The Aachen-based company BatterieIngenieure is one of Germany's leading testing laboratories for battery technology. BatterieIngenieure works closely with its system partners Weiss Technik and Digatron to test high-performance battery cells and modules. This collaboration will create versatile, energy-efficient and compact test spaces.
There is an enormous need for battery testing in the electromobility sector. These tests are carried out according to specified standards and provide information on how reliable, powerful and durable the energy storage devices are. One of the leading laboratories is the BatterieIngenieure GmbHtest centre in Aachen. Its test sequences simulate charging cycles under a wide range of environmental conditions such as extreme temperatures, temperature fluctuations, humidity and moisture. More than 1000 test sequences are run simultaneously in the BatterieIngenieure laboratories, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. "For these demanding tasks, our test laboratories focus on the reliability and energy efficiency of the test equipment. However, space requirements also play a role," says Dr Dominik Schulte, managing director of BatterieIngenieure.
Best Seller Weiss Technik LabEvent T/500/30/3
BatterieIngenieure therefore relies on the LabEvent series of test chambers from Weiss Technik, the market leader for environmental simulation systems. The LabEvent T/500/30/3 model most commonly used by BatterieIngenieure requires a floor space ofonly 1 x 1 metre, has a test chamber volume of 500 litres and a test space height of 1.25 metres. The intelligent regulation of the refrigeration technology allows it to be operated from any 230-volt socket. It has the lowest energy consumption in the competitive market and uses an environmentally compatible refrigerant that will fulfil the approval regulations for years to come. "Weiss Technik's LabEvents are ideal for us because they have a small footprint. Their test space has several levels which allow us to test many specimens at the same time," says Dominik Schulte. He also values Weiss Technik's ability to implement customer-specific wishes individually and quickly.
Performance diagnostics with Digatron's Battery Manager software
The performance diagnostics of the Aachen-based system partner Digatron is putting the performance of the batteries to the test. "Our tests replicate a sped up version of the service life of an electric vehicle battery," explains Dominik Schulte. "This usually means several thousand cycles of charging and discharging." If this is only the performance development that is being evaluated, then the test series runs continuously for up to two months. "If we are also assessing the ageing of the batteries, then we are talking about a range of nine months to one year," says the expert. Performance diagnostics are carried out using Digatron's powerful Battery Manager software, which manages the controlled charging and discharging of the batteries under predefined environmental conditions during this period.
New generation cycler: space-saving and energy-efficient
Digatron's battery test systems, so-called cyclers, are also characterised by their small footprint and are specially designed for testing cells as well as modules and packs. They are also particularly energy-efficient: the current that is released when discharging during a battery module test can be fed back into the power supply. "In the past, such tests released the discharged energy as heat, which was transported outside using air conditioning and expensive exhaust systems. This was by no means efficient, nor was it environmentally friendly. With Digatron's regenerative cyclers, we can now use the recovered energy to cover the power demand elsewhere in our test lab," explains Dominik Schulte.
Weiss Technik and Digatron working together as strong partners
"The temperature cabinets and the power electronics are the most important parts of our test facilities. That's why we attach particular importance to collaborative work," emphasises the managing director of BatterieIngenieure. One particularly user-friendly feature is that the LabEvent cabinets from Weiss Technik are controlled by Digatron software. This allows charging behaviour and environmental simulation to be entered from a single source when programming a test cycle, as well as recording all measured values in a measurement file. "Last but not least, we also appreciate the geographical proximity of these two partners," Dominik Schulte concludes. "Weiss Technik and Digatron develop and manufacture in Germany. They are accessible to us within short distances, for example when it comes to customer service."
Partner profiles
· BatterieIngenieure GmbH was founded in 2015 by engineers and physicists from the battery research and development sector. Its business activities include testing, development and consulting. BatterieIngenieure laboratories are leaders in the field of battery testing.
· Weiss Technik was founded in 1956 to produce physical measuring instruments. The company has been part of the Schunk Group since 1978. The Environmental Simulation product area is one of the most innovative manufacturers of environmental simulation equipment and the market leader in this field.
· Digatron was founded in 1968 and is an internationally active partner to the battery and automotive industry involved in testing, forming and manufacturing energy storage systems. Digatron's load simulations cover everything from small energy storage devices (cells) to large batteries (packs).
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