Join us for Part 3 of our BMS Series! This week we’ll explore the next crucial phase in the BMS development process: Testing & Validation.
Contact: Betsy Barry
Communication Manager
706.206.7271
betsy.barry@acculonenergy.com
In our latest series, we have explored the critical role that a Battery Management System (BMS) plays in advanced energy storage systems. The discussion has spanned various elements of BMS design and development, from performance optimization to ensuring safety, all of which are crucial for enabling the system to operate effectively under diverse conditions.
Today, we’re excited to shift our focus to one of the most integral components of our product development philosophy: our unwavering commitment to testing and validation of product safety, function, and performance. At the heart of this commitment is our world-class battery testing laboratory, which provides the essential infrastructure for thorough evaluation and innovation. Our battery testing lab is not only the locus of our research and development endeavors, but it is the foundation of our validation efforts with respect to safety, performance, and certification. In fact, even our research and development is focused on energy storage safety and performance as much as it is a cornerstone of innovation. In short, our lab is a critical piece of the BMS development process. Through state-of-the-art technology and industry-leading expertise, our lab ensures that every product adheres to the highest standards.
The Building Blocks of Rigorous Validation Testing
As a review, our BMS is composed of a Module Monitoring Unit (MMU), a Battery Management Unit (BMU), and a Power Distribution Unit (PDU). Before a module or pack is assembled with these pieces, each component must be tested independently to ensure it serves its proper base-level functionality. In addition, the battery cells themselves must undergo a rigorous testing campaign to validate their performance and calibrate the BMS for the specific cell chemistry. By starting at the component level, our comprehensive testing approach verifies each piece of hardware functions as intended and meets the application requirements before being integrated into the larger system.
Equally important is software testing. In advanced battery systems, software plays a crucial role in managing and monitoring battery performance. Through Model-in-the-Loop (MIL) and Software-in-the-Loop (SIL) testing, we validate the BMS software in simulated environments. This approach allows us to identify potential issues early in the development process, ensuring the software is robust and ready for real-world deployment.
Initial system integration begins by bringing hardware a software together through the use of our in-house developed Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) systems for evaluation of the BMU and MMU to test basic input/ output functionality, diagnostics, and safety functions. Once these initial integration evaluations are complete we continue to the next level of integration testing.
Once the components and software have undergone HIL testing, the next step is module integration and pack testing. This is where we bring all the components together, testing the BMS in a fully assembled battery pack. These tests simulate real-world conditions, ensuring the system can manage and monitor the pack effectively, even in the most demanding applications.
At Acculon, our comprehensive testing approach, which begins at the component level, verifies that each piece of hardware functions as intended & meets the application requirements before being integrated into the larger system.
Acculon evaluates shunt designs using its advanced cell-level cyclers. In this process, two cyclers are employed: one serves as a voltage supply, while the other provides varying discharge currents. A BMS shunt is connected between the two cyclers, enabling a direct comparison between a calibrated reference and the shunt’s current reading.
Additionally, we assess BMS components using our testing lab’s calibrated cell channels. By simulating battery interaction without requiring a live battery, two test channels can be utilized, allowing immediate and accurate feedback to the development team.
Module integration and pack testing are conducted by utilizing cyclers to test single modules. The process involves direct interfacing with the Module Management Unit (MMU) through a Raspberry Pi, which simulates Battery Management Unit (BMU) functions. This Raspberry Pi relays all module-level data to Acculon’s cycler, enabling precise control at the cell level and facilitating comprehensive module evaluation.
The data collected from the module is then compared with previously obtained cell-level data, ensuring accuracy and consistency in the performance evaluation of the module.
Finally, once the fully built and assembled pack has undergone rigorous testing, we ensure it is ready for the next step in the BMS process: certification. The certification process is an essential step in guaranteeing that our battery systems meet all regulatory requirements and are safe for use in various applications. So, join us for our next installment when we will turn the spotlight on BMS certification!