Intersil Announces the Release of Highly Integrated Multi-Cell Battery Pack Monitor

Intersil, subsidiary of Renesas Electronics Corporation, has recently unveiled the ISL94202 3-to-8 cell battery pack monitor. It supports lithium-ion and other battery chemistries that are used in applications like, energy storage systems, vacuum cleaners, lawn equipment, scooter, e-bikes, and handheld power tools. Lithium-ion batteries are smaller in size, weigh less, and have a longer life as compared to other chemistries. However, these require monitoring and protection to ensure safe use.

Coming to the features of the battery pack monitor, it comes with ultra-small 2-terminal designs and monitors, protects and cell balances battery packs, thereby ensuring safe operation and charging. The battery pack works as a stand-alone battery protection system by utilising an internal-state machine with 5 pre-programmed modes. These modes aid in balancing and controlling each battery cell individually.

The ISL94202 also protects the battery pack against catastrophic events like hardware faults, cell voltage discharge/over-discharge, and short circuit conditions. Besides, it meets the UL2054, UL2271/72 and IEC62133 specified pack safety requirements. Its protection settings can also be programmed without any external microcontroller.

“The ISL94202 offers customers all the necessary front end battery features to protect against catastrophic pack failure,” said Philip Chesley, senior vice president of Precision Products at Intersil. “Its innovative high-side FET control, current monitoring and cell measurement delivers a small footprint solution for efficient battery pack designs.”

Moving on, owing to the integration of high-side charge/discharge FET drive circuitry, it can be easily interfaced with tools or electric motor equipment. The device even controls external cell balancing switches and ensures to protect the cell life against chronic undercharging. In addition to this, the battery pack monitor can withstand factor pack assembly hot plug events which in turn simplifies manufacturing.

Features and Specifications

● Eight cell voltage monitors support Li-ion CoO2, Li-ion Mn2O4, and Li-ion FePO4 battery chemistries

● Highest level of integration: cell voltage level shift, automatic cell balance, 14-bit ADC, current sense monitor, power FET control, and temperature sensor interface.

● Configuration/calibration registers stored in EEPROM.

● Open battery connect detection.

● Stand-alone pack control, no microcontroller required.

● Multiple cell voltage protection options up to 4.8V.

● Operates over the -40°C to +85°C industrial temperature range.

● Enters low power states when battery pack is not in use.

● Programmable detection/recovery times for overvoltage, undervoltage, overcurrent and short circuit conditions.

● Integrated charge/discharge FET drive circuitry with built-in charge pump supports high-side N-channel FETs.

● Cell balancing uses external FETs with device’s internal state machine or external microcontroller

Pricing & Availability

The ISL94202 battery pack monitor is available in a 6mm x 6mm, 48-lead QFN package, priced at $2.19 USD in 1k quantities. The ISL94202EVKIT1Z evaluation kit can be availed at $328 USD. It contains an evaluation board, interface board with USB to I2C interface, and software GUI that supports stand-alone operation or an external microcontroller.