EV Battery Test System Offers Highest Power Density
The 10300 Series battery testing platform from EA Elektro-Automatik requires up to two-thirds less production floor space than similar EV battery test systems.
EA Elektro-Automatik has released the EA-BCTS 10300 Series automated battery cycler and test system designed to help manufacturers better test high-power electric vehicle (EV) battery packs and other energy storage devices.
EV battery pack for production testing. Image used courtesy of myev.com
The platform offers an industry-leading power density with 300 kW of test capacity in a 42 U high rack enclosure and a production floor footprint of only 6.5 square feet – one-third that of the leading competitor solution.
The system can scale to 3.84 MW of total test capacity by operating multiple units in parallel, offering cost savings to manufacturers by reducing their production floor space requirements.
While battery test systems of comparable sizes typically require custom implementations, the 10300 Series is a turnkey COTS (commercial off-the-shelf) solution that quickly integrates with a manufacturer’s battery production test flows at a more competitive price point.
Testing an EV Battery Pack
Modern EV batteryx packs can store up to several hundred kWh of energy, and more battery capacity means higher power levels are needed to test them.
According to published technical specifications, the new 10300 Series battery tester can handle a range of standard EV battery tests, including capacity, four seasons, pulse, and imported drive cycling. The system can also perform standard drive cycle simulations, including FUDS, SFUDS, GSFUDS, DST, and ECE-ISL, all while monitoring battery pack temperatures.
To meet the requirements of these battery test scenarios, each 10300 unit (rack) can source or sink (charge and discharge) up to 2,400 A of DC (up to 30,720 A with multiple systems operated in parallel) at test voltages up to 1500 VDC.
Power configurations are selectable between 30kW and 300kW depending on the requirements of the battery system under test, and the entire test system is powered with three-phase, grid AC power.
The system is 96.5% regenerative, so most of the power used for battery testing can be efficiently and cost-effectively re-captured and returned to the grid.
EA BCTS-10300 Series battery testing system. Image used courtesy of EA Elektro-Automatik
Design of the 10300 Series Battery Tester
At the core of the 10300 Series are the bidirectional power supplies, which can source or sink current from electronic loads and supplies such as batteries.
Silicon carbide (SiC) power transistors allow the supplies to operate at higher frequencies and with greater efficiency at higher switching speeds. This reduces the size requirements for heat sinks, cooling fans, and magnetic components, resulting in higher power density and a smaller footprint.
10300 Series multi-unit test configuration. Image used courtesy of EA Elektro-Automatik
Key to system performance, the bidirectional power supplies
also have an auto-ranging capability, meaning they can source and sink
current across the battery voltage range at constant power. This
capability allows the test platform to deliver or absorb full-rated
power down to one-third of its rated voltage.
Autoranging function. Image used courtesy of EA Elektro-Automatik
Higher Voltage Systems
EV powertrains are quickly migrating from the traditional 400 V bus to 800 V and higher to achieve more power, energy density, and efficiency.
In addition to EVs, other battery platforms and energy storage systems have also been migrating to higher voltages. According to Eric Turner, Americas Director at EA Elektro-Automatik, the power test requirements for hydrogen fuel cells will be even higher than for EV batteries, and grid storage batteries are now testing at voltage as high as 1500 V.
To accommodate increasing system bus voltages, the 10300 Series includes model options that extend the test voltage capability of the platform up to 2000 VDC.
