BAS Series Battery Safety Sensors

Honeywell’s BAS series are automotive-grade aerosol sensors that use the principle of light scattering to detect and report thermal runaway events in lithium-ion battery packs. It detects the presence and concentration of aerosols such as smoke, liquid, and debris that are early indicators of a thermal runaway event in an enclosed lithium-ion battery pack.

Thermal runaway is a safety risk inherent in lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles. It is a phenomenon in which lithium-ion battery cells enter an irreversible, self-heating state that may ultimately lead to fire. Electrolytes used in lithium-ion batteries are highly volatile and flammable. Any form of abuse to the battery pack may initiate chemical reactions that are exothermic in nature, creating that self-heating, irreversible state known as thermal runaway. During the early onset of thermal runaway, smoke, debris, and liquid may be vented by the battery cells. Honeywell’s BAS series can detect and report the presence of smoke, debris, and liquid. Early detection of thermal runaway has the potential to mitigate the loss of life and property.

The BAS series measures and reports aerosol concentration from 200 µg/m³ to 10,000 µg/m³ using CAN (controller area network) communication protocol. They have a factory-programmed thermal runaway warning threshold of 5,000 µg/m³. Wake-up output and request input functionality allow for lower current draw and high-reliability system integration. These products are designed to meet higher quality and reliability requirements. The BAS series is RoHS compliant. The BAS series may be customized to better meet application needs.