Devices offer compact thermal protection for lithium batteries

March 17, 2015

2 min read

Battery applications designers are tasked with meeting increasingly stringent safety standards for ultra-thin notebooks and other portable consumer electronics powered by high-capacity lithium polymer and prismatic cells. In response, TE Connectivity’s TE Circuit Protection business unit has introduces the new MHP-TAM Series devices. An MHP-TAM device features an ultralow-profile (5.8-mm x 3.85-mm x 1.15-mm max) package and a high (9-VDC) rating. The devices in the series offer a choice of two different levels of current-carrying capacity and multiple cut-off temperature ratings. Each device provides a space-efficient thermal cutoff (TCO) that helps designers meet the demanding peak-current requirements of consumer products.

Utilizing MHP (metal hybrid PPTC) technology, the MHP-TAM device combines a bimetal protector in parallel with a PPTC (polymeric positive temperature coefficient) device. In battery applications, the MHP-TAM device helps provide resettable overtemperature protection to shut down the battery when a fault is detected. The device rests when the fault is removed. The devices in the MHP-TAM series feature different open temperatures, ranging from 72°C to 90°C (typical). They also offer two levels of hold currents: low-current (approximately 6 A at 25°C) and high-current (approximately 15 A at 25°C).

“To help meet the thermal protection requirements of lithium polymer battery applications, our new MHP-TAM devices have been tested to withstand the harshest humidity test conditions in the battery industry. High reliability is important since OEMs are tightening their component reliability requirements for lithium polymer battery packs used in consumer applications,” said Amy Chu, product manager at TE Circuit Protection. “Over the last 30 years, TE Circuit Protection has been a front-runner in utilizing PPTC technology to introduce high-reliability solutions for battery protection. The addition of the new MHP-TAM series offers designers even more choices when selecting the best protection device for today’s consumer electronics.”

The MHP-TAM series complies with the regulatory agency requirements of the most rigorous international quality and safety standards: UL, cUL, and CB.

www.circuitprotection.com

About the Author

Rick Nelson

Contributing Editor

Rick Nelson is a technical journalist who has served as executive editor of Test & Measurement World, chief editor of EDN, and executive editor of EE-Evaluation Engineering. He has also contributed to publications including Vision Systems Design and Electronic Design, and he has participated in many live panel discussions and webcasts. Rick has also held systems-engineering and product-development positions at General Electric and Litton Industries. He received his B.S.E.E. degree from The Pennsylvania State University.