IDS Solar develops unique Li-iron phosphate-specific control system

USA: IDS Solar Technologies Inc. announced the completion of the company's first Battery Management and Charge Controller System (BMCCS) specifically designed for use with Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP), a cathode material increasing in use due to its superior safety, lower cost, greater power density and longer lifespan. This system is the first in a line of technologies being developed by the company.

The company intends to gain a competitive advantage in the portable solar power field through incorporation of the proprietary control system into its family of solar power generators and will sell the system through OEM channels currently being developed.

This new technology is the first to integrate a battery management system and a charge controller with an intuitive full color thin-film transistor (TFT) touch panel display thus providing a lower cost and ease of use with Lithium Iron Phosphate. A 32-bit microprocessor is featured along with an open architecture making the system "future proof."

This demonstrates one facet of the company's product strategy, which is the development of systems readily adaptable as future technology and designs advance. This latest advancement was accelerated by the recent addition of Randy Sindelar as VP of R&D, which was announced on February 19, 2013.

The company's first Battery Management and Charge Controller System prototype is complete and the testing of its power electronics was successful. The testing and debugging of its software is in process.

Upon completion of all testing, the appropriate patents will be filed. Limited production of the system is now targeted to commence in early June 2013, with its full production scheduled for July of this year.

"With the growth of LFP as a safe and lower cost alternative to other Lithium Ion storage media, we see a large market opportunity in providing control electronics that maximize the benefits and ROI in LFP," stated Sindelar. "The dynamic optimization of the control algorithm and precise controllability of charge functions provides material benefits and improvements over what is currently available."