Eaton battery disconnect unit with Breaktor circuit protection technology

Friday, 03 June, 2022 | Supplied by: Eaton Electrical (Australia) Pty Ltd


Eaton’s eMobility business has introduced a battery disconnect unit (BDU) that can be combined with the company’s Breaktor circuit protection technology to provide circuit protection in electric vehicles (EVs). When paired with the circuit protection technology, which combines current switching and resettable bidirectional short-circuit protection with fast actuation, the BDU eliminates the need for up to 15 additional system components. Traditional systems require a combination of pyro and thermal fuses and contactors.

The BDU’s primary function is to serve as an on/off switch to the battery depending on the mode the EV is operating in, such as charging or driving. Current-model EVs rely on one of three traditional BDU configurations — fuse and contactor; pyro fuse and contactor; or fuse, pyro fuse and contactor — all used together in a single BDU. These each have disadvantages, including overall system complexity, serviceability, coordination difficulties and susceptibility to fatigue under high current levels.

Adding circuit protection technology to Eaton’s BDU provides benefits including active and passive actuation in a single device; the capability to transition to an off-state under a wide range of fault conditions; functional safety; the ability to be reset after a high-energy fault; and the ability to replace up to four high-voltage electrical components, which reduces complexity. The technology’s self-triggering design, diagnostic electronics and mirror contact help achieve BDU functional safety goals, while its integrated coil driver, economiser and sensing/triggering circuit are designed to reduce battery management-system cost and complexity.

The circuit protection technology also enables up to 350 kW DC fast charging when used to protect and switch the DC fast-charge circuit, allowing EVs to charge in 15 min or less. This capability is made possible by recent upgrades to the technology’s thermal management and materials to boost its power capacity. Breaktor circuit protection technology is now able to carry 500 A continuously and up to 750 A of continuous current when an active or passive cooling system is leveraged.

Online: www.eaton.com/au
Phone: 02 9693 9333
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