First IC/module to simultaneously provide ground fault detection, high voltage measurement and accurate Coulomb counting

New York, New York --- Sendyne unleashes the first single IC and module capable of performing ground fault detection / isolation monitoring while simultaneously providing accurate current, high voltage and temperature measurements.

Reliable ground fault detection is a necessity for high voltage systems such as xEVs and vehicle charging stations in order to prevent unintended leakage currents from causing potentially lethal threats to human safety. In the case of xEVs, various international agencies and governments have set standards and regulations for isolation monitoring, such as UN Reg. 100, FMVSS305 and ISO6469-1. Sendyne’s SFPGFD adheres to all of these. That said, conventional systems for ground fault detection rely on sensing static voltages and employing asymmetrical bleed resistors, making them incapable of sensing some leakage sources. Sendyne’s SFPGFD, on the other hand, utilizes controllable excitation voltage and is able to detect all sources of leakage, including multiple simultaneous asymmetrical and symmetrical faults, as well as resistive shorts between the chassis and points in the battery that have the same potential as the chassis.

Sendyne’s SFPGFD IC and module continuously monitor the isolation resistance in order to notify the host system of deterioration of isolation and possible dangerous levels of leakage current. Two dedicated channels measure voltage from the battery to chassis and the total battery potential; the latter is also available for utilization by the battery management system (BMS). Sendyne’s patent-pending method for isolation monitoring utilizes a state-of-the-art algorithm developed by Sendyne’s in-house modeling team. This algorithm applies deep filtering and averaging on the measured data, resulting in a high level of noise rejection.

In addition to providing isolation monitoring, the SFPGFD module has four extra high voltage channels that can be used for monitoring pre-charge status, state of fuses, contactors, and more. All six voltage channels on the SFPGFD module can measure ±450 V continuous and ±650 V momentary overvoltage. These levels can easily be extended for systems operating at higher voltages.

The module is equipped with a 25 micro-Ohm shunt and provides accurate current measurement (±0.25%) over a range of ±300 A continuous and ±1,500 A peak over the full temperature range of -40 °C to +125 °C. Galvanically isolated, the module can be connected to either the low side (negative terminal) or high side (positive terminal) of the battery.

The SFPGFD communicates to a host via a standard LIN protocol. Other protocols are available. For further details, go to http://www.sendyne.com