
using programmable and highly
dynamic load units to simulate real
load profiles and provide parallel CIRCULAR CONNECTORS:
testing of multiple BLDC motors

THE BIG
(brushless DC motors).

dynamic load units for testing brushless

VARIETY
Carsten Pabst is a technician
DC motors. The system is both flexible
with national certification (process
enough to accommodate future needs
automation and data processing
for the verification of customer’s pro-
technology). In his professional
duct quality and also simple to operate.
career, he has gained experience
A test bench designed for high power
in the engine development industry
which has proved to be both cost-effec-
both in the calibration laboratory The connector highlights:
tive and resource-conserving using the
and as a measurement and
latest technologies from National Instru- // huge range M 8 to M 40
automation technician.
ments and Bosch Rexroth drive techno- // M 12 Power: compact and powerful
logy. Drawing upon their extensive know-
At Berghof Testing, Carsten Pabst
how in the field of automotive testing // M 23 Hybrid: Power, Ethernet and Signal
is a certified LabVIEW Embedded
technology, National Instruments Alliance
Developer responsible for software
Partner, Berghof Testing have been able
development for BLDC motors.
to produce an optimal solution for imple-
menting highly dynamic load profiles.
Berghof Testing were responsible for the
www.hummel.com
[Advertisement]

entire project development from planning

and conception all the way through to
HUMMEL AG // Lise-Meitner-Straße 2 // 79211 Denzlingen
successful commissioning.
Tel. +49 (0) 76 66 / 9 11 10-0 // E-Mail: info@hummel.com

Power Supplies, Batteries & Energy 47

17.104-EBM-National-UK-05.indd 4 15-03-17 11:47

 Advanced AC/DC converter
design with latest control IC technology
By Andrea Colognese, LSI Marketing Manager, European Design Center ROHM Semiconductor

Demand for power savings in electronic devices has become increasingly challenging, requiring both high
efficiency and a low power consumption at standby. For AC/DC converters, there is a dramatic need for on-
board design and further optimization. Dealing with high voltages and often requiring transformer design,
developing an AC/DC converter can be a true challenge. The good news is that an increasing number of
control ICs has come into play that is able to facilitate the construction of AC/DC converters but needs
careful selection.

The choice of a controller IC is made by decisions such as: a
suitable topology, whether a transformer or switching method
is to be adopted, whether voltage stepping-up or stepping-
down, flyback, forward or resonant basis, the kind of control
algorithm and whether an isolator or non-isolator type is to be
used, which is a critical evaluation item for AC/DC converters.
Therefore, in a design using a power supply IC, the IC repre-
sents a significant part of investment, and the circuits and parts
to be used are substantially determined by the IC selected.
Selection criteria…
An important point in selecting a power supply IC is to find an
IC that supports the necessary functions for the power supply
to be designed. In particular, implementing protection functions

48 Elektor Business Magazine 2/2017

17.104-EBM-Rohm-UK-02.indd 1 15-03-17 12:26

 using an external circuit requires a larger number of additional
parts and a greater foot print than the power supply IC itself,
not to mention the additional time and effort needed for the
design and evaluation steps. For these reasons, adding functions
using discrete parts may not be a realistic option, and invol-
ving an adroit use of the power supply IC can really increase
design efficiency. In most cases, a diverse set of requirements
can be covered with high voltage tolerance and high-power
capability. However, in terms of efficiency and optimization of
external parts such an approach may not be the best either.
Moreover, ICs for switching power supplies are not truly com-
patible between manufacturers. Although these ICs may be
similar in configuration, they differ in pin assignment. If parts
must be changed during the design process, especially after
the board layout has been completed, it requires to redesig-
ning the whole unit. Therefore, choosing the IC must be per-
formed deliberately.
Next to that, constants have to be defined such as the exter-
nal resistance and capacitance. (Figure 1) In the case of a
switching AC/DC converter, the design of a transformer repre-
sents a critical step. First, the size of the transformer needs to
be evaluated by considering factors such as the power supply
system to be employed, the switching frequency, and output
power. Secondly, one needs to decide on the inductance for
the main coil (primary coil) and the number of winding turns
for each coil to prevent any magnetic saturation. In the struc-
tural design, the diameter of the wire material is determined
while an adequate layer configuration is ensured by taking into
account the required degree of coupling, as well as an ade-
quate creeping distance that complies with safety standards,
and by making sure that wires can be wound on the effective
spool on the bobbin.
… and evaluation
In the evaluation process, it is important to check tolerance
with respect to input/output voltages, load current, and tem-
perature. A design that fails to provide for an adequate mar-
gin of safety can result in increased numbers of rejects during
mass production, and highly variable production yields. Each
component that constitutes a circuit is always subject to varia-
bility. The design must be able to achieve target specifications
in a manner that glides over such variabilities.
Improving the efficiency of the power supply is critical as well,
so the amount of power consumption when a device is in a
standby mode is an important improvement goal. Whereas the
efficiency of a switching DC/DC converter can reach almost
95%, in the case of an AC/DC converter, the conversion effici-
Beginner
Level: Intermediate Company Status:
Professional
Product
Subject: Advice:
Service
Advice
17.104-EBM-Rohm-UK-02.indd 2
ency on the primary side is actually mediocre. Also, as the
power increases, a power factor correction (PFC) is needed,
requiring additional circuits and expertise. In AC/DC conver-
sion, the adoption of a switching system is essential to improve
efficiency but this requires high voltage parts such as diodes
and capacitors as well as transistors capable of subsequently
switching a DC voltage close to 650 V-800 V for single phase
mains and more than 1000 V for three phases mains causing
additional costs. So the size and efficiency of the converter
represents a trade-off relationship. Thus, downsizing is vital
and can be achieved by using a switching instead of a transfor-
mer system. Additionally, integrating the peripheral functions
into the control IC can be beneficial in reducing the number of
parts and decreasing the foot print. Latest control ICs provide
several built-in protection functions. A discrete design would
require a considerable number of components and footprint.
Protection functions for the power supply unit are important
not only in terms of safety, but also for the reliability of the
circuit. There are several major types: input (over-voltage,
input voltage drop with non-functional), output (overload,
short circuit, reverse voltage, and over-voltage), and tempe-
rature (excessive self-heating, and increased ambient tempe-
rature). It is vital that the IC features protection functionality.
In the case of AC/DC conversion, since the AC is input from
the outlet, sometimes the input power is subject to massive
surges due to lightning. Also, the input voltage is high, and
even in homes a current as high as 30A to 50A can prevail.
If an unexpected event occurs the ensuing damage can be
severe and extensive. Finally, power supply units are sub-
Figure 1: Adjustment of switching frequency and operating mode
depending on the load.
Trading Theoretical
Start-Up Approach: Practical
Potential Mixed
Production Website:
Technology www.rohm.com/eu
Regulatory
EBM ARTICLE TAGGING
Power Supplies, Batteries & Energy 49
15-03-17 12:27
 ject to a number of regulations and certifications, such as the
familiar Energy Star. For safety, SE certification is required on
AC adapters and power supplies; in terms of noise reduction,
EMI and EMC compliance is often needed. Receiving these
certifications demands tests, attendant time, expenses, and
a considerable amount of work.
Latest developments
In designs utilizing power supply ICs, these represent a signi-
ficant part of the investment, and the circuits and parts to be
used are substantially determined by them. However, designers
can achieve a virtually perfect power supply unit by adjusting
their functions and optimizing them to suit the own designs.
Recently, among these controller ICs, SiC power semiconduc-
tors have gained ground over silicon solutions due to their
Figure 2: Performance efficiency of a 50-W reference design featuring the
BD7682FJ AC/DC Controller.
Figure 3: Comparison of Si versus SiC current conversion efficiency in an
AC/DC converter design, expressed as a percentage.
50 Elektor Business Magazine 2/2017
17.104-EBM-Rohm-UK-02.indd 3
higher voltage capability, greater energy savings, and more
compact form factor. Compared to silicon MOSFETs used in
conventional AC/DC converters, SiC MOSFETs enable AC/DC
converters to improve power efficiency by up to 6%. Further-
more, components used for heat dissipation are not required
with 50W Class power supplies or significantly reduced in size
for higher power, leading to greater compactness and higher
power density designs. However, until now there has not been
a control IC that could sufficiently draw out the performance
of SiC MOSFETs, particularly in AC/DC converter systems. As
a result, designers have faced numerous problems related
to power consumption and stability, especially in high power
applications. To overcome these, ROHM has developed the
industry’s first AC/DC converter controller specialized for dri-
ving SiC MOSFETs.
The BD768xFJ-LB family targets mainly auxiliary power supply
in applications powered by 3-phase mains input and allows the
easy implementation of SiC-MOSFETs to AC/DC converter design
(Figure 2) that proved challenging when using discrete confi-
gurations due to the large number of required components. In
contrast, ROHM’s latest product provides a highly integrated
solution and creates new standards for energy savings and
miniaturization while supporting the adoption of SiC power
semiconductors that offer breakthrough levels of efficiency
and performance.
Advantages of the quasi-resonant control
algorithm
In addition, a quasi-resonant control algorithm delivers lower
noise and higher efficiency vs conventional PWM methods,
making it possible to maximize the performance of SiC MOS-
FETs used in AC/DC converters (Figure 3).
The specification of BD768xFJ-LB also includes multiple pro-
tection functions that enable support for high voltages, making
them ideal for general industrial equipment while reliability is
significantly improved. At the moment the BD768xFJ-LB family
includes four variants with different latching/auto-restart pro-
tection modes.
15-03-17 12:27
 DC Line for applications with
DC power supply
Our world is getting more and more digital. Complex pro-
cess and control technology is increasingly gaining entry to
electronic applications in the course of Industry 4.0. This
also involves the use of thermal management components,
which are operated at direct voltages.
The decision for AC or DC voltage to supply an appli-
cation is fundamental and influences the entire circuit
layout as well as the component selection. DC supply is
becoming increasingly prevalent in the course of Industry
4.0 and more complex process and control technology.
STEGO’s integrating of products into the DC Line takes
this development into account. The LED 025 Ecoline
enclosure light with operating voltages from 24 – 48 V
DC (20 VDC min., 60 VDC max.) and the Filter Fan Plus
FPI/FPO 018 with 24 VDC and 48 VDC mark the start in
the STEGO DC Line.
In their DC variants, the LED 025 Ecoline lights score with
high fail-safety as well as long service life (60,000 h). Glare-
free brightness with daylight color temperature (6,000 -
7,000 K, 400 Lm at 120 ° beam angle) lead to true-color
illumination with low power consumption (5 W). Mount-
ing the compact LED lamp is easy with a choice between
screw, clip or magnetic fixing.
Available in three standard sizes (92x92, 124x124 and
176x176 mm), the Filter Fan Plus is mounted easily
and tool-free by means of its patented ratched mount
mechanism. The outstanding air flow performance by
comparison to the fan diameters is due to the innova-
tive air-flap outlet technology, which ventilates the air
more unobstructed than in conventional systems from
the enclosure. With low power consumption of 2.7 W to
12 W the Filter Fan Plus confirms the efficiency of the
DC approach.
www.stego.de
17.104-EBM-News-UK-51-02.indd 1
Battery production goes
Industrie 4.0
In the FastStorageBW II project, funded by the Baden-
Württemberg Ministry of Economic Affairs, researchers from
the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and
Automation IPA in Stuttgart, together with colleagues from
the battery manufacturer VARTA AG and other partners, are
developing a powerful hybrid storage system that combines
the advantages of lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors.
PowerCaps can operate at temperatures of up to 85 degrees
Celsius, they withstand a hundred times more charge cycles
than conventional battery systems and retain their charge
over several weeks without any significant losses due to
self-discharge.
The Fraunhofer IPA researchers’ main concern is with manu-
facturing: to set up new battery production, it is essential
to implement the relevant process knowledge in the best
possible way. After all, it costs millions of euros to build a
complete manufacturing unit.
For this innovative small-scale production setup, researchers
cleverly combine certain production sequences. However,
not all systems are connected to each other – at least,
as far as the hardware is concerned. More often, it is an
employee that carries the batches from one machine to
the next. Ultimately, it is about developing a comprehen-
sive understanding of the process, not about producing the
greatest number of products in the shortest amount of time.
Fraunhofer IPA is also applying its expertise beyond the
area of production technology: the scientists are develop-
ing business models for the marketing of battery cells, they
are analyzing resource availability, and they are optimizing
the subsequent recycling of PowerCaps.
www.fraunhofer.de
Power Supplies, Batteries & Energy 51
15-03-17 12:31
 Are we on the verge of a worldwide battery crisis?
The worldwide battery market is currently undergoing some-
thing of a renaissance thanks to the growing demand for
long-life, high power batteries across consumer electronics,
industrial, military and the hybrid electric vehicles sectors.
Here, Neil Oliver, technical marketing manager at battery
specialist Accutronics, asks the question, who owns and con-
trols the worldwide battery market and where is it heading?
The worldwide battery market was valued at $54 bn in 2013
according to market research firm Avicenne Energy. The
market is currently growing at a compound annual growth
rate (CAGR) of over 10 percent and is expected to exceed
$100 bn by 2025.
According to Frost & Sullivan, the market can be broken
down into two categories: primary (disposable) and second-
ary (rechargeable) batteries. Primary batteries are used in
everything from military equipment – where time to charge
is a luxury — to pacemakers, wristwatches, remote controls
and toys. Although the primary battery market accounts for
90 per cent of the volume of all batteries shipped, it only
accounts for 37 per cent of the market value, according to
French research laboratory LRCS.
Here, secondary, rechargeable batteries, used in everything
from portable consumer electronics, automotive, electric vehi-
cles, starter batteries, industrial and medical devices account
for 63 percent of the global market by value. Breaking down
the secondary market further, by chemistry, we can see that
lead-acid takes the lead for its widespread use in starter,
lighting and ignition (SLI) batteries.
However, growth in the hybrid electric vehicle, medical tech-
nology (MedTech) and energy storage (ESS) markets, as
well as global demand for high discharge devices, is see-
ing increasing investment in Lithium-ion (Li-ion) chemistry.
Key players
Although there are hundreds of battery manufacturers
throughout the world, today’s global battery market is domi-
nated by a handful of multinational corporations operating and
manufacturing from just four countries, South Korea, China,
Japan and the United States. From South Korea, we have
52 Elektor Business Magazine 2/2017
17.104-EBM-News-UK-51-02.indd 2
Samsung SDI and LG Chem; from Japan there is Panasonic,
Sony, TDK, Hitachi, NEC, Toshiba, GS Yuasa and Mitsubishi
Electric; from China BYD; and from the USA we have A123
and Ultralife Corporation.
Medical is critical
This oligopolistic structure raises concerns about the fast
growing medical technology market. If a few multinationals
control the design, development and manufacture of cells
for batteries used in medical devices — many of them for
use in critical applications — there is a risk that any strategic
changes these companies make to cells could leave medi-
cal original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) high and dry.
While product development lifecycles in the consumer sector
last between six months and a year, medical device lifecycles
need to last ten years or more. Because the consumer sec-
tor typically makes up a larger proportion of the revenue
stream for these large battery manufacturers, changes to
the technology, size, energy density, and availability of the
cells that make up the batteries can limit the options avail-
able to battery OEMs.
Many OEMs tell us they have struggled with this in the past,
so at Accutronics we ensure that we mitigate future fluctua-
tions in the supply of cells for medical batteries by engineer-
ing redundancies into our battery designs. This means that
we can change the cells we use without affecting the shape,
size and rated specifications of the batteries we supply. By
doing this, we can offer a no-change guarantee to our cus-
tomers that we will not modify the design of the battery for
the lifetime of the product.
Power up
Whichever way you look at it, the battery market is set to
undergo a sea change in the next decade. With early consid-
eration of your battery in the design process, along with the
right approach to sustainable procurement, design engineer-
ing and service, OEMs in the most affected sectors can stay
ahead of the electrifying changes we expect to see.
www.accutronics.co.uk
15-03-17 12:31
 Comprehensive solutions for large
2V stationary and
traction cell production
The IPS (industrial plate stacker) from BM-Rosendahl is
available in two performance levels. On two-plate infeed
sections, the IPS 500 processes 35 plates per minute. The
larger-sized stacker IPS 1000 pictured here offers twice
the performance. 70 plates are stacked per minute, com-
ing from four plate infeeds. Two positive and two negative
infeed sections with 4 leaf type magazines cover the high
performance of industrial cells. Due to the precise align-
ment of each plate, the IPS achieves best stacking quality.
BM-Rosendahl knows what the market requires and has
therefore invested in the best lug preparation for excellent
cast-on quality, like lug V-shape cutting (US cropping), lug
milling as well as lug brushing.
The company is known for its customization level, which
is why developments are very often undertaken together
with the battery manufacturer.
Overall, the IPS 500/1000 is a very modern technology
system, where automatic quality checks help to achieve
best battery cells. BM-Rosendahl’s innovative quality check
systems are equipped with state-of-the-art camera sys-
tems. They constantly detect the quality of the cell con-
figuration, lug shape and separator orientation. The quality
and process flow are visualized via tablets which support
flexible machine handling.
The IPS is a very modern package with great output per-
formance. Higher efficiency is also achieved thanks to vari-
ous self-repair functions.
www.rosendahlnextrom.com
17.104-EBM-News-UK-51-02.indd 3
LiFePO4
lead acid replacement battery
Global battery manufacturer Ultralife Corporation has
launched its latest LiFePO4 lead acid replacement bat-
tery for the medical sector. Portable electronic devices
are becoming much more vital to patient care. It is there-
fore vital that the new generation of batteries offer a high
level of reliability for health professionals to use in medical
devices. Traditional SLA batteries are often used in medi-
cal carts, wheelchairs, scooters, robotics & motor bots or
uninterrupted power supply (UPS) systems, which supply
emergency power when the main power fails, yet Ultra-
life LiFePO4 batteries outperform them on nearly every
measure.
The new LiFePO4 battery is claimed to bring some key
improvements over traditional SLA batteries especially
for applications where high power, accurate monitoring
and fast charging are becoming a necessity. The new
LiFePO4 lead acid replacement batteries are three times
lighter — significantly reducing the weight of their device
or, if weight reduction isn’t a factor, providing three times
more energy.
A global corporation headquartered in Newark, New York,
Ultralife has extensive North American as well as inter-
national operations in Europe, China and India. Through
strategic growth and acquisitions, the corporation has
expanded beyond its commercial and military battery
business to include custom engineering design and ser-
vices, tactical communications systems and a wide range
of power accessories for global government and defence
markets.
www.ultralifecorporation.com
Power Supplies, Batteries & Energy 53
15-03-17 12:32
 Talking Heads

What are the decision makers in the electronics industry talking about
when it comes to honing products to meet customer needs? By asking
pertinent questions, Elektor Business Magazine provides snapshots of
what is happening in one of the world’s most vibrant industries.

Tony O’Brien,
Managing Director, Panasonic System Solutions Europe
When can mankind rely on renewable energy only?
Will that be during your own lifetime?

One of the key challenges in
relying on renewable energy is how
to make an inherently intermit-
tent source of energy more reli-
able. It’s a given that the sun won’t shine and the wind won’t
blow at the same time or at the same strength every day. We
believe that, in order to eliminate the unpredictability, energy
storage must be a key component within the future energy
infrastructure. There are two obvious points
at which this storage can come into
play: at the point of generation and
at the point of demand. Grid
based storage technology is growing in popularity. Put simply,
that means providing battery storage facilities in parallel to a
wind farm or solar farm, so that generation achieved during
the night, or during periods of low demand can be captured,
stored and distributed into the grid network when demand is
greater. In addition, Panasonic’s Energy Storage Solution is a
reliable and safe energy storage technology, predominantly for
heavy energy users, that stores a large amount of electricity
in reserve and releases it when the variable electricity price is
at its highest. As with most things, there is no quick fix. But,
with the right planning and investment we can get close to a
renewable only future.

Stefano Gallinaro,
Strategic Marketing Manager, Analog Devices
Today, the efficiency of power supplies is a big deal. Considering that most power supplies
are pretty efficient now, is it worth going the extra mile for a few percent more, or do you
choose to concentrate on other issues, such as safety or miniaturisation?

Power conversion efficiency is and
will be a big deal for power supplies, also in the foreseeable
future. Many design goals are related to power efficiency. Min-
iaturisation, for example, can be increased by raising the power
density of a power supply. This power density is directly related
to power conversion efficiency. Reduced switching losses will
enable higher switching frequencies, and these will in turn
allow for smaller power stage components such as inductors
and capacitors. This will not only reduce size, but also will
reduce cost. Other features of a power supply, such as safety
and reliability, are always important and need to fit a certain
application need. Extending the level of safety or reliability
even higher than demanded for a certain use, will probably
not be appreciated enough to justify the required cost ladder.

54 Elektor Business Magazine 2/2017

17.104-EBM-TalkingHeads-UK-03.indd 1 15-03-17 12:33

 Ian Blackman,
Technical Manager IIOM (International Institute of Obsolescence Management)
How important is obsolescence management when it comes to power supplies?
Is there a special need to take OM into account when designing power supplies?
After all, if a power source is dysfunctional, everything else stops.

Power supplies are
c o re s u b - sys t e m s
and they require a clo­
se working relationship
between the designing com-
pany and the user to ensure
the performance and delivery
requirements can be achieved. Sub-con-
tract statements of work and requirement
specifications should include the need for
regular obsolescence management report-
ing. Obsolescence risk within the compo-
nents is usually low since the parts are analogue functionality,
which tend to be available for longer periods. In some instances,
it may make sense for the end user to support the obsolescence
assessment as they may be better equipped with obsolescence
prediction tools and be more experienced obsolescence manage-
ment practitioners. Obsolescence risk is more likely to come from
environmental restrictions on materials such as tantalum capaci-
tors or restrictions in semiconductor packaging materials. Another
factor that can influence obsolescence in power
supplies is EMC legislation where new
standards may make older designs
non-compliant.

Johan Vandoorn,
Executive VP / Chief Technical Officer Vishay Intertechnology, Inc.
Today, the efficiency of power supplies is a big deal. Considering that most power supplies are
pretty efficient now, is it worth going the extra mile for a few percent more,
or do you choose to concentrate on other issues, such as safety or miniaturisation?

The applications uni­verse continues to expand. More and more
systems come on the market to improve mankind’s well-being
and comfort. We are enjoying more communication, faster and
with more bandwidth. We are connected as individuals and as
communities, and have access to huge amounts of data. To enable
all of this, electronics is a most important building block, if not
the backbone of many systems. However, all of this requires
power. Data centres supporting the ‘cloud’ are enormous con-
sumers of energy. Any inefficiency in their power supplies gener-
ates avoidable consumption of energy, but also — as this waste
is often translated into heat — more cooling needs, thus again
power. Precisely the generation of power, its transport and its
economic and ecologic side effects have all become one of the
most important puzzles on the agenda
of mankind. It is clearly my opinion that
sustainability as an application field will
continue to evolve at a fast pace. Power supplies are often the
last converter interface between the human interface and the
power sources. So their quantities will only continue to grow, and
their efficiency will continue to play a very important role. Their
economic characteristics and ecological footprint will have to be
optimised continuously. Even taking efficiencies up by 0.1% for
power supplies has an enormous effect on operating
costs. Besides … miniaturisation and safety
often go hand in hand with increased
efficiencies.

Frederik Dostal,
Power Management Regional Marketing, Industrial Segment, Analog Devices
When can mankind rely on renewable energy only?
Will that be during your own lifetime?

We do hope mankind will be able to rely on renewable energy ket of their products,
during our lifetime, meaning we will live a very long and while aiming at reduced
healthy life. Big challenges are there to rely on renewable risks and higher competitiveness.
energy only. Technological solutions are geared to this direc- This process, once in place in all
tion. However, many other external factors are at play here, steps of the design and the production chain, can bring to
factors that are not directly linked to technology. At ADI the end users and mankind new technologies with which to
we are going beyond the silicon, providing solutions to our benefit from all the advantages that renewable energy has
customers that empower them to reduce the time to mar- in store.

Power Supplies, Batteries & Energy 55

17.104-EBM-TalkingHeads-UK-03.indd 2 15-03-17 12:33

 Li-ion Energy Storage
Takes Microgrids to the Next Level
By Michael Lippert — Product Manager, Saft Transportation, Telecom and Grid (TTG) division,
and Jim McDowall — Business Development Manager, Saft
There is a growing worldwide trend for
microgrids due to two main drivers: the
provision of power to remote commu-
nities and industrial facilities; and the
need for buildings or facilities that are
normally grid- connected to be able to
disconnect and function independently.
Conventionally, operators have relied on
diesel generators. But they are now turn-
ing to renewables and especially solar
photovoltaic (PV) installations to reduce
their reliance on diesel fuel.
Creating schemes in which diesel genera-
tion and PV plant complement each other
can offer considerable savings in terms of
the costs of fuel purchase, transport and
handling as well as maintenance, since
diesel gensets are required to operate
for fewer hours.
There are also environmental benefits
from reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
56 Elektor Business Magazine 2/2017
17.104-EBM-Saft-UK-03.indd 1
Grid-connected microgrids can be discon-
nected from the grid to operate auton-
omously, ensuring continuity of power
supply in the case of an outage. This
approach is common in locations where
the grid can be unreliable, such as storm-
prone areas.
Off-grid microgrids typically provide
power for remote villages, industrial
operations and military bases. These
usually have a very high cost of gen-
eration as they are totally dependent
on diesel fuel and may face logisti-
cal challenges in fuel delivery. Adding
renewables to microgrids in the form
of solar and wind power is an increas-
ingly attractive option. The cost of solar
and wind per kilowatt-hour is signifi-
cantly lower than diesel. But because of
the intermittency of renewables, diesel
gensets are still needed to ensure the
stability of the grid.
Here’s how microgrids that
combine diesel generators,
renewable energy resources
and lithium-ion (Li-ion) energy
storage can enhance security of
electricity supply while reducing
fuel costs and greenhouse gas
emissions.
Using standard power electronics, PV can
contribute up to 25 percent of the power
that would be generated by the diesel
genset at any time. Adding dedicated
software can increase the penetration
of PV to around 50 percent.
When an energy storage system (ESS)
is added, an operator can maximize the
contribution of renewables, increasing
the penetration of PV power and allow-
ing diesel-off operation. It is possible to
realize fuel savings of 50 to 75 percent.
Li-ion battery systems have emerged
as the technology of choice for energy
storage. This is due to their high energy
density that enables significant levels of
storage capacity to be packed into a rela-
tively compact footprint. Li-ion ESSs are
now able to store energy at the mega-
watt scale, and integrated containerized
systems can be connected in parallel to
deliver multiple megawatt-hour storage
capacity.
15-03-17 12:36
 From a technical and economic medium sized battery is a better option
point of view, microgrids energy for optimizing PV penetration than add- EBM ARTICLE TAGGING
storage has three drivers ing extra panels. Beginner
The first driver is that increasing the Level: Intermediate
usage of PV reduces the running hours In this case, a battery sized at about 40
Professional
of the genset. Without energy storage, percent of the system power (4.6 MW)
excess PV would be lost (or curtailed) and 20-minute discharge is sufficient to Product
but an ESS can store excess PV for use enable a 50 percent decrease in fuel con- Subject: Service
later. In addition, the power output of sumption. This is estimated to save up
Advice
the PV panels is smoothed so that the to four million liters per year, with PV
genset will need to start and stop less panels sized between 7.5 and 11.5 MWp. Trading
often to compensate for the variation Any further increase of battery power
Company Status: Start-Up
in PV. would only allow for marginal additional
Potential
fuel savings.
Second, the diesel genset will be able to Production
run at its point of maximum efficiency, For time shifting applications, a larger
Advice: Technology
rather than ramping up and down to battery will supply two hours of energy
Regulatory
meet changing demand. This reduces storage so that PV energy generated dur-
operational and maintenance costs as ing the peak hours of daylight can be
Theoretical
well as eliminating the need to provide used during the hours of peak demand
Approach: Practical
spinning reserves. in the morning and evening.
Mixed
And lastly, integrating energy storage The larger battery used in this mode
Website:
enables an operator to operate their enables greater levels of PV to be inte-
www.saft.com
genset only when needed to support grated. At up to 18 MWp of additional PV,
loads or to charge the battery. this represents up to 150 percent of the
capacity of the diesel gensets.

Most battery systems are optimized for between 40 to 150 percent of

the total system power

How might it work?

Consider an industrial microgrid with
a 12-MW load. This would typically be
supplied by six gensets, each rated at
2 MW. SMA has modelled the impact
of adding 60 to 150 percent of PV pro-
duction (between 7.5 and 18 MWp) and
energy storage to fulfil the roles of power
smoothing and time shifting.

Power smoothing requires a relatively

small ESS that can deliver power for
20 minutes to compensate for changing
weather conditions. In this case the ESS
helps to ensure a smooth power output
and delivers savings by avoiding the need
to ramp the diesel gensets up and down.
However, the gensets are still required to
provide spinning reserves and recharge
the battery when PV production is low.
Without an ESS, an operator can only
achieve incremental savings as additional
PV is incorporated. But introducing a bat-
tery helps to realize significantly more
savings. In fact, for power smoothing a Figure 1: Diesel generation and PV plant may complement each other with a good economic yield.

Power Supplies, Batteries & Energy 57

17.104-EBM-Saft-UK-03.indd 2 15-03-17 12:37


Figure 2: Adding energy storage can maximize the contribution of renewables within a microgrid.
Courtesy SMA
Figure 3: Saft Intensium® Max at NTPC
Colville Lake — located 50 miles inside the
Arctic Circle in northern Canada.
Figure 4: Saft Intensium® Max+ at KEA
Kotzebue — located above the Arctic Circle
in Alaska.
Figure 5: Saft Intensium® Max at Cobija,
northern Bolivia — the world’s largest hybrid
PV-diesel microgrid.
58 Elektor Business Magazine 2/2017
17.104-EBM-Saft-UK-03.indd 3
Running the microgrid using only PV and
energy storage in this typical system,
there is potential for diesel savings of
almost 10 million liters per year. This
does require careful system sizing and
sophisticated control electronics as there
is no spinning reserve immediately avail-
able. In this case the battery must be
able to provide all the power if there is
a sudden drop in PV production.
The rule of thumb is that, without an
ESS, an operator can only achieve opti-
mized fuel savings when PV penetra-
tion — in terms of the proportion of the
load supplied by PV at any instant — is
below 50 percent, with a medium-sized
ESS when PV penetration is between
50 and 100 percent and with a large
ESS when PV penetration rises above
100 percent.
Site-specific challenges
In reality, the PV penetration and die-
sel savings possible at a site depend
on many variables. These include: the
load profile; the PV generation profile;
the environmental and economic condi-
tions; the nature of the load; the reli-
ability of the connection to the main
grid, if one exists.
There is no single ESS that will meet
the needs of all sites. Each ESS must
be considered as part of a wider sys-
tem. This requires expertise to identify
the optimum ESS and PV system along
with well adapted controls to maximize
fuel savings, integration of PV energy
and minimize costs. Saft contributes to
this process with high resolution Matlab
based modeling of the electrical and
thermal characteristics of the Li- ion
battery system. This exactly mimics
the real battery system behavior, and
makes it possible to anticipate the evo-
lution of battery power, state of charge
and aging over time in a given appli-
cation with very dynamic charge and
discharge operation.
Integrating PV from the arctic
to equatorial regions
In the extreme north, a small microgrid
serves the 150-strong community of
Colville Lake, located 50 miles inside
the Arctic Circle in northern Canada.
The 150-kW peak and 30-kW base load
was met by diesel generators that had
become old and unreliable. A major chal-
lenge for the community is that diesel
deliveries can be made only once a year
via an ice road. The distribution network
operator, Northwest Territories Power
Corporation (NTPC), decided to install
new diesel plant and to supplement it
with 50 kWp of PV.
A mathematical model of the grid deter-
mined that with an ESS, the PV can be
expanded up to 140 kWp and quanti-
fied the potential fuel savings to create
the business case. Saft has deployed an
Intensium® Max 20M Medium Power (IM
20M) battery container with an innova-
tive ‘Cold Temperature Package’ that pro-
vides 232 kWh of energy in combination
with a 200 kW Power Conditioning Sys-
tem from ABB.
Also in the Arctic, Saft has delivered an
Intensium® Max+ 20M containerized bat-
tery container with the same Cold Tem-
perature Package to Kotzebue Electric
Association Inc. (KEA), an electric coop-
erative based in Kotzebue, Alaska. The
town is not connected to the grid or to
any road system and has traditionally
relied on diesel generators, which have
recently been augmented with a variety
of wind turbines.
The 950 kWh of energy storage now
allows the existing hybrid wind-diesel
power system to achieve its full poten-
tial, providing cleaner, more reliable and
less expensive power to the local com-
munity. The key benefits are that the
15-03-17 12:37
 KEA microgrid now has the ability to ride
through fluctuations in wind output and
to time-shift excess wind energy, pro-
viding significant reductions in diesel
consumption.
Currently, KEA is running trials using
the ESS grid- forming capability, allow-
ing diesel-off operation.
Using an ESS as part of a PV-diesel hybrid • System sizing and optimization is
scheme requires cooperation between the complex and requires consider-
developer and supplier, as well as a high able cooperation between operator,
level of expertise to develop the optimum developer and supplier.
layout and size of each element of the
system. It is also important to under-
stand how best to retrofit ESS and PV
equipment to existing diesel plant.

At the opposite extreme, Isotron has Conclusions Literature

implemented an ESS for the world’s larg-
est PV-diesel hybrid microgrid located
in the town of Cobija, in Bolivia’s Ama-
zon rainforest. The remote community
is not grid connected and depended on
16 MW diesel generators and 5 MWp
solar PV to meet its 8-MW load — a PV
penetration of 62 percent.
The hybrid powering of remote micro-
grids is being driven by the increasing
cost-competitiveness of renewables.
• Storage allows the penetration of
renewables to be optimized while
ensuring operational excellence in
terms of reliability and stability.
Optimierung von industriellen PV
Hybrid-Systeme durch Integration
von Energiespeicherlösungen, M.
Mostafa et.al. SMA, 30. Symposium
Photovoltaische Solarenergie,
Bad Staffelstein, 2015

Each site is different in terms of load and PV generation profile as well as

system, environmental and economic constraints

The grid operator ENDE (Empresa Nacio-

nal de Electricidad) wanted to extend The Authors
electricity coverage and reduce diesel
consumption. To meet this goal, Saft has
Michael Lippert is product manager Jim McDowall has worked in the
delivered an ESS capable of delivering
for Saft’s Transportation, Telecom battery industry since 1977 and is
2.2 MW and with a capacity of 1.2 MWh.
and Grid (TTG) division. He has Business Development Manager with
Since it was commissioned in December
a degree in European Business Saft, primarily associated with grid
2014, the ESS has enabled the opera-
Studies in France and Germany, systems. Involved in the energy
tor to switch off two gensets, saving two
and has been working for over 20 storage market since 1998, Jim was
million liters of fuel per year.
years in different international sales a Director of the Energy Storage
and marketing positions at Saft. Association for 14 years and is a
The business case
Michael has played a major role in past Chair of the organization. Jim
Energy storage is typically considered
establishing Saft’s market leading is a Senior Member of IEEE and is
when operators want to reduce both
position in Li-ion battery technology Standards Coordinator of the IEEE
their running costs and reliance on die-
for renewable energy and energy Stationary Battery Committee, the
sel power. While at the same time, the
storage. Chair of two of its working groups,
increasing cost-competitiveness of PV
and a past Chair of the main
means that hybrid schemes are becom-
committee. Jim is a frequent speaker
ing more attractive.
at energy storage conferences and
related events.
However, to convince investors of the
business case, energy storage must
deliver a high return on investment in
terms of substantial savings and oper-
ational advantages. Equally, there can
be no reduction in reliability and power
quality. Stable frequency and voltage
are critical in remote microgrids where
communities have high dependence on
a reliable power supply.

Power Supplies, Batteries & Energy 59

17.104-EBM-Saft-UK-03.indd 4 15-03-17 12:37

 How Battery Manufacturers are Answering
the SafetyQuestions about
Large Lithium Battery Packs
By Alex Stapleton — Product Manager, VARTA Storage GmbH

In portable consumer devices, lithium-ion battery technology has won the day. Every manufacturer of mobile
phones, tablets and notebook computers looks to lithium-ion technology to provide a lightweight, long-lasting and
reliable energy storage capability that can fit easily inside a small enclosure or housing. Crucially, after billions of
hours of use worldwide, lithium-ion batteries in these applications have proved to be safe. How come?

In handheld devices such as tablets, the energy requirement is
small though — Google’s new Nexus 7, for instance, features
a battery with 15 Wh capacity. This means that if the battery
were to malfunction – and there is a copious amount of hard-
ware and software protection in a standards compliant bat-
tery to ensure it operates in tightly specified conditions – the
amount of energy that could be suddenly released is limited.
In larger devices, however, the adoption of lithium-ion batter-
ies has been slower. Motor-driven devices such as hoists, and
back-up power sources such as uninterruptible power supplies
(UPS) and generator replacements commonly use sealed lead-
acid (SLA) batteries, which are highly tolerant of abuse con-
ditions of charging and temperature. SLA batteries have an
extremely good safety record stretching over decades of use.
Of course, where the requirement is for much higher energy
storage capacity, the risk of the outcome associated with
battery failure is theoretically higher, because the energy
available to power such an event is much greater. And the
underlying fear is that, in over-voltage or over-current con-
ditions, a large lithium battery may heat up, and eventually,
in the worst case, catch fire.
Historically, 100 Wh was seen as a special threshold at which
safety concerns would be heightened.
This is because lithium rechargeable batteries with power equal
to or more than 100 Wh have been treated with greater care
under the UN38.3 transport regulations. Higher energy was
also always associated with higher risk. Because of this, some
manufacturers have been wary of adopting lithium-ion tech-
nology in applications requiring larger battery packs, waiting
until they can enjoy as much confidence in the known safe
operation of a lithium battery as they do in the operation of
SLA batteries.
Treated with the correct care in design and construction, large
lithium batteries can be safely managed just like their smaller
counterparts. But the requirement for the OEM designer is to
show a verifiable process flow which guarantees that the risk of
danger or harm arising from battery malfunction is eliminated.
The purpose of this article is to describe the elements of a
safety design that has been proven to deliver completely safe

60 Elektor Business Magazine 2/2017

17.104-EBM-Varta-UK-02.indd 1 15-03-17 12:38

 lithium batteries with very large capacities, including packs
offering more than 500 Wh capacity. This safety design can
be implemented in any large lithium battery pack.
Three levels of safety protection
The architecture of a large lithium-ion battery offers the sys-
tem designer three levels at which safety protections can be
implemented: the cells, the control circuit, and the complete
battery pack. Good design practice calls for protection to be
built in at all three levels.
Safety design should start with the cell. A large battery pack
normally consists of multiple cylindrical cells packed together
in such a way as to meet the mechanical and thermal require-
ments of the end product (see Figure 1).
Different cells display different characteristics: the best cells
from reputable manufacturers can support more charging cycles,
have higher capacity, and offer greater tolerance of high-tem-
perature operation than lower-quality cells.
Even within the product ranges of these market leaders, some
lithium cell types are better suited to some applications than to
others. The battery system design process should start, there-
fore, by specifying the use conditions of the battery in the end
application. This specification should include:
• the typical and maximum number of charging cycles;
• the typical load profile, including peak power
requirements;
• charging conditions: how quickly must the battery be
charged?
• typical, minimum and maximum ambient temperatures.
relevant to the application, and to prove the safety performance
of the final design. Therefore the first step when designing for
safe operation is to ensure that the cells will perform predict-
ably in all foreseeable use and abuse conditions, independent
of any protection or control systems that supervise them.
In many batteries, each cell will also contain its own indepen-
dent safety cut-off: the Current Interruption Device (CID) is
a fuse that automatically trips in extreme temperature con-
ditions, rendering the lithium cell electrically inert before it
reaches the point of combustion.
Protection circuitry
Each cell, then, is tested for catastrophic failure, to ensure
that, even in the worst possible case, the cells will fail safely.
More sophisticated electronic controls, on the other hand, can
monitor operating conditions and temporarily shut down the
complete battery pack if necessary in such a way that it remains
available for use when safe.
The best systems provide four levels of safety protection that
operate across the entire battery pack: each of these protection
mechanisms should take effect before there is any possibility

The cell manufacturer will then be able to work with the battery
assembler to identify which cell offers the characteristics best
suited to the needs of the application. This is an important step
which should be included in all design-for-safety processes. In
addition, all cells should carry appropriate certifications, such
as a UL1642 listing or IEC 62133 certification, which is required
for batteries used in medical devices.
Importantly, VARTA additionally carries out sample testing of
the cells to be used under normal and abuse conditions to verify
the performance as rated by the manufacturer. Crucially, this
additional testing measures the behaviour of the cell in a forced
failure. This includes testing for the ability to safely withstand:
• long charging periods at multiples of the maximum rated
charge current;
• a short-circuit at low resistance;
• oven-testing at a temperature above the maximum
prescribed in safety regulations.

For large battery packs, specific safety tests are often devised
to show the battery’s behaviour in real-world failure conditions Figure 1: A large lithium battery without supervisory/protection circuit.

Beginner Trading Theoretical

Level: Intermediate Company Status: Start-Up Approach: Practical
Professional Potential Mixed

Product Production Website:

Subject: Advice: Technology varta-storage.com
Service
Advice Regulatory
ebm article tagging

Power Supplies, Batteries & Energy 61

17.104-EBM-Varta-UK-02.indd 2 15-03-17 12:38


image: Energy Fuse
that cell safety could be compromised. These may be software
or hardware mechanisms. In battery packs manufactured by
VARTA, the lower two levels are implemented in software, and
the higher two levels in hardware.
The first level of protection calls on circuitry monitoring the
battery’s voltage and state of charge (SOC) (see Figure 2).
The system designer will set thresholds for over-discharging,
over-charging and over-current (short circuit) conditions: if any
of these thresholds is exceeded, the controller automatically
shuts the battery down. The controller continues to monitor
operating conditions, and when the over-discharge, over-charge
or short-circuit condition no longer applies, it will re-set the
battery for use.
The second level of protection is triggered if the fault condi-
tions recur: at a programmable threshold, the controller ceases
to re-set itself. The battery is thus disabled, and can only be
re-set if returned to the factory for a comprehensive review
and safety check.
Figure 2: the control circuit in VARTA Microbattery / VARTA Storage
lithium battery packs offers four levels of safety protection.
62 Elektor Business Magazine 2/2017
17.104-EBM-Varta-UK-02.indd 3
The first two levels of safety protection are extremely robust:
they draw on voltage, current and temperature measurements
that may be made accurately by familiar electronic components
with a long record of reliable operation.
The failure of any one of the sensing components or of the
microcontroller itself is extremely unlikely.
Nevertheless, the risk of such a failure needs to be taken into
account. This is why VARTA also implements two higher levels
of safety protection that do not rely on any other component
or on the execution of software algorithms. First, an active
fuse monitors the battery voltage, and trips when a pre-set
over-voltage threshold is crossed. This permanently disables
the battery.
Last, a passive fuse or thermo-fuse is tripped either by over-
current or over-temperature conditions.
Again, the battery is permanently disabled.
System-level safety assurance
As the above has shown, safety mechanisms operate inside
each cell, and in the battery pack as a whole.
The final level of safety assurance applies to the assembled
battery pack. First, the mechanical design is optimised for
thermal performance, and may be checked and tested for the
presence of hotspots with a thermal imaging camera. In addi-
tion, the housing and all internal mountings and fixtures are
specified to withstand the rated operating conditions of the end
product. All VARTA Microbattery/ VARTA Storage battery packs
are also subjected to a series of 1m drop tests as standard,
although more severe tests may apply to a specific application.
Finally, the battery pack must gain all relevant industry standard
certifications when tested independently. This might include for
instance a requirement for UL2054 and IEC 62133 certifications.
Large battery packs must also be certified as permitted aircraft
cargo where appropriate.
A fully equipped battery testing laboratory will provide for a range of
additional abuse tests to be performed if required. This enables an
OEM to simulate the conditions that its end product might encoun-
ter in the field, and to build a predictive model of the behaviour of
their battery in these conditions.
Reaping the rewards of using advanced lithium
technology
Any large energy concentration, such as a lead-acid or lithium
battery pack, has the potential to cause harm if the energy is
released in a sudden and uncontrolled manner. This, however,
does not mean that the pack poses a risk to safety. The risk
depends on the strength of the safety mechanisms that pre-
vent an uncontrolled release of energy.
In a lithium battery pack that has safety designed in from the
outset, this risk is made negligible through the implementation
of four levels of protection of the battery pack itself: if any one
level should fail, any of the others can independently shut off
the battery to prevent any risk of harm or damage. The bat-
tery pack’s safety mechanism is reinforced by each individual
cell’s over-current fuse.
With safe operation assured, lithium battery packs can com-
pete on equal terms with lead-acid batteries. And since lithium
batteries are lighter, smaller, offer longer cycle life and impose
less onerous disposal arrangements, they look set to become
increasingly popular in automotive, industrial, medical and
transportation applications.
15-03-17 12:38
 30V / 2A PWM DC/DC converter
with powerful methods for
EMI noise reduction
Ricoh Europe (Netherlands) B.V. Semiconductor Support
Centre has launched the R1275, a high-efficiency, 2-A
synchronous step-down DC/DC converter with a wide
input voltage range up to 30 V and has two options to
minimize electromagnetic interference (EMI). It allows
connecting to a variety of input sources, such as bat-
tery-powered portable devices, industrial supplies and
automotive batteries.
The switching frequency is internally set to 2 MHz, but it
is also possible to synchronize with another DC/DC Con-
verter by applying an external clock signal from 1.8 MHz
to 2.2 MHz. Especially in case the power supply consists
of multiple DC/DC converters, the individual switching fre-
quencies can result in a significant noise in common ground
wiring. By synchronizing all DC/DC converters to one fre-
quency, the resulting noise is easier to filter out and will
not interfere with the control of the converters.
The R1275 has a special protection for cold cranking con-
ditions. Safety features include input under- and over-
voltage lockout, hiccup overcurrent protection, internal
soft-start circuitry, peak current limit, thermal shutdown,
output over-voltage and under-voltage protection. A Power-
Good pin provides a fault signal when the chip is not ready
for normal operation or any of the protection circuits is
active. The R1275 is available in a thermally enhanced
5.2×6.2×1.5 mm HSOP-18 package for consumer, indus-
trial and automotive applications.
www.e-devices.ricoh.co.jp/en/products/
power/dcdc/r1275/?sscl=ehomeR1275
17.104-EBM-News-UK-63-01.indd 1
World’s most accurate
power analyser
dedicated to transformer testing
Yokogawa claims its new WT3000E Transformer Version is
the world’s most accurate precision power analyser dedi-
cated to testing the power transformers used in the power
utilities’ transmission and distribution sectors.
With an accuracy of 0.5% at power factors as low as 0.01
at 100 V and 1 A, the WT3000E Transformer Version is ide-
ally suited to the precision testing of transformer losses,
allowing transformer manufacturers to avoid potential fines
imposed by power authorities that could run into thou-
sands of euros.
The WT3000E Transformer Version is calibrated at power
factors of 1, 0.5, 0.05, 0.01 and 0.001 to enable engineers
in transformer testing to accurately capture and measure
any drift outside the limits described in the IEC60076-8
Standard.
The product maintains high levels of accuracy over a wide
range of power factors. The ±0.01% total power accuracy
figure applies at a power factor of 1 and a frequency of
44-66 Hz. The corresponding value for power factors in
the range 0.02 to 0.01 is 0.5%, and for power factors in
the range 0.01 to 0.001 it is 7%.
Not only is the WT3000E Transformer Version the world’s
most accurate power analyser: it is also a highly stable
instrument that offers consistent results time and time
again without the need for yearly adjustments.
The instrument is supplied with free application software
which is used to read numeric, waveform, and harmonic
data through a communications interface such as GP-IB,
USB or Ethernet.
www.tmi.yokogawa.com
Power Supplies, Batteries & Energy 63
15-03-17 12:39
 Selected Products for Makers and Start-ups

ELEKTOR BUSINESS STORE

www.elektor.com/store

PicoScope 2204A (10 MHz) Weller ESF-120 ESD-safe PCB Holder

You can use your PicoScope 2000 Series as an advanced
oscilloscope, spectrum analyzer, function generator, arbitrary
waveform generator and protocol decoder out of the box.
Mixed signal models also add a 16 channel logic analyzer.
A complete electronics lab in one compact, low-cost, USB-
powered unit. The PicoScope 2000A models deliver unbeatable
value for money and are ideal for education, hobby and field
service use. In the lab the low cost allows one scope per
person rather than having to share.
Oscilloscope
• 10,000 waveform circular buffer
• Up to 80,000 waveforms per second update rate
• Mask limit testing
• Advanced math & filtering
The Weller ESF-120 ESD PCB-holder is a mounting frame that
satisfies all requirements made when mounting, soldering
and removing printed circuit boards, without the need for
additional tools.
The tool has a spring clamp, rotates through 360° in
increments of 15° and has a cushioned pressure arm for
keeping components in place when you flip the board upside
down for soldering.
• Max. size: 160 x 235 mm
• Rotates through 360° in 15° increments
• Spring clamp
• Cushioned arm for component fixing
• ESD safe

price: €169 rrp • €152.10 mp price: €129.95 rrp • €116.96 mp Products can be ordered at www.elektor.com. Prices are
including Dutch VAT, excluding shipping and handling.
www.elektor.com/picoscope www.elektor.com/pcb-holder

STEMlab 125-14 (Ultimate Kit) SmartScope Maker Kit Andonstar V160 USB
Digital Microscope

STEMlab 125-14 (originally Red Pitaya V1.1) is an open
source measurement and control tool the size of a credit
card (dimensions: 107 x 60 x 21 mm). It can replace
many expensive laboratory measurement instruments. The
STEMlab 125-14 unit is a network attached device based on
Linux operating system. It includes Radio Frequency signal
acquisition and generation technologies, FPGA, Digital Signal
Processing and CPU processing.
Use the SmartScope as an FPGA development platform with
this special Maker kit. This Kit contains a special version of
the SmartScope. In this version all internal headers have
been assembled, exposing mor FPGA pins which provide
both read and write access. These headers are matched to a
0.1” grid, allowing you to align your breadboards with ease.
Another header provides access to both analog inputs, so the
SmartScope can digitize any voltages from your breadboard
without the need of using patch wires.
Furthermore, the Maker Kit comes with a JTAG programmer,
allowing you to hook straight into the FPGA. The JTAG
programmer can be used to flash the FPGA and to use Xilinx’
ChipScope tool.
Technical Specifications
• DSP: High power Digital Image Monarch Processor
• Sensor: high-quality CMOS sensor, 2 Mpixel (hardware, no
interpolation)
• Resolution: 640x480, 1600x1200
• Interface: USB 1.1 / USB 2.0
• Frame rate: 30 fps (resolution 640x480), 5 fps (resolution
1600x1200)
• Focal distance: 5–30mm (at infinite focal distance the
microscope acts as a webcam, w/o magnification)
• Magnification: 200+
• Diameter: 12 mm
• USB cable Length: approx. 165 cm
• USB cable color: black or transparent color (random)

price: €725 rrp • €652.50 mp price: €299.95 rrp • €269.95 mp price: €84 rrp • €75.60 mp

www.elektor.com/stemlab-ultimate www.elektor.com/smartscope-maker-kit www.elektor.com/microscope-v160

64 Elektor Business Magazine 2/2017

17.104-EBM-Store-UK-01.indd 1 15-03-17 12:41

 SHOPPING PCB REWORKING ANALYZERS LAB GEAR DEVELOPMENT TOOLS ASSEMBLY

Siglent Oscilloscope DC Lab Switch-Mode Power

SDS1102X (100 MHz) Supply 0-30 V / 0-3 A

The SDS1102X 2-channel Super Phosphor Oscilloscope has A 0-30 VDC / 0-3 A benchtop switch-mode power supply with
a bandwidth of 100 MHz, a sample rate of 1 GSa/s, and a LCD readout.
standard record length of 14 Mpts. The most commonly used Features
functions can be accessed with its user-friendly one-button • Switch-mode power supply
design. • LCD display for voltage and current
The SDS1000X series employs a new generation of SPO • Protection mode: current limiting
technology. With excellent signal fidelity, background noise is • Colour: grey & dark grey
lower than similar products in the industry. The SDS1000X has • Insulated terminals
a minimum vertical input range of 500 µV/div, an innovative • Output connectors: IEC1010
digital trigger system with high sensitivity and low jitter, • Fuse-protected
and a waveform capture rate of 60,000 frames/sec. Add an Specifications
impressive array of measurement and math capabilities, • Input voltage: 230 VAC 50 Hz, 1 A, 126 W, pf: 0.55
options for an integrated 25-MHz arbitrary waveform • Output voltage: 0-30 VDC adjustable max.
generator. • Output current: 0-3 A adjustable max.

s are Item descriptions are subject to change, errors and omis- price: €579 rrp • €521.10 mp price: €99.95 rrp • €89.96 mp
dling. sions. rrp =recommended retail price; mp = member price.
www.elektor.com/siglent-sds1102x www.elektor.com/dc-lab

TL866A Universal Programmer Three-In-One Lab Unit FabScan Pi – 3D Laser

Scanner with RPi 3

This programmer can program through the 40-pin universal This unit should cover 99% of your home lab needs and is the All electronics and the laser-cut wooden parts for assembling
socket and is provided with an ICSP serial programming perfect solution for starters and colleges. It consists of a DMM, the FabScan Pi kit.
port. For some in-circuit serial programmable chips, you a PSU and a solder station.
can program the MCU by choosing an ICSP port. ICSP port Kit Contents
wiring method is detailed by instruction diagrams in the Digital Multimeter • FabScan Pi case
programming software. Using the ICSP the TL866A allows • 3.5 digit backlit LCD • Screw set
direct programming and updating of the chip soldered on • Automatic polarity indication • Raspberry Pi 3
the board. • DC voltage: 200 mV to 600 V in 5 steps • Raspberry Pi camera V2
• AC voltage: 200 V and 600 V • Raspberry Pi camera connection cable – 50 cm
The TL866A supports over 13,000 chips. Kit contains USB • DC current: 200 µA to 10 A in 5 steps • RPi FabScan HAT
Programmer with 4 pcs socket, IC picker, test clip. • Resistance test: 200 ohm to 2 Mohm • RPi ringlight
• Diode, transistor and continuity test • Stepper motor: unipolar/bipolar, 200 steps/rev., 4.0 V,
• Data-hold function and buzzer 1200 mA (NEMA 17)
• CATI 600 V • Mounting plate for rotation table

price: €99 rrp • €89.10 mp price: €139.95 • €125.96 price: €185 • €166.50

www.elektor.com/tl866a www.elektor.com/three-in-one-lab-unit www.elektor.com/fabscan

Power Supplies, Batteries & Energy 65

17.104-EBM-Store-UK-01.indd 2 15-03-17 12:41

 Our Contributors
Analog Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Op Amp Input Overvoltage Protection: Clamping versus Integrated | Daniel Burton
Cymbet Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Design Advantages of Solid State Batteries versus Supercapacitors |
White paper contribution
Eaton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
A Guide to Pre-crisis Planning | Robert Kirslis
Advertisers
................................................................. Page
Mouser.................................................. 1 and 68
Multi Leiterplatten GmbH ...................................2
Schurter AG ....................................................11
Würth Elektronik..............................................15
Hummel AG .....................................................47
Elektor Business E-Store ...................... 64 and 65
Elektor ............................................................67

Infographics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Infographics | Robert van der Zwan

Intersil (a Renesas company) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Battery Management System Tutorial

Keysight Technologies, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Finding and Fixing Power Supply Noise Issues when Charging Cells | Bob Zollo

Linear Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Maximizing Cell Monitoring Accuracy and Data Integrity in Energy Storage
Battery Management Systems | Mike Kultgen and Greg Zimmer

Mouser/Intel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Intel® QuarkTMMicrocontroller | Bill Giovino

MOWEA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CHARGE

Modular Wind Energy Appliance | Tessel Renzenbrink

National Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Test Bench with Highly Dynamic Load System for Testing
Brushless DC Motors | Peter Deckelmann and Carsten Pabst

Nuvation Engineering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Maximizing Cell Monitoring Accuracy and Data Integrity in Energy
Storage Battery Management Systems | Stefan Janhunen

ROHM Semiconductor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Advanced AC/DC Converter Design with Latest Control IC Technology
Andrea Colognese
Saft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Li-ion Energy Storage Takes Microgrids to the Next Level
Michael Lippert and Jim McDowall
Schurter AG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
To ‘e’ on the Safe Side | Albert Bürgler
Talking Heads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Talking Heads | Robert van der Zwan
Varta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
How Battery Manufacturers are Answering the Safety Questions
about Large Lithium Battery Packs | Alex Stapleton
Elektor Business Magazine edition 3/2017 has a
focus on Sensors and Measurement. Among the con-
tributors are companies and research instiutiions in-
cluding Analog Devices, Texas Instruments. Melexis,
ams, Rohde & Schwarz, Fraunhofer, Goonado, Binder
Elektronik, Rheintacho, Mettler Toledo, Keysight, and
Tektronix. Plus you’ll find fresh instalments of all the
EBM regulars like Our Business, JumpStart, Info-
graphics, Business Store, and Talking Heads.
Elektor Business Magazine edition 3/2017 is
published on 10 May 2017 to Elektor Magazine Gold
members in print, and Elektor Green members as a
pdf download. The edition will also be available for
purchase at www.elektormagazine.com.

66 Elektor Business Magazine 2/2017

17.104-EBM-Contributors-UK-02.indd 1 15-03-17 12:42

 Join the
Community
Elektor is the world’s only independent, international electronics magazine
with an in-house design laboratory. Every issue of Elektor magazine is loaded
with up-to-date news and views, real-world lab tests and high quality DIY
construction projects.

Take out a GOLD Membership now

and receive:
• 6 Editions of Elektor Magazine (132 pages each)
in print and digital format (PDF)
• Free access to all PDF editions of
Elektor Business Magazine (approx. 6 per year)
• Unrestricted access to the Elektor
1990 - present day archive
• Access to Gerber files for over 1000 Elektor Magazine
projects published since 2000
• Full access to over 750 Elektor Labs projects
• During the term of your membership at least
10% Member Discount at Elektor.com
• DVD Elektor 2016 valued at €27.50
(on request after publication)

Only €7.58 / £5.50 /

US $8.42 per month

Also available:
Only €5.67 / £4.08 / The all-paperless GREEN Membership, which
US $6.25 per month delivers all products and services, including
Elektor magazine, online only.

Become a member today at

www.elektormagazine.com/memberships

16.116-Community-UK-A4-03.indd 1 13-03-17 18:14

 311724-More New Products-185x254-UK.pdf 1 2/24/17 5:41 PM

CM

MY

CY

CMY

17.104-EBM-Adv-DE.indd 2 16-03-17 13:08