Battery Test SystemPFX2000 Series

Implementing sophisticated battery tests with ease…
A highly flexible system can be built

The PFX2000 Series is a battery test system developed on the basis of the experience and know-how that we have amassed through implementing numerous custom-built battery evaluation systems. The product adopts a unit structure that houses charging/discharging power supply units (PFX2011 or PFX2021) inside a unit frame (PFX2332). This enables you to build your battery test system in varying scale, from a small-size system with a single cell to a large-size system consisting of up to 120 units (max. 240 channels when all the units are PFX2011), making it possible to support any number of channels necessary for the test. Also, PFX2000 offers high availability by allowing you to replace only the unit that needs maintenance and to continue the test without stopping the entire system (hot plug feature). Each channel is completely independent of one another and thus can be controlled under different test and timing conditions. In addition, a rich set of protection features (OVP, UVP, OHP, etc.) is supported to prevent the test material from being destroyed by a system malfunction or operation mistake. * PFX2021 cannot be operated with the previous 5-unit frame model (PFX2331).

Features

Suitable for characteristic evaluations for single-cell batteries and mobile phones
PFX2011(5V-5A 25W 2CH)

  • Completely independent channels
    The two channels of the unit are completely independent of one another and thus can be controlled under different test conditions.
  • 8-value CC pulse mode
    Constant current pulse discharging mode for reproducing GSM and PDC burst patterns
  • High and low current ranges
    You can toggle between two current ranges – high range with 0.1-mA resolution and low range with 0.01-mA resolution. In the low range, reproducibility and accuracy can be implemented with 1-mA resolution, thus making product suitable for standby-mode current simulations for mobile devices.
  • Pulse charging
    Sophisticated charger simulations involving such types of pulses as constant current pulses and PWM pulses are possible.

PFX2011

Ideal for characteristic evaluations for notebook PCs, digital cameras, etc.
PFX2021(20V-10A 200W)

  • 20-value CP pulse discharging function
    This function is intended for constant power load fluctuation simulations using a DC/DC converter.
  • 20-value CC pulse discharging function
    The constant current 20-value pulse discharging mode is offered as the standard discharging mode.
  • V/F converter
    Even changes in transient current during discharge can also be measured, enabling real-to-life measurement of capacity and electric energy.
  • Power regeneration function
    A power saving mode is supported whereby the energy lost internally during discharge can be reused as the operation power.
  • Pulse charging
    Sophisticated charger simulations involving such types of pulses as constant current pulses and PWM pulses are possible.

PFX2021

Main Specifications (Comparison between PFX2011 and PFX2021)

Unit model namePFX2011PFX2021
Number of output channels21
Charging current range
0.0 mA to 5000.0 mA (high range)0 mA to 10000 mA
0.00 mA to 500.00 mA (low range)
Charging voltage range0.0000 V to 5.0000 V0 V to 20.000 V
Charging modeCC/CC-CV/PWM pulse
Discharging current range0.0 mA to 5000.0 mA (high range)0 mA to 10000 mA
0.00 mA to 500.00 mA (low range)
Discharging voltage range–0.5000 V to 5.0000 V–2.000 V to 20.000 V
Maximum charging/ discharging power25.00 W200.00 W
Discharging modeCC/CP/CC8-value pulseCC/CP/CC20-value pulse/ CP20-value pulse
Measurement parametersVoltage/current/capacity/electric energy/ temperature/high voltage/low voltage
 

Pulse Charging/Discharging Function

A pulse charging mode is supported to assist you in R&D efforts on sophisticated charger simulations and charging methods. Also, PFX2021 has a 20-value CP and CC pulse discharging function. These features enable you to perform discharging simulations for packaged batteries used in notebook PCs and digital cameras.

Diverse Charging/Discharging Termination Conditions

A number of conditions, such as voltage, time, and temperature, can be specified as the charg- ing and discharging termination conditions.

Highly Accurate Measurement Capability

A 24-bit A/D converter is adopted for measuring voltage and current values, thus enabling highly accurate measurement. Also, a built-in, temperature-controlled reference voltage circuit ensures highly stable operation. A 16-bit D/A converter and a high-speed A/D converter are fully utilized for pulse charging and discharging, thereby making it possible to generate complex current waveforms, measure the voltage at any given point, and evaluate the pulse current. In addition, a V/F converter specifically designed for average current measurement is employed to provide faithful measurement of average pulse currents (PFX2021 only). The transient state of the pulse current can also be measured exactly. Error in current measurement resulting from the unbalance between the first and last transitions is minimized.

Temperature Measurement Function

The system features a simple temperature measurement function that uses a thermister (which comes with PFX2332) as a thermometer, making it possible to measure temperature on a channel-by-channel basis. Also, in addition to allowing over temperature protection (OTP) to be set as a protection function, the system permits you to specify dT/dt (temperature rise per unit time) and MaxTemp (maximum temperature) as the charging termination conditions.

Enhanced System Reliability

Various protection functions including overvolta- ge (overcharge) protection (OVP), undervoltage (overdischarge) protection (UVP), and overheat protection (OHP), as well as a watchdog timer (system monitoring), are provided to enhance the system reliability. In particular, the OVP and UVP functions support a dual protection mechanism offering software-based and hard- ware-based protections. Furthermore, the system uses a MOS FET to switch states in the charge/discharge/dwell cycle, making it reliable enough to endure long consecutive operation.

Power Regeneration Function

If a preset amount of energy is lost internally during a discharge test, the power regeneration function reuses the lost energy as the operation power. This function contributes to making the system smaller, achieving power savings, and reducing waste heat. (For PFX2021 only)

Battery Voltage Detection Terminal with High Input Resistance

The battery voltage detection terminal has high input resistance (10 GΩ). Since there is very little leak current, it is almost unlikely that the battery will dry out during a test dwell.

Two Independent Channels Built in One Unit

The two channels are completely independent of one another, and a different set of test conditions can be set for each of them. (For PFX2011 only)

Hot Plug Feature

When in standby mode, any charging/discharg- ing power supply unit can be replaced without turning off the power of the unit frame.

Frames Interconnected via a TP-BUS

The 5-unit frames are interconnected to one another and connected to the control unit via a TP-BUS. To disconnect a unit frame from the TP-BUS does not require turning off the power of any other frame connected.

Control Unit Supporting Multiple Channels

The control unit PFX2121 can control a large number of channels, supporting up to 120 channels per unit (when all the controlled power supply units are PFX2011). Also, it has a USB port for connection with a PC. You do not need to prepare a separate interface board if the PC you want to connect supports the USB interface. Two control units can be connected to a single PC.

Conceptual Diagrams of Charging Mode Operation

CC-CV (constant current-constant voltage)

[Termination conditions] Time, CV time, current, and temperature

cc-cv

CC (constant current)

[Termination conditions] Time, voltage, –ΔV, temperature, and ΔT/Δt

cc

CC PWM (constant current PWM pulse)

[Termination conditions] Time and off time

cc pwm

Conceptual Diagrams of Discharging Mode Operation

CC (constant current)

[Termination conditions] Time and voltage

cc

CC pulse (constant current 8-value/20-value pulse)

[Termination conditions] Time and low voltage

cc pulse

CP (constant power)

[Termination conditions] Time and voltage

cp

CP pulse (constant power 20-value pulse) * For PFX2021 only

[Termination conditions] Time and low voltage

cp pulse

System Configuration

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Application Software
SD002 BPChecker2000

BPChecker2000 is an application software package specifically designed for the PFX2000 Series system.

BPChecker2000 enables you to set conditions for battery charging/discharging characteristic tests, run the tests, and analyzes test results using a PC. Capable of controlling two 120-channel control units (PFX2121) via the PC’s USB ports, BPChecker2000 can exert control over up to 240 charging/ discharging power supply channels. By adding an impedance measurement unit (PFX2211), you can measure impedance of up to 120 charging/discharging power supply channels that are connected to the same control unit. Furthermore, if your PC supports the GPIB communication environment, you can have Espec Corp.’s thermostatic chambers externally controlled so that tests can be conducted in synchronization with the temperature inside the chambers.

Program Structure

BPChecker2000 consists of the five programs described below.

Test Condition Editor

This program lets you create and edit all conditions related to charging/discharging testing. A total of 15 sheets of test condition data can be created, with each sheet specifying both charging and discharging conditions. It is also possible to set the number of times (repeats) that an individual sheet is to be repeated to form a particular charging/discharging cycle, as well as the number of times (loops) that the entire set of sheets is to be repeated.

Test Condition Editor

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Test Executive

This program executes charging/discharging tests according to the test condition file created with Test Condition Editor. It starts and stops the test and monitors the test execution. The program provides a real-time graphic representation of the per-channel charging/ discharging trends.

battery

Graph Viewer

This program displays the test data, created with Test Executive, in a graph on the screen and lets you print it. It offers a graphic representation of the charging/discharging data of each cycle. You can display up to 99 sets of data overlaid one another and perform statistical processing.

graph

Hardware Configuration Wizard

This program detects the charging/discharging power supply units connected to the control unit and lets you configure the connection environment of other hardware devices (impedance measurement unit, thermostatic chamber, etc.).

Group Administrator

This program creates and deletes groups for performing the tests.

Recommended Operating Environment

  • CPU: Pentium IV 1 GHz or faster- OS: Windows 2000 Professional (SP4 and Update Rollup1) or XP Professional (SP2 or later, x86), Windows Vista (x86, x64), Windows 7 (x86, x64), Windows 8 (x86, x64)
  • Memory: 512 MB or more- HD drive: 50 MB of free space or more required for installation; 10 GB of free space or more recommended for data
  • CD-ROM drive: Required for installing the applications
  • Mouse: Required
  • Display resolution: 1280 × 1024 or more
  • Printer: Compatible with Windows
  • No. of USB ports: More free USB ports than the number of control units to be used

Thermostatic Chamber Control

  • The thermostatic chambers that can be controlled via Espec Corp.’s protocol converter/ USB-RS485 converter.
  • VISA library: NI-VISA 3.3 or later, Agilent I/O Libraries Suite 15.0 or later , or KI-VISA 3.1.3 or later

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