More and more electric vehicle manufacturers are looking to simplify their EV's battery management system (BMS) by improving the EV's single battery cell design. At the same time, many are paying more attention to fast charging as well as dynamic performance, driving up the requirements for current and power capabilities of automotive batteries. In energy storage applications, batteries are tasked with power conditioning, requiring large capacity and high current rates. However, large-capacity battery cells with high current rates often face equipment limitations and cannot be fully tested. Rising to this challenge, Chroma has launched its new 17010H Battery Reliability Test System, featuring 200% pulse current output and a parallel channel function to meet all battery cell testing requirements below 4800A.

When implementing power tests in accordance with International Standard IEC62660-1, the battery cell uses the voltage at the end of the 10-second pulse current measurement to calculate the power characteristics. The pulse current gradually increases the rate according to the standard until it reaches the maximum current capability defined by the manufacturer. By this principle, if a 60Ah lithium battery cell needs to have its pulse working current (10C-rate) tested 10 times, it used to require purchasing 600A charging and discharging equipment. But not anymore, because now Chroma is able to provide a test solution with twice the current output!

The single channel current capacity of Chroma 17010H is 300A, which can be amplified with Super Mode to output 200% current (600A) within 30 seconds, especially suitable for pulse current performance testing. The new design focuses on battery applications and optimizes the power output mode, providing test equipment with a 50% reduction in volume and a 30% reduction in price (Figure 1). Key to the high pulse current capability designed by Chroma is the power circuit's temperature control. First, the 17010H's high conversion efficiency energy recovery architecture greatly reduces the heating of components during charging and discharging. Second, it increases the operating current by optimizing power module integration and component selection. Finally, temperature control is achieved with the help of heat flow design. As for measurement, a distributed high-precision current transformer structure that ensures current accuracy is supplemented with a cold and hot area circuit layout to reduce temperature drift, together forming an integrated battery test system that achieves 200% pulse current output.

(Figure 1) Benefits of Chroma 17010H Output Mode

The key advantages of Chroma 17010H:

1. High measurement reproducibility helps testers to save considerable time on trend judgment and characteristic analysis.
2. Zero-crossover and fast current response capabilities provide test results that closely correspond with real applications.
3. Multiple current range design improves the accuracy of small currents, with a minimum current range of 1:10 and suitable ranges for both high and low rate performance tests.
4. Discharge energy recycling efficiency of 75%, not only saving on operating power and decreasing the waste heat from air conditioning, but also reducing the laboratory power distribution requirements.
5. Independent Level 2 V. Protection function to strengthen the safety of high current testing.

(Figure 2) The Level 2 V. Protection Architecture of Chroma 17010H

To learn more about the 17010H Battery Reliability Test System, please visit Chroma's website: