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2017 International Conference on Computation of Power, Energy, Information and Communication (ICCPEIC)
Protection Circuitry and Passive
Balancing for Battery Management
Systems Part I
Ashwin Srinivas Badrinath
R.V.College of Engineering, Bangalore
Dept. of Electronics and Instrumentation
ashrulez24x7@gmail.com
Abstract- Battery management systems are of
paramount importance to ensure safe functioning and
optimal usage of the battery pack. This is the first of
two papers that presents one of the key challenges in
the design of such battery management systems viz.
voltage protection. A unique voltage protection circuit
to protect each cell against under-voltage and over-
voltage is presented which can be customized to any
battery of any voltage by following the design principles
incorporated in this paper and can be validated via
simulation as presented.
Keywords— battery management system, voltage
protection, passive balancing, lithium-ion, lithium
polymer.
I. INTRODUCTION
Batteries used in EVs and HEVs may be of
different chemistries. They are usually Lead-acid
batteries, Li-ion (Lithium ion) or LiPo (Lithium
polymer) batteries. Lithium chemistry is one of the
most widely used among battery chemistries. These
batteries are the most preferred for the following
reasons:
x They are much lighter compared to the other
battery chemistries.
x They are smaller in size in comparison with the
others.
x They usually can give us a constant power and
energy.
x They have a greater cycle life.
Now, with all the above advantages they also have
a few drawbacks. These batteries have to be
maintained in a specific voltage range and have to
be kept under a specific nominal temperature. Also
care has to be taken so that there will be no
overcharging and discharging from the batteries.
These constraints become very stringent with the
lithium chemistry batteries and if not monitored
properly it could be hazardous. Hence, it is of
paramount importance to have a fast acting analog
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Sumukha V Udupa
R.V.College of Engineering, Bangalore
Dept. of Electrical and Electronics Engineering
sumukhaudupa@ymail.com
circuit that constantly monitors the voltage levels
of each cell that comprises the battery pack and can
determine threshold breaches with utmost
accuracy. This paper presents a generic design for
such accurate and instant protection and is
validated by simulation.
II. PROTECTION CIRCUITRY
The protection circuitry consists of electronics that
detect under-voltage and over-voltages in each cell
of the battery pack and send an error signal in case
these conditions occur. Since the battery
management system is the interface between the
tractive system of the vehicle and the grounded low
voltage system, galvanic isolation, in form of
optocouplers, has been provided for the error
signals. The error signals have been represented as
LED’s for the sake of illustration and simulation.
But ideally, they trigger a latchable relay that will
send a highpriority alert or cause the vehicle’s
electric system to shut down by interlocking with
its shut down circuitry, which is usually done by
opening accumulator isolation relays.
A. Overvoltage Protection
For the over-voltage protection to occur, The
comparator U1:A must output a high signal only
when the battery voltage, B, crosses the upper
threshold limit defined as over-voltage. In this case
B=BAT OV=3.5 V.
is the voltage drop across the resistor RO in
series with the zener diode ZO. is the voltage
drop across in the potential divider network
with and in series.
Therefore the general inequality is given as in
Equation (1).
≥ ∀ ≥ (1)
From Figure 3, we can see that the positive and
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Ashwin Srinivas Badrinath et al: PROTECTION CIRCUITRY AND PASSIVE BALANCING FOR BATTERY
MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS PART I

negative terminal voltages, and threshold limit defined as under-voltage. In this

respectively, can be expressed as below. case B=BAT UV=2.6 V.

= ∗ (2) is the voltage drop across the resistor RU in

series with the zener diode ZU.

=
∗
(3) is the voltage drop across in the potential
divider network with and in series.

Therefore the general inequality is given as in

Substituting for and obtained in Equations Equation (7).
(2) and (3) we obtain X3 as below.
∗ ≥ ∀ ≤ (7)
∗ ≥ ∀ ≥ 3.5 (4)
From Figure 5 we can see that the positive terminal
Assuming the battery to be at its over-voltage and negative terminal voltages, and
value, the value of the current in the branch with respectively, can be expressed as below.
and in series can be obtained using the I-V
characteristics of the zener diode in its reverse bias- = ∗ (8)
operating region. In the simulation, it is seen that a
simple DC ammeter is used to find the value of the
∗
current in the branch and that is used as the value = (9)
of in our calculations. In this case = 0.63
mA.

For the resistance values associated with the over-

Substituting for and obtained in Equations
voltage comparator, it is assumed that = 510 Ω
(9) and (8) we obtain Equation (10) as below.
(Throughout this paper, standard values of
resistances have been chosen wherever resistance ∗
values are assumed). For the potential divider with ≥ ∗ ∀ ≤ 2.6 (10)
resistors and connected in series, a standard
value of resistance is assumed for = 10 Ω and Assuming the battery to be at its under-voltage
the value of is obtained by substituting these value, the value of the current in the branch with
resistance values in X3 as follows. and in series can be obtained using the I-V
characteristics of the zener diode in its reverse bias-
0.63 ∗ 510Ω ≥
. ∗
(5) operating region. In the simulation, it is seen that a
simple DC ammeter is used to find the value of the
current in the branch and that is used as the value
Solving Equation (5) for , we obtain the of in our calculations. In this case = 0.63
inequality: - mA.
≤ 1006.28 Ω (6) For the resistance values associated with the over-
voltage comparator, it is assumed that = 510 Ω.
The closer is to 1006.28 Ω, the higher is the For the potential divider with resistors and
accuracy and sensitivity of the over-voltage connected in series, a standard value of resistance
detection. = 1 Ω is chosen, as it is the closest is assumed for = 10 Ω and the value of is
standard value that satisfies the inequality shown in arrived at by substituting these resistance values in
Equation (6). Equation (10) as follows.
The accuracy and sensitivity can be demonstrated
from Figure 4 where the value of B is made BAT . ∗
O by means of the rotary switch SW1, which ≥ 0.57 mA ∗ 510 Ω (11)
makes B=3.4V. It is observed that the over-voltage
error indication LED does not conduct in this case. Solving Equation (11) for , we obtain the
inequality: -
B. Undervoltage Protection
≥ 1250.54 Ω (12)
For the under-voltage protection to occur, The
comparator U1:B must output a high signal only The closer the value of is to 1250.54 Ω , the
when the battery voltage, B, falls below the lower higher is the accuracy and sensitivity of the over-

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2017 International Conference on Computation of Power, Energy, Information and Communication (ICCPEIC)

voltage detection. = 1.3 Ω is chosen as it is the

closest standard value that satisfies (12).

The accuracy and sensitivity can be demonstrated

from Figure 6 where the value of B is made BAT
U by means of the rotary switch SW1, which
makes B=2.7 V and it is observed that the under-
voltage error indication LED does not conduct.

Figure 1 Over-voltage fault condition

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Ashwin Srinivas Badrinath et al: PROTECTION CIRCUITRY AND PASSIVE BALANCING FOR BATTERY
MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS PART I

Figure 20.1V below over-voltage fault condition

Figure 3 Under-voltage fault condition

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2017 International Conference on Computation of Power, Energy, Information and Communication (ICCPEIC)

Figure 40.1V above over-voltage fault condition

III. RESULTS
Table 1 summarizes the activation of the
error signals from the over-voltage and
under-voltage protection circuitry. These
error signals are fed to a relay, which
ideally, must be a latchable relay and
shuts down the tractive system or gives
an appropriate alert to the user.
IV. CONCLUSION
A generic and universally applicable
electronic design has been presented
towards the protection and passive
balancing of cells. Particular Li-ion cells
were used in this case, but the design
procedure and circuitry is applicable to
other cells of the same chemistry as well
as a different chemistry. The protection
circuit was found to be accurate to 0.1V.

Table 1 Conditions for error signal activation from the protection circuitry

INPUT VOLTAGE BLUE LED STATUS RED LED STATUS CONDITION

BAT UV (2.6 V) OFF ON UNDER-VOLTAGE

BAT UV+ (2.7 V) OFF OFF NORMAL

BAT OV- (3.4 V) OFF OFF NORMAL

BAT OV (3.5 V) ON OFF OVER-VOLTAGE

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