Climatic chamber maker Weiss Technik has developed a test bench for lithium-ion batteries that aims to improve the safety, durability and performance of batteries as well as inform the development of EU-standards.
Developed at its German headquarters, the testing facility at the EU’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Petten, the Netherlands, will enable researchers to use computer tomography (CT) images during battery operation.
The company—located at Loughborough University, UK— aims to identify weak spots and potentials in batteries subjected to a wide range of different operational settings during cycling in its environment simulation technology.
For this purpose, the Device under Test (DUT) is mounted on a rotating plate and examined from all sides by a CT scanner. The complete 3D data for the battery generated in this way allows conclusions to be drawn about its current state.
As the batteries are subject to extreme stress during testing, an external test space has been constructed for ATEX (ATmosphere Explosive) Zone 1.
Weiss Technik planned and implemented the entire climate testing facility, including all safety devices, as a partner to industrial CT specialists Diondo, who provided the CT scanner.
