Bitrode battery cyclers and test systems

Technical selection of Bitrode equipment: BTDC cyclers, MCV cell testers, LCV, CV, FTV, FTF and FTF-HV systems, DTV discharge systems, CDN and VCF formation systems, HRD, VRL and VRX testers.

BTDC digital cyclers for high-capacity cells

The Bitrode Digital Cycler (BTDC) tests high-capacity cells with regenerative discharge. A cabinet holds up to 28 channels of 300 A, and the -6 to +6 V and -20 to +20 V modules run in true bipolar operation. Voltage accuracy is 0.015% of full scale, current accuracy 0.02%, data acquisition 1 ms.

Up to 28 channels of 300 A
Modules -6 to +6 V and -20 to +20 V
Current accuracy 0.02% of full scale
1 ms data acquisition

MCV cell testers for EV and HEV batteries

The MCV is a low-current life cycle test system for primary and rechargeable batteries of many chemistries. It covers 0-18 V and up to 300 A per circuit (2700 A in parallel) with up to 96 circuits on Ethernet. Subassemblies remove for service; high accuracy upgrades exist for installed units.

0-18 V voltage range
Up to 300 A, 2700 A in parallel
Up to 96 circuits
High accuracy upgrades for installed units

LCV and CV life cycle test systems

The LCV covers 0-200 V and up to 1000 A per circuit (8000 A in parallel), up to 16 circuits and up to 480 kW. The CV is the economical system for automotive and industrial batteries: 5-18 V, 0-100 A (1600 A in parallel), up to 48 circuits. Both are configured for IEC, SAE and BCI tests.

LCV: 0-200 V voltage range
LCV: up to 480 kW
CV: up to 48 circuits
CV: 0-100 A per circuit

FTV battery module test systems

The FTV runs standard electric vehicle, standby battery and supercapacitor tests. It covers 0-100 V and up to 1000 A (2000 A in parallel, 4000 A with an external PCC), up to 72 kW and up to 4 circuits. Drive simulations include FUDS, SFUDS, GSFUDS, DST and ECE-15L.

0-100 V voltage range
Up to 4000 A with external PCC
Up to 288 kW with external PCC
Up to 4 circuits

FTF and FTF-HV battery pack test systems

The IGBT-based FTF tests EV and energy storage packs in 35-500, 40-700 and 58-1000 V versions, up to 1000 A (4000 A in parallel), up to 300 kW per cabinet and 1.2 MW with an external parallel controller. The FTF-HV reaches 1500 V, 600 A and 450 kW per channel; BattSim mode is available.

FTF up to 1000 V
Up to 1.2 MW with external controller
FTF-HV up to 1500 V
Current accuracy 0.05% of full scale

DTV high current discharge test systems

The DTV is a high current discharge system for cold crank and discharge capacity tests to IEC, SAE and BCI. It covers 0-72 V, up to 3000 A and 90 kW per circuit, or up to 12,000 A and 360 kW with an external PCC. Inputs include thermocouples, PT-100, pressure and specific gravity.

0-72 V voltage range
Up to 3000 A per circuit
Up to 12,000 A with external PCC
Up to 360 kW with external PCC

CDN and VCF battery formation systems

The SCR-based CDN handles high voltage formation of stationary and industrial VRLA batteries and tackless plate formation: 100-550 V, up to 4500 A, up to 16 circuits, discharge energy returned to the AC line. The VCF covers 0-560 V and 0-50 A with up to 32 circuits and battery-backed circuit memory.

CDN: 100-550 V
CDN: up to 4500 A
VCF: up to 32 circuits
Discharge energy returned to AC line

HRD, VRL and VRX end-of-line testers

HRD, VRL and VRX testers check automotive and industrial 6 and 12 volt batteries on the production line with discharge up to 3000 A, finding poor welds, reversed plates and poorly formed batteries. The VRL is manually controlled; the VRX is PLC controlled and stores up to 100 test profiles.

Discharge up to 3000 A
6 and 12 volt batteries
Up to 100 profiles in VRX
0.1 to 9.9 s discharge duration

Choosing a test system for the task

Bitrode (now ANDRITZ Bitrode, St. Louis, Missouri, since 1957) builds laboratory and production battery test systems. High-capacity cells are tested on the BTDC cycler with up to 28 channels of 300 A, low-current cell work runs on the MCV with up to 96 circuits at 0-18 V.

Modules are tested on the FTV (0-100 V, up to 1000 A) and LCV (0-200 V, up to 480 kW); EV and energy storage packs on the FTF up to 1000 V and 1.2 MW and the FTF-HV up to 1500 V.

Formation and end-of-line testing in the plant

Formation of stationary and industrial VRLA batteries uses the CDN (100-550 V, up to 4500 A) and the VCF (0-560 V, up to 32 circuits); the CDN returns discharge energy to the AC line.

On the production line, 6 and 12 volt batteries are checked by HRD, VRL and VRX testers with discharge up to 3000 A. Cold crank tests in the lab run on the DTV: up to 3000 A per circuit and up to 12,000 A with an external controller.

Lab equipment and control

A RIO box takes up to 8 cards, and up to 4 boxes can be daisy chained for 512 sensor connections. The WB water bath controls battery temperature up to 80 °C.

The systems run under VisuaLCN: test programs execute independently from the PC, and third-party systems connect over Ethernet.

Bitrode and model names are trademarks of their respective owners and are used only to identify the equipment for which we source parts. SpareX is not an official dealer, distributor or representative of Bitrode and is not affiliated with the trademark owner. Origin, documents and warranty are stated for each item in the quotation.