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Is a battery temperature sensor necessary?
There are many types of battery chargers on the market: rechargeable
alkaline battery chargers, nickel-metal hydride battery chargers, and
nickel-cadmium battery chargers. When buying a battery charger, I
suggest you buy a multi-function battery charger which can reduce some
expenses.
Here is a circuit schematic diagram of the battery charger probe that can
be tested by using the probe to prevent battery damage, whether the
charger starts charging or improperly connected.
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This battery charger probe prevents damage to the battery or allows you
to test it yourself, whether the charger starts charging or improperly
connected. By using the probe, the cable clamp is connected to the
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battery positive level for the first time, then the test board touches the
negative pole of the battery.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Battery temperature sensors play an important role in battery
management systems by providing temperature monitoring and
protection. The measurement of cell, module, and pack temperatures
allows the system to optimize charging conditions, prevent damage from
overheating, and estimate battery capacity.
This article explores the impacts of temperature on battery performance
and lifetime, the consequences of exceeding safe temperature limits, how
and where temperature sensors are implemented, and alternatives when
temperature sensing may not be required.
Effects of Temperature on Batteries
Battery cell chemistry determines optimal temperature ranges. In general,
temperature extremes degrade batteries through the following effects:
High Temperatures
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Accelerated ageing and shorter cycle lifetimes
Loss of active materials and internal structural changes
Increased self-discharge rates
Degradation of internal resistance and power capability
Thermal runaway risk in some lithium-ion types
Low Temperatures
Temporary loss of capacity and lower discharge rates
Increased internal resistance causes voltage drop
Reduced current and power discharge ability
Slower charging rates may be required
Risk of lithium plating in lithium-ion cells
Higher risk of metal corrosion in some chemistries
Keep batteries within a safe operating range improves performance,
lifetime, and safety. Temperature monitoring provides feedback to
manage these effects.
Consequences of Exceeding Temperature Limits
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battery
charge indicator
Without temperature monitoring and control, the following failure modes
can occur when battery temperatures go out of safe limits:
High Temperature Effects
Pouch cell swelling leading to fire/explosion
Internal short circuits due to separator damage
Venting of electrolytes
Thermal runaway causing cascading cell failures
Low Temperature Impacts
Permanent capacity loss or premature failure
Internal battery damage from lithium plating
Voltage clipping and inability to deliver rated power
These potential risks demonstrate the need for temperature sensing as
part of a battery management system.
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Implementing Battery Temperature Sensors
To monitor temperature, sensor placement is important:
Cell Surface Mounting
Attaching sensors directly to cell surfaces provides most accurate
measurements but increases pack complexity. Higher quantity of sensors
required. Useful for validating cell models.
Module/Pack Mounting
Sensor mounted externally on module or pack enclosure is simpler.
Provides general temperature for control but may not detect localized hot
spots.
Within Pack
Sensors inserted internally between cells provide intermediate monitoring
without direct cell contact. Compromise between complexity and localized
readings.
Air Intake/Outflow
Measuring inlet cooling air and outlet heat exhaust temperatures provides
indirect pack temperature estimates for basic control. Simplest approach.
Thermal Imaging
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Infrared cameras used periodically provide non-contact temperature map
of pack to identify hotspots not apparent from discrete sensors.
In most cases, a combination of pack surface sensors and selective
internal placement provides sufficient temperature monitoring for control
and protection.
Temperature Sensor Selection
A variety of sensor options exist for battery temperature monitoring:
Thermistors – Inexpensive, accurate. Linear and nonlinear types
available.
RTDs – Very linear over wide temperature range. Accurate and
precise but higher cost.
Thermocouples – Low cost sensors. Require compensation circuitry.
IC Temperature Sensors – On-chip amplification, linearization, and
output. Application specific variants.
Infrared Sensors – Non-contact temperature measurement. Lower
accuracy and higher cost than thermistors/RTDs.
Fiber Optic Sensors – Electrically passive for high voltage isolation.
Expensive.
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Robustness, cost, accuracy, and measurement range considerations will
determine optimal sensor selection for the battery application and
environment.
Temperature Sensor Circuit Design
Proper circuit design improves measurement accuracy and noise
rejection:
Linearization – Adding resistive or digital linearization for sensors
like thermistors improves temperature correlation.
Amplification – Sensor signals require buffering and amplification
for noise immunity and signal conditioning.
Filtering – Low pass RC filters reduce noise pickup in long sensor
leads in electromagnetically noisy environments.
Isolation – Fiber optic transmitters or galvanic isolators prevent
false ground errors.
Compensation – Correct for errors like thermal junction effects in
thermocouples.
Calibration – Normalize each sensor output at defined
temperatures to maximize absolute accuracy.
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Careful circuit design ensures the temperature sensor subsystem provides
the battery management system with precision temperature data across
the operating range.
Alternatives to Temperature Sensors
While temperature sensors are generally recommended, some
alternatives exist for low cost or simpler battery packs:
Model Estimation
Use a thermal model of the battery to estimate temperature based on
charge/discharge current, voltage response, and ambient temperature.
Lower cost but less accurate.
Current Limiting
Conservatively derate maximum current to prevent heating rather than
directly sensing temperature rise. Simple but reduces available capacity.
Periodic IR Scanning
Use a handheld thermal camera to periodically scan pack and check for
hot spots instead of continuous monitoring. Only detects issues as they
arise.
Exterior Thermal Feedback
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Rely on skin temperature sensation, temperature labels, or surface
mounted thermochromics to indicate unsafe externals temperatures
manually. Provides warning but no control.
While workable for very basic systems, the lack of reliable temperature
feedback with these alternatives prevents optimization and reduces safety
margins compared to proper thermal sensing and control.
Advanced Temperature Monitoring
More advanced battery systems maximize safety and performance using
improved thermal monitoring:
Multiple internal distributed sensors provide temperature maps to
the BMS. Detects local hotspots.
Fiber optic distributed sensing embeds thousands of measuring
points within modules to improve resolution.
Thermal runaway detection monitors rate of temperature increase
as an early warning.
Cell surface insulators with embedded thermistors improve
response time and accuracy.
Actively cooled and heated packs maintain uniform stable
temperature regardless of conditions.
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With sufficient temperature data, battery thermal models can be further
refined to simulate thermal behaviors for different use cases and optimize
thermal management strategies.
Thermal Management Integration
Incorporating temperature data into thermal management enables:
Reducing charge rate when temperature nears limit to avoid
overheating rather than simple fixed current charging.
Proactively cooling the pack when approaching upper limits well
before reaching critical temperatures.
Preventing operation in extremely cold environments by
temperature dependent output derating or pack heating.
Optimizing cooling system controls based on inlet air and internal
temperatures.
Estimating impedances and available capacity based on
temperature.
Triggering safe shutdown and isolation when dangerous
temperatures are detected.
Integrating temperature monitoring as part of the overall thermal
management and battery management systems is key to maintaining safe,
efficient, and optimal battery operation.
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Summary
Battery temperature heavily impacts performance, lifetime, and
safety parameters. Exceeding limits degrades batteries.
Direct temperature monitoring allows optimizing operation as well
as preventing failures from overheating or freezing.
Sensor selection, placement, and circuit design ensure robust and
noise-free measurements for the battery management system.
Alternatives exist for simple batteries but lack protections of active
sensing and control. Advanced techniques provide greater
resolution.
Temperature feedback coupled with thermal management
strategies maximizes battery efficiency, utilization, and safety.
FAQ
How many temperature sensors are needed in battery pack?
Depends on pack size but a minimum of 3-5 sensors placed at end/middle
of pack helps detect basic thermal gradients for control and protection.
Larger packs may use 10 or more sensors distributed throughout the
modules.
What temperature range do Li-Ion batteries operate in?
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Charge: 0°C to 45°C, Discharge: -20°C to 60°C. Wider operating range
possible with thermal controls. Lower and upper cutoff limits are used for
protection.
What communications bus is used for battery temperature sensors?
A controller area network bus (CAN Bus) is typical for connecting multiple
sensors over a common serial data bus. Other options include SPI,
ISO-BUS, and I2C. Wireless sensors are also an emerging option.
How often should battery temperature be monitored?
Continuous monitoring provides best results for optimizing charging and
prevent over-temperature conditions. For simple packs, occasional
sampling may suffice but lacks robust protections.
Why are multiple temperature sensors needed in large battery packs?
A single external measurement cannot detect internal hot spots.
Distributed sensors allow finding cells with higher localized heating to
properly control charge rates and cooling across large packs.
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