Key Takeaways

• Sensata Technologies launched the OmniNode, a high-voltage power distribution unit tailored for battery-electric commercial vehicles.
• The device integrates various functions, including charging and diagnostics, reducing the need for custom solutions.
• It supports a broad operational range, including high voltage and temperature extremes, while simplifying design and integration for OEMs.

Introduction of OmniNode

Sensata Technologies has unveiled the OmniNode, a cutting-edge high-voltage power distribution unit designed for battery-electric commercial vehicles. This patent-pending device integrates essential functions—DC charging, switching, circuit protection, sensing, diagnostics, and communications—into a single unit composed of Sensata components such as contactors, fuses, and current sensors.

Design and Applications

Targeting both on- and off-road commercial vehicles, including Class 5 trucks and buses, the OmniNode aims to minimize dependency on bespoke engineering solutions. This standardization helps decrease integration and validation workloads, thereby simplifying OEM sourcing processes. As a versatile design, the OmniNode can be adapted across various vehicle programs with multiple configurations.

Specifications and Features

The OmniNode operates at voltages up to 1,000 V DC and can sustain a continuous current of 500 A. For short durations, it can handle 700 A for 15 minutes at ambient temperatures of 60° C, with other operational limits adjusting beyond this temperature. The unit is engineered to function across a wide temperature range from -40° C to 85° C and is rated for use at altitudes up to 4,000 m. One of its notable features is the absence of a need for active cooling, even in conditions with limited airflow.

Overcurrent protection is robust, supporting up to 1,250 A at 850 V, while short-circuit protection ranges from 1.25 kA to 40 kA at the same voltage for inductances between 0 and 200 µH. Bidirectional protection is also included, ensuring safety even in extreme scenarios, such as a full battery short circuit.

The device is equipped with a high-voltage interlock loop (HVIL), and its dielectric withstand rating is 2.7 kV between high-voltage circuits and 4.3 kV between high- and low-voltage systems. Optional features include a precharge function and an isolation monitor.

The unit’s controller operates on nominal low-voltage systems of 12 V and 24 V, with current sensing capabilities of ±1,500 A at an accuracy of ±10% using a Hall-effect sensor, or ±2% with an optional shunt. Voltage sensing is maintained at up to 1,200 V. Communication standards include CAN 2.0B, J1939, and CAN FD, with AUTOSAR software as a standard feature. The OmniNode is appropriate for ISO 26262 safety-related systems up to an ASIL-B target.

Webinar Announcement

Sensata Technologies will host a webinar titled “Simplifying Commercial EV Power Distribution with Integrated Off-the-Shelf Solutions” next week, focusing on the challenges faced in commercial electric vehicle power distribution.

Brian Wilkie, Sensata’s Executive Vice President, emphasized the importance of the OmniNode in streamlining power distribution architecture. “With the OmniNode, we are delivering an integrated, off-the-shelf approach that helps engineers simplify power distribution architecture, accelerate development timelines and bring greater consistency and efficiency to vehicle platform design,” he stated.

Source: Sensata Technologies

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