https://www.mascot.no/ BATTERY CHARGING SYSTEMS 17 www.power-mag.com Issue 2 2024 Power Electronics Europe chemistries benefit from adaptive current control that balances speed with long-term health. Thermal and electrical stress management further reinforces these advantages. Active cooling, intelligent thermal control and effective heat spreading within charger circuitry prevent hotspots that can otherwise undermine reliability. Electrical strategies such as cell balancing, whether passive or active, ensure no single cell becomes a weak link that restricts pack performance. Together, these measures uphold uniform operating conditions across the battery, reducing uneven ageing and improving predictability. Compliance with safety and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) standards is another non-negotiable requirement in industrial and medical environments. Modern charging systems should be designed to meet standards such as IEC 60601-1 (safety and essential performance of medical electrical equipment), IEC 60335-2-29 (safety of industrial battery chargers) and the IEC 60601-1-2 series (EMC for electrical and electronic equipment). Intelligent control, reinforced insulation, medical-grade isolation, and carefully engineered filtering allow chargers to operate safely alongside sensitive electronics without generating disruptive interference or succumbing to external electrical disturbances. Robust mechanical design – including protection against dust, moisture and vibration – also support consistent performance. Overcoming design pitfalls Despite these advances, common design pitfalls continue to undermine reliability and inflate lifecycle costs. Inadequate thermal management, low-accuracy sensing, simplistic charging practices and poor physical integration frequently lead to quicker ageing and unexpected failures. Aggressive fast charging without sufficient thermal control, continuous operation at full state of charge and generic chargers that ignore chemistry-specific requirements are especially damaging. Mechanical oversights, like failing to allow for cell expansion or designing systems that are challenging to service, further increase downtime and maintenance costs. Avoiding these pitfalls requires a defined system-level approach. Battery management, predictive diagnostics, optimised charging profiles, and comprehensive thermal and mechanical design all contribute to longer service life and lower total cost of ownership. Within this landscape, Mascot’s latest generation of battery chargers illustrate how modern design principles translate into practical solutions. The company’s microprocessor-managed chargers support multiple battery chemistries, employ multistage charging with soft-start and automatic termination, and incorporate comprehensive protection features aligned with medical and industrial standards. The flexibility, global compatibility and configurable parameters of Mascot chargers reflect the direction of travel for this technology in safety-critical equipment. Fundamental technology Battery charging systems have become central to the safety, reliability and longevity of industrial and medical equipment. For design engineers, informed charger selection is no longer optional but fundamental to system performance and compliance. By prioritising intelligent control, thermal awareness, chemistryspecific charging and robust conformance with standards, engineers can reduce risk, extend operational life and lower total cost of ownership. Only this way is it possible to ensure battery-powered systems perform safely and predictably across their intended service life.Top of Form To receive your own copy of Power Electronics Europe subscribe today at: www.power-mag.com
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