Littelfuse, a Chicago-based industrial technology manufacturing company, has launched an overtemperature-detection platform, designed to transform the management of lithium iron (Li-ion) battery systems.

TTape helps vehicle systems manage premature cell ageing effectively, while reducing the risks associated with thermal runaway incidents. It has a wide range of applications, including electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid EVs, commercial vehicles and energy storage systems (ESS).

“TTape is a stellar addition to the Littelfuse product family. The profound advantage of localised cell-overheating detection ensures quicker alerts to the BMS, compared to traditional NTC setups,” says Tong Kiang Poo, global product manager at Littelfuse.

The product’s extremely thin design makes it ideal for conformal installations. With a single microcontroller (MCU) input, TTape’s distributed temperature-monitoring capability drastically improves the detection of localised cell overheating. This enables efficient cooling measures to prolong battery life and improve the safety of battery installations.

“With no calibration or temperature lookup tables required, and only one MCU input needed, it integrates seamlessly with current BMS solutions, alongside NTCs, delivering enhanced detection of cell overheating,” says Kiang Poo.

Key benefits:

• Premature cell ageing management: this significantly reduces the risks associated with thermal runaway.

• Extended battery pack life: it remains serviceable for an extended time as TTape initiates temperature management at an earlier stage.

• Efficient multi-cell monitoring: multiple cells can be monitored with a single TTape device, thus enabling earlier alerts in the case of overtemperature.

• Ultra-fast response: by responding in less than one second, TTape guarantees quicker alerts to signal the potential onset of thermal runaway conditions.

• Seamless integration: calibration is unnecessary because TTape can integrate easily with existing battery management systems (BMS).

The TTape Distributed Temperature Monitoring Platform is available in tape and reel, or box packaging, depending on the length required. Littelfuse aims for TTape to be a game-changer for the Li-ion battery pack market by enhancing safety and efficiency, as the industry moves towards more sustainable solutions.