Abstract
Lifetime testing of batteries for hybrid-electrical vehicles (HEV) is usually performed in the lab, either at the cell, module or battery pack level. Complementary field tests of battery packs in vehicles are also often performed. There are, however, difficulties related to field testing of battery-packs. Some examples are cost issues and the complexity of continuously collecting battery performance data, such as capacity fade and impedance increase. In this paper, a novel field test equipment designed primarily for lithium-ion battery cell testing is presented. This equipment is intended to be used on conventional vehicles, not hybrid vehicles, as a cheaper and faster field testing method for batteries, compared to full scale HEV testing. The equipment emulates an HEV environment for the tested battery cell by using real time vehicle sensor information and the existing starter battery as load and source. In addition to the emulated battery cycling, periodical capacity and pulse testing capability are implemented as well. This paper begins with presenting some background information about hybrid electrical vehicles and describing the limitations with today’s HEV battery testing. Furthermore, the functionality of the test equipment is described in detail and, finally, results from verification of the equipment are presented and discussed.
Highlights
During the last 50 years vehicle emissions have been reduced significantly [1,2]
We describe a novel cost-effective and simplified method of performing that kind of field testing on battery cells intended for hybrid-electrical vehicles (HEV) usage
There are small differences in the pattern that mainly can be explained by two factors: (1) no current limitation was applied on the tested battery while it was implemented on the HEV battery pack current and, (2) the battery cell were of a different type compared to the ones used in the hybrid truck
Summary
During the last 50 years vehicle emissions have been reduced significantly [1,2]. Further emission reductions related to the internal combustion engine, ICE, are becoming more and more difficult to achieve. Vehicle manufacturers typically refer to laboratory ageing data when predicting For this reason, we see a need for test equipment that can be used on conventional vehicles, making the tested battery cell experience the same environmental and cycling conditions as the battery pack in an HEV. Even if it is possible to cycle batteries in laboratory using recorded data from vehicle and with similar climate changes and vibration conditions as in field, it is too complicated and expensive to perform in practice Another example of application for the test equipment is comparing different hybrid strategies regarding battery ageing. The battery cell chosen for the verification was the AHR32113 from A123 Systems
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