High IP rating, durability and mechanical resistance
Charging stations are the main element of the infrastructure developed for electric vehicles. Such devices are subject to strict standardisation, and many manufacturers of electronic engineering solutions are involved in producing them. They are supported in this task by prestigious suppliers of electronic elements, including Panasonic, who offer high-quality components and subassemblies for such applications.
The offering of Panasonic products in the TME catalogue is constantly growing and includes more and more component groups. In this text, we focus on one specific type of components, i.e. those meant for electric vehicles (EV) and EV-charging infrastructure. Panasonic offers many such products. They are designed in such a way so as to make sure that their mechanical resistance and electric parameters meet the market’s needs. Below, we present different types of capacitors, inductors and switches. Obviously, it’s just a small part of what we offer. In fact, many other Panasonic components will handsomely meet the EV business requirements, too. However, for the overview presented below, we have chosen products that satisfy the needs of design engineers in the best possible way or have EV-specific applications defined by the supplier.
https://www.tme.com/in/en/katalog/?queryPhrase=panasonic_202309_lp&productListOrderDir=DESC&productListOrderBy=1000029
In this article, we discuss topics such as:
- OS-CON capacitors with a long service life
- Polymer tantalum components
- Capacitors for high-current circuits
- Certified power inductors for automotive applications
- Microswitches with a high IP rating
Capacitors
One of the main groups of products supplied by Panasonic includes various kinds of capacitors. Parameters of many such elements meet the needs of EV chargers, in particular their control and communication systems, as well as converters. In the TME catalogue, you will find Panasonic components featuring low equivalent series resistance (low ESR), long service life (even 20 000 h), and boasting the ability to operate with high currents (over 10 A), etc. This offering can be divided into three main groups: OS-CON, POSCAP and SP-CAP capacitor families.
https://www.tme.com/in/en/katalog/kondensatory_26/?queryPhrase=panasonic_202309_lp&productListOrderBy=1000029&productListOrderDir=DESC
OS-CON capacitors
The OS-CON capacitors use the combination of aluminium and highly conductive polymer technologies, thanks to which the whole solid body serves as their electrolyte, and as a result the components have a longer service life. What’s more, such a design makes it possible to obtain very low ESR. The OS-CON capacitors can be bought in versions for SMD and THT mounting, so they can be used as replacements for electrolytic components. The lifespan of such capacitors can be as long as 20 000 h at the operating temperature of 105°C. Note that many models boast thermal tolerance from -55°C up to 125°C. The components presented here are available with capacitance between 3.3 µF and 2700 µF, in variants suited to operate with voltages from 2 V up to 100 V. Thanks to such parameters, the OS-CON capacitors can be implemented in EV charging stations, even if the latter are to be situated in rough environmental conditions.
Even THT-mount OS-CON capacitors are available in compact sizes.
https://www.tme.com/in/en/katalog/kondensatory_26/?productListOrderBy=1000029&productListOrderDir=DESC&queryPhrase=panasonic_202309_lp¶ms=2390:1904539;
POSCAP Capacitors (polymer tantalum capacitors)
The POSCAP components are basically polymer tantalum capacitors in which the cathode is partially made of polymer. Thanks to that, they offer low ESR values for high signal frequencies, as well as a small size.
Typical POSCAP capacitor for SMT mounting.
The POSCAP capacitors are housed in SMT packages. They are suitable for voltages up to 35 V and currents up to 6.1 A (provided that they are resistant to inrush currents up to 20 A). Therefore, they can be used in various filters and to suppress current ripples. Just like the OS-CON capacitors, POSCAPs are halogen-free, and boast a wide range of operating temperatures (for most products it is between -55 and 105°C). Panasonic recommends POSCAPs for digital, communication and control circuits, which are parts of devices that operate with high loads. This is fully compliant with the specifications of EV charging stations. In the TME catalogue, the POSCAP capacitors are available with capacitance from 3.9 µF up to 1500 µF.
https://www.tme.com/in/en/katalog/kondensatory_26/?productListOrderBy=1000029&productListOrderDir=DESC&queryPhrase=panasonic_202309_lp¶ms=2390:1904540;
SP-CAP Capacitors (polymer capacitors)
The SP-CAP capacitors boast very good current parameters, thanks to which they are perfect for converters and applications that require filtering ripple currents. Their properties allow them to operate in circuits with the maximum current from 5.1 A up to 10.2 A (DC voltage up to 6.3 V). Moreover, this group of products boasts Low ESR, with electrical impedance of 3mΩ. Very small size (from 1.4×7.3×4.3 mm) and SMD packages are also important advantages of SP-CAP capacitors. The products described here are a perfect choice when it comes to creating compact and efficient circuits, thanks to which EV charging stations can also be relatively small, and as such they can be e.g. installed in underground car parks.
The photo shows a polymer capacitor with a low SMD profile.
https://www.tme.com/in/en/katalog/kondensatory_26/?productListOrderBy=1000029&productListOrderDir=DESC&queryPhrase=panasonic_202309_lp¶ms=2390:1905352;
Power Inductors
Apart from the products described above, Panasonic offers components with AEC-Q200 certification. The standard describes the parameters of electronic components that are allowed to be mounted in road vehicles (however, it’s not mandatory for elements meant for EV charging stations).
The design of power inductors ensures their resistance to vibration and shock.
The AEC-Q200 requirements include, above all, positive results of many tests concerningelectrical strength, an ability to operate in a humid environment for a prolonged period of time, as well as proper vibration and shock resistance. Power inductors by Panasonic meet those requirements. They are SMD components with inductance from 330 nH up to 100 µH, housed in SMD enclosures. Their maximum rated current is between 1.7 A and 56.7 A, whereas their thermal tolerance is from -40°C up to 150°C. Thanks to those parameters, the components are suitable for automotive electronics and its key circuits such as filters (e.g. those which facilitate undisturbed and accurate readout of data from sensors), DC/DC switched-mode converters etc.
https://www.tme.com/in/en/katalog/dlawiki_100406/?productListOrderDir=DESC&queryPhrase=panasonic_202309_lp&productListOrderBy=1000029
SNAP ACTION Microswitches
Microswitches from the ABS series are SNAP-ACTION elements, meaning that they boast low actuation force, fast opening/closing of contacts, and in some models there is also a lever (sometimes with a roller), which makes it easier to install a switch in a non-standard place or apply it as a sensor. In EV charging stations, it can serve to detect the moment when the contact goes back to its rest position (e.g. in a specially dedicated slot), when the connector gets locked in the car socket, etc. Obviously, such switches can also be installed in the user interface. All products from the ABS series are equipped with SPDT contacts. Their leads may have a form of factory-installed wires for wire-to-wire soldering or standard outputs for THT mounting.
Microswitch with factory-installed connection cables.
Another feature that is worth emphasising is that the series boasts IP67 protection rating, which means that the microswitches are resistant to dust, humidity and water ingress, including water jets. In other words, their contacts are immune to rain, which in practice means that the whole switch (or rather the whole element in which it is installed) can be washed with pressure washer and it won’t get damaged at all. Moreover, contacts in the ABS microswitches are nickel-, silver- or gold-plated (depending on the model). As a result, they are resistant to corrosion and have a prolonged service life, which, according to the data provided by Panasonic, can be as long as 5 000 000 cycles.
Text prepared by Transfer Multisort Elektronik Sp. z o.o.
