Making a Difference in Automotive

One of the most challenging things in electric vehicles is the battery management. The need for small size, low power consumption, and extended battery life for longer cruising ranges and maximum service life for the vehicle are crucial. That may be the reason why Mitsubishi Motors has adopted the digital isolators iCoupler from Analog Devices for its next-generation electric vehicle “i-MiEV”.

The Li-ion battery power system for the next-generation electric vehicle (EV) “i-MiEV” from Mitshubishi will be supported by the digital isolators iCoupler from Analog Devices. Mitsubishi Motors describes the vehicle as )”the ultimate eco-car that produces no CO2 emissions”. Fully electrically powered, Mitsubishi claims the i-MiEV to have a single-charge range of 160 km. It features a three-way charging system that allows a driver to charge the battery at home with 100 V or 200 V or at a remote quick-charge station. In consequence, the i-MiEV has won several awards and will be introduced in Japan during calendar year 2010.

 Picture credits: Mitsubishi Motors 

The iCoupler digital isolators ADuM1402W and ADuM1201W provide the means to transmit data across the safety isolation barriers between the high-voltage Li-ion battery system electronics and standard vehicle electronic systems. They address additional requirements such as small size, low power consumption, and extended battery life for longer cruising ranges and service life. The semiconductor manufacturer affirms that the devices, which are available in industry-standard, small RoHS-compliant and SOIC packages, consume one-tenth to one-sixth of the power of optocouplers at comparable signal data rates (e.g. 0.8 mA per channel maximum @ 0 Mbps to 2 Mbps during 3 V operation). “Advances in battery technology for hybrid/electric vehicles require similar advances in isolation technology, such as higher levels of integration, temperature resistance and interfaces that eliminate the need for external signal conditioning”, explains Thomas Wessel, Vice President, Automotive Group, Analog Devices.

 Picture credits: Analog Devices 

Instead of LEDs and photodiodes used in optocouplers, the iCoupler devices are based on chip-scale transformers, which may ensure higher data rates, lower power consumption, and more stability over the life time of the system. By fabricating the transformers using wafer-level processing, iCoupler channels can be integrated with each other and other semiconductor functions at low cost. Also the transformers are planar structures formed from CMOS and gold metal layers. A high breakdown polyimide layer underneath the gold layer insulates the top transformer coil from the bottom. CMOS circuits connected to the top coil and bottom coil provide the interface between each transformer and its external signals. Automotive grade versions are qualified for 125 ° C operation per AEC-Q100.

Comments

[diesel performance products]

They address additional requirements such as small size, low power consumption, and extended battery life for longer cruising ranges and service life.