What’s in The Box

Strength and sustainability

The new laboratory includes two eight-by-eight-by-eight-foot, steel test chambers located in a reinforced test room. These chambers house the cells, modules, or batteries during test and have been designed by explosives experts. They are rated to withstand thermal events in single cells, modules, and battery packs up to 25 kWh – the energy equivalent of several pounds of TNT. The company has installed 9v 100amp low voltage charging, as well as 800v, 600amp high voltage charging capabilities in the test room. The test chambers are additionally equipped with multiple video cameras and a sophisticated data acquisition systems that operates with over 100 input channels and captures the data in excess of 60Hz, or 60 data points per second. The company can evaluate various operating conditions including thermal runaway caused by battery punctures, overheating, and overcharging in these test chambers.

In keeping with the company’s commitment to environmental stewardship, Freudenberg Sealing Technologies has also installed an advanced multi-stage exhaust system that removes the gases and particulates that escape from the batteries during thermal events. The system exceeds current requirements by incorporating a quencher to cool gases and remove particulates as well as a two-phase scrubber stack and rooftop charcoal filtration system to ensure that exhaust from the testing procedures is thoroughly filtered and safe before being exhausted.

New Data for Better Batteries

The new battery testing laboratory complements the company’s existing battery, H2 electrolyzer, and fuel cell testing capabilities. Data generated during battery testing in the test chambers will improve the company’s functional battery knowledge, support company and customer product development activities, and shorten development cycles.

Freudenberg Sealing Technologies is one of the first component suppliers to install battery testing along with thermal runway capability in North America, Bauer said. Key to growing its battery knowledge and supporting its customers, the battery testing laboratory also opens new opportunities for deeper collaboration with customers and suppliers on engineering and design challenges, material research and new technologies for the EV industry.

“Our new lab enables us to conduct testing of different cell chemistries, cell types, battery configurations,” said Bauer. “This allows us to learn and gather data to use with the development of our products and materials – materials that can benefit many industries and many applications. Going forward, we will better understand what the customer needs and where we can offer more support with an evolving market and product portfolio.”