Knick High Voltage Transducers: Powering Precision in Battery Cycling Applications

In the rapidly advancing fields of energy storage and electric vehicles, battery cycling is a critical process that requires precise measurement and control. During battery tests, the charging and discharging cycles—mirroring real-world use profiles—are meticulously simulated to evaluate parameters like capacity, efficiency, and self-discharge rates. Ensuring accurate measurements throughout these cycles is essential for developing high-performance batteries that meet the demands of today’s electric vehicles.

Battery Cycling and the Role of High Voltage Transducers

Battery cyclers simulate the operational conditions a battery would experience during its lifetime, including repeated charge and discharge cycles. Especially for high performance batteries, as those seen in electric vehicles, accurate data acquisition and control of these cycles are vital for assessing battery health and performance. Knick’s high-voltage transducers are at the forefront of this technology, providing reliable voltage and current measurements that ensure safe and effective testing.

One of the key applications for Knick transducers in battery cycling is voltage synchronization, ensuring that the battery voltage matches the voltage seen and expected by the cycler. This synchronization is crucial for the accurate execution of charging and discharging operations, which are initiated only once the voltages are aligned.

DC drive feedback is another critical application for the transducers. In this scenario, the output voltage from the drive is measured and compared to the voltage comunicated by the drive itself. This feedback is essential for maintaining accurate control over the drive system, preventing discrepancies that could lead to inefficient operation or even damage to the battery.

Additionally, our transducers play a significant role in transferring voltage and current data from the battery cycler to the DAQ or PLC system. This transfer increases visibility for end users, allowing for more detailed analysis and better decision-making during and after the testing process.

Meeting the Demands of Modern Battery Testing

As the voltages seen in battery applications continue to rise, now reaching levels beyond 2000 V DC, it is important that the testing environments keep pace, and often exceed, the industry’s demands. The need for precise, fast, and safe voltage and current measurements has never been greater.

Knick’s P42000 high-voltage transducer is specifically designed to meet these challenges. It safely measures and isolates voltages up to 2200 V DC, while converting these high voltage inputs into standard output signals, such as ±20 mA, ±10 V, or 4 … 20 mA, ensuring compatibility with most control systems. The P42000’s response time (T90) of under 110 microseconds is crucial for capturing fast-changing signals during battery cycling, ensuring that even rapid fluctuations in voltage are accurately recorded. This precision is vital for maintaining the integrity of data used to assess battery performance under real-world conditions.

The P41000 high-voltage transducer complements this by measuring direct currents up to 20 kA in conjunction with a shunt, converting shunt voltages into standard output signals. This capability makes it ideal for energy storage applications where reliable and accurate current measurement is essential. Isolation and response time specifications are equal to the impressive levels seen with the P42000, making the pair a great consideration for critical electrical measurements seen with battery cycling.

Knick’s Commitment to Excellence in Battery Testing

Safety is a paramount concern in high-voltage testing scenarios, and Knick transducers excel in providing complete galvanic isolation between dangerous voltages and the testing equipment. The P41000 and P42000 offer continuous isolation up to 2200 V DC, protecting both the equipment and the personnel involved in the testing process. This robust isolation capability ensures that even in the most demanding testing environments, high-voltage hazards are effectively mitigated, allowing personnel to focus on accurate measurements without compromising safety.

As the demand for energy storage and electromobility continues to grow, the need for precise, reliable, and safe battery testing solutions becomes increasingly important. Knick’s transducers are engineered to meet these demands, offering unparalleled performance with voltage and current measurements across a range of challenging conditions. These transducers not only enhance the reliability of test results, but also streamline the testing process by integrating seamlessly into existing setups. Their compact design and versatile output configurations make them suitable for a variety of applications, from electric vehicle battery testing to large-scale energy storage system control, ensuring that the power of tomorrow is developed with the utmost precision and safety today.

Learn more about Knick electrical measurement solutions at: Interface Technology (knick-international.com)