Li-ion Battery Monitor IC Targets Hybrid EV, Power Tool Applications

Texas Instruments Inc. (TI) has released a battery management integrated circuit that increases the life of rechargeable lithium-ion battery packs and maximizes available energy for hybrid and electric vehicles, power tools and uninterruptible power source (UPS) applications.

The stackable bq76PL536 battery monitor, balancer and protector incorporates analog-to-digital converters for independent cell voltage and temperature protection, cell balancing and isolated chip-to-chip communication. The device intelligently measures battery cell voltages to 1mV accuracy, which is needed for demanding new lithium chemistries.

The bq76PL536 also provides full secondary protection for over voltage, under voltage and over temperature conditions. When safety thresholds are exceeded, the device sets the fault and alert outputs independently of the normal communication channel. No external components are needed to configure or enable the protection features.

The device has a ±1mV typical voltage measurement accuracy, which increases battery gas gauging accuracy to determine remaining capacity, cell-balancing efficiency and system safety. Its integrated secondary level of protection for over-voltage, under-voltage and over-temperature conditions increases safety without adding component cost.

Texas Instruments