Product Launch: EA Elektro-Automatik Announces Battery Test System with High Power Density

Battery & Electrification INSIDER

The new series offers 2000 VDC capacity for testing high-voltage battery packs. (Image: EA Elektro-Automatik)

EA Elektro-Automatik, a manufacturer of DC programmable power supplies, bidirectional power supplies and regenerative electronic loads, has announced a compact, automated battery cycler and test system that will enable manufacturers to better test EV batteries as the industry evolves to higher power battery technologies.

The 10300 Series ATE system offers high power density: 300 kW in a single 42U-high rack that consumes only 6.5 square feet of production-floor space, one-third the space of the leading brand. Users may parallel racks for up to 3.84 MW of testing capability. This advance is a significant advantage for the industry, where production floor space is at a premium or just unavailable.

The new series offers 2000 VDC capacity for testing high-voltage battery packs. In addition, each rack can supply and sink up to 2,400 A per rack, and the system offers up to 30,720 A total capacity. This facilitates battery pulse testing, which may require exponentially higher current than the battery AH rating.

Until now, the only way to get this performance was to build and maintain an expensive custom system. In contrast, the off-the-shelf 10300 Series is a complete COTS turnkey solution. In addition to battery cycling, tests include drive cycle simulations and insulation resistance. The test system can control an environmental chamber and communicate with a battery management system through the CAN bus interface. Included drag-and-drop system software enables quick and easy test setup and execution.

“As consumers demand EV batteries with higher storage capacities, producers need test systems with higher power capability. In addition, the new hydrogen fuel cells coming onto the market will require even more,” said Eric Turner, Americas Director of EA Elektro-Automatik. “Voltage levels as a result are increasing; in some cases, power grid batteries need to be tested now at 1500 volts,” he added. “The introduction of the 10300 Series now means there is a production battery test system that is finally capable of meeting emerging voltage and power demands.”

The 10300 Series ATE test system is based on EA Elektro-Automatik’s bidirectional power supply featuring SiC-based switching that provides cool, efficient, and fast operation. In addition, the system’s bidirectional power supplies have true autoranging output for both sourcing and sinking. True autoranging allows a wider range of voltage and current, plus the ability to deliver and absorb full-rated power down to 1/3 of the maximum rated voltage. Unlike a system that does not have true autoranging, the 10300 Series system can perform a cycling test without requiring interruption to allow the system to change range as battery pack voltage ramps up or down. The Battery Show Booth 2345.

For more information, visit www.elektroautomatik.com .