Tektronix EA Elektro-Automatik has released an enhanced version of the EA BTS 10300 battery test system designed to deliver high power density testing capabilities for electric vehicle battery systems.
The EA BTS 10300 is rated to deliver up to 300 kW of test current and is contained within a single 42U-high rack enclosure that consumes just 6.5 square feet of production floor space. Rated to 2000 VDC, the improved battery test platform can source and sink up to 2,400 A per rack, leveraging the company’s bidirectional power supply technologies employing highly efficient and power-dense silicon carbide (SiC)- based switches.
The EA BTS 10300 is designed to help EV battery manufacturers get more from their battery test facilities and increase the pace of their testing operations to meet growing demand from the EV market.
EA BTS 10300 battery testing platform, 30-120 kW (left) and 30-300 kW (right). Image used courtesy of EA Elektro-Automatik
High Power and Cost-Effective Battery Testing
The EA BTS 10300’s high current capabilities are particularly useful for battery pulse testing where much higher current levels are required. Traditionally, this type of high current testing has been performed using custom-built test platforms. Still, with the EA BTS 10300, manufacturers have a more cost-effective commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) solution that can cover the range of battery test protocols, including cycling, drive cycle simulation, insulation resistance testing, and others.
To expand the platform’s power capabilities, multiple racks can be operated in parallel, up to a total power capability of up to 3.84 MW.
Battery testing with the EA BTS 10300. Image used courtesy of EA Elektro-Automatik
Autoranging Capabilities
The bidirectional supplies used in the EA BTS 10300 feature an autoranging capability, allowing the supply to source or sink its full rated power down to 33% of its operating voltage range. This means the test current adjusts higher or lower in tandem with the test voltage to maintain its full rated power output.
This capability allows testing a much broader range of battery types on a single platform without needing multiple supplies.
Autoranging capabilities of the EA BTS 10300. Image used courtesy of EA Elektro-Automatik
Energy Recycling
The EA BTS 10300’s regenerative capabilities allow it to deliver power back to the grid with up to 96.5% efficiency. This reduces the power requirements for battery testing operations by lowering electricity costs for the test equipment and the HVAC systems needed to remove excess heat from the test environment.
Regenerative energy recovery. Image used courtesy of EA Elektro-Automatik
Tektronix Acquisition of EA Elektro-Automatik
Tektronix has been a bulwark of the Pacific Northwest technology industry since the company’s founding in 1946. Acquired by industrial conglomerate Danaher in 2007, the company was spun back out from the Danaher family in 2016 with a handful of other precision technology companies (Fluke, Qualitrol, Gilbarco, Veeder-Root, Kollmorgan, and Mattco Tools) as Fortiv, a standalone public company.
Tektronix (Fortiv) completed its acquisition of EA Elektro-Automatik in early 2024. The former company now operates within the Tektronix business unit as part of the company’s electronic test and measurement solutions portfolio.
