LG

■ LG Energy Solution signs MoU with Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI), a global semiconductor leader with Innovative Intelligence at the Edge technologies in the field of battery management.
 
■ The companies are working towards co-development of a technology that will enable precise measurement of battery cells’ internal temperature. This has potential to enhance safety and charging speed, thus further advancing the clean energy ecosystem.
 
■ LG Energy Solution aims to provide differentiated customer value through its advanced battery management total solution
 
 
SEOUL, June 5, 2024 – LG Energy Solution (KRX: 373220) today announced it signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI), a global semiconductor leader, to strengthen the competitiveness of its battery management total solution (BMTS).
 
Through the MoU, the companies have agreed on a two-year joint effort through which ADI will supply high-performance battery management integrated circuit (BMIC), and the two companies will co-develop algorithms that could precisely measure the internal temperatures of EV battery cells. This is expected to lead up to the development of advanced fast-charging technologies.
 
ADI is a well-known technology leader that has a large focus on sustainable energy. The company also has a broad product portfolio, including advanced technologies in impedance measurement.
 
In electrical science literature, impedance is defined as the opposition of an electrical component to alternating current and voltage in a circuit. Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) is the technology that measures it at different frequencies. ADI EIS solutions utilize first-in-the-market BMIC to accurately measure the impedance at controlled frequencies. Since the impedance varies based on the battery’s state, age, and temperature, its exact measurement leads to a deep understanding and diagnosis of the battery’s internal conditions.
 
In a conventional battery management system (BMS), a separate temperature measurement device is attached to the exterior of a battery cell, and once it obtains information, it is then managed by BMIC. As traditional devices cannot measure the exact temperature inside an individual battery cell in real-time, a battery’s safe charging temperature must be set to a conservative number, limiting opportunities to further enhance charging speeds.
 
EIS solutions address these limitations by precisely estimating the internal temperature of individual battery cells without the need for a separate temperature measuring device, opening the door for improving charging speeds. In addition, these solutions are expected to contribute to improving battery performance and longevity by enhancing the safety of fast-charging and accurately assessing the charging and general status of the batteries.
 
Used primarily to analyze defects in used-batteries, the technology is yet to be commercialized, although many research institutions are investigating its application to EV batteries. If successful, the joint effort between LG Energy Solution and ADI would be the innovative case of applying a real-time impedance measurement case to analyzing EV batteries’ internal status.
 
LG Energy Solution plans to integrate its accumulated battery manufacturing and BMS capabilities with ADI’s advanced impedance measurement technology to further enhance its BMTS and deliver additional customer value.
 
“The joint effort with ADI, which has an innovative BMIC portfolio, will further strengthen the capabilities of LG Energy Solution’s battery management solution,” said Dalhoon Lee, Vice President and head of the BMS R&D Center at LG Energy Solution. “Through this joint effort, we will continue to enhance LG Energy Solution’s technological prowess and deliver differentiated value to our customers.”
 
Roger Keen, General Manager, Battery Management at ADI said, “ADI’s electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technology is a leader in the industry for the in-application use of this amazingly insightful measurement for battery management applications. Our joint effort with LG Energy Solution furthers the contribution ADI has been bringing to the energy transition. We are enthusiastic to keep working together with LG Energy Solution to bring state-of-the-art and efficient batteries to the market, and to further advance the clean energy ecosystem.”