Design of Smart Dual-Stage Battery Isolator for Commercial Vehicles

With the enforcement of ever stringent emission norms, vehicular subsystems are witnessing a substantial transition from electro-mechanical to electronic control-based systems. With the inclusion of incremental modifications to be suitable for future applications, the electrical system has reached a point where it is undergoing a major transition. Further catalyzing this reform is the demand for mass passenger safety, bringing about its own set of uncompromising norms. While the implications of the regulations enforce cleaner and safer mobility, there also arises a conflict between vehicular functionality and safety. This paper enumerates on the first-hand experience of how the direct transfer of the elementary vehicle battery isolator from the prior euro-4 electrical system to the present euro-6 system resulted in a disharmonized vehicle operation when made to comply with both functionality and passenger safety norms. While safety norms mandate the operation of the battery isolator from within the cabin, the human inclination to isolate the battery immediately post ignition switch-off beyond its intended purpose has resulted in disruption of the automated -shutdown procedures of the emission norm mandated vehicular EMS and after-treatment system. This further arising to multiple afflictions within the systems, hindering future vehicle operations. Further explained are the strategic modifications implemented to the battery isolator to synergize the functionality and safety requirements of the vehicle, in a cost-effective backward compatible solution easily implemented in the production line as well as retrofitted on-field vehicles.