Publications Details

Battery test facility hardware, software, and system operation

Rodriguez, G.P.

Division 2525 Battery Test Laboratory is a fully automated battery testing facility used in evaluating various battery technologies. The results of these tests are used to verify developers' claims, characterize prototypes, and assist in identifying the strengths and weaknesses of each technology. The Test Facility consists of a central computer and nine remote computer controlled battery test systems. Data acquired during the battery testing process is sent to the central computer system. The test data is then stored in a large database for future analysis. The central computer system is also used in configuring battery tests. These test configurations are then sent to their appropriate remote battery test sites. The Battery Test Facility can perform a variety of battery tests, which include the following: Life Cycle Testing; Parametric Testing at various temperature levels, cutoff parameters, charge rates, and discharge rates; Constant Power Testing at various power levels; Peak Power Testing at various State-of-Charge levels; Simplified Federal Urban Driving Schedule Tests (SFUDS79). The Battery Test Facility is capable of charging a battery either by constant current, constant voltage, step current levels, or any combination of them. Discharge cycles can be by constant current, constant resistance, constant power, step current levels, or also any combination of them. The Battery Test Facility has been configured to provide the flexibility to evaluate a large variety of battery technologies. These technologies include Lead-Acid, Sodium/Sulfur, Zinc/Bromine, Nickel/Hydrogen, Aluminum/Air, and Nickel/Cadmium batteries.