This paper presents the architecture of an automated battery test system. The paper begins by providing details on battery testing procedures. A typical test cycle, where the battery passes through all operating phases of charge, float charge and discharge, is described. The battery testing technique of accelerated thermal ageing, a special case of cyclic testing, is also described. This allows the identification of the parameters that are to be acquired and controlled and hence provides the specification for the battery test system.
A specific battery test system solution is presented, which was designed for conducting valve regulated lead acid battery behavioural research. The system employs commercial off the shelf (COTS) components. Versatility is a key attribute of the system. This versatility extends from the ability to accommodate various battery configurations (different number of blocks per string and number of strings) and battery types (single cells through to mono-blocks) to the ability to vary the way the test is conducted and the criteria for data acquisition. 相似文献