Functions for Testing Energy Storage Devices

Discharge Function

For testing energy storage devices such as batteries, ultracaps and capacitors, the electronic load offers a function for controlled discharge at defined operating, protection and switch-off conditions.

With local operation, the user is guided through the menu so that the electronic load requires some important settings such as current and voltage protection.

During ongoing discharging, the load cumulates every second the charge taken from the test object in Ah and the energy in Wh. These are displayed in the user interface, as are the latest measured values for voltage and current with the elapsed discharge time

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Discharge Mode

The discharge function is basically possible in any operating mode. In local operation the following operating modes for discharging are available:

Current mode
Power mode
Resistance mode
dynamic discharging in List mode
IUa discharging in CC+CV mode

In power mode the electronic load works software-controlled using a fast A/D converter with low resolution (see technical data: TechDat_PLI_gn.PDF). The user must decide if accuracy and resolution are sufficient for the test.

Enter the setting value corresponding to the chosen operating mode directly in the “Level” window. It is editable even later during a running static discharge function.

IUa Discharging

A special type of discharging is the CC+CV or IUa discharge. In this case, the DUT is first discharged with constant current down to a defined minimum voltage (setting value of the undervoltage protection). When this voltage is reached, the electronic load implicitly switches over to voltage mode, i.e. the specified voltage is kept constant until the measured current has fallen below the value of the stop criterion current. Only then does the load switch off the load input and the test is finished.

Stop Criteria:

max. charge
max. energy
max. time
min. current
min. voltage

When one of the stop criteria is reached, the electronic load switches off the load input and deactivates the discharge function.

Static Measurement Data Acquisition

Static measurement data acquisition can be activated for the storage of measurement data both for local operation and for digital remote control.

Measurement Data Acquisition With Follow-up Time on USB Memory

With local operation, the electronic load can record the measured values on a USB flash drive. The special feature of the discharge function is that a follow-up time can be defined here during data logging in order to document the recovery phase of the DUT after switch-off.

Charge Function

H&H source-sinks can be used to charge energy storage devices in the same way, with the same operating modes and criteria as for discharging.

Cycling Function

For testing energy storage devices such as accumulators, ultracaps and capacitors, an H&H source sink can cycle a connected DUT in a controlled manner, i.e. charge and discharge it repeatedly. During cycling, the charging and discharging functions are performed alternately with an adjustable number of cycles. A recovery time can be defined between the charging and discharging functions.

Internal Resistance Setting

Another special function of source-sinks: In order to simulate different sources as flexibly as possible, a variable internal resistance can be set in constant voltage mode CV.

Analogously, in constant current mode CC a conductance can be set.

Internal Resistance Measurement

The autarkic function calculates the internal resistance of the DUT in a procedure as described in various standards, e.g. DIN EN 61951, DIN EN 61960.