Battery testing systems and methods

Abstract

Battery testing systems and methods are disclosed. One system includes one or more test platforms and a processing system. Each test platform performs ultrasonic scans of batteries. During the scans, each test platform can place pressure upon and measure temperature and open circuit voltages of each battery, transmit ultrasound signals into each battery and generate transmitted signal data in response, detect ultrasound signals reflected by or transmitted through each battery in response to the transmitted ultrasound signals and generate received signal data in response. The processing system can quantify aspects of the signal data and present the aspects to one or more battery models, which compute and assign a state of charge (SOC) and a state of health (SOH) to each battery in response. For example, the processing system can be in a service provider network that receives and analyzes signal data sent from test platforms at different customer facilities.

1 . A battery testing system, comprising:
 a test platform comprising:
 a base constructed to receive one or more batteries, the base having a controller therein, the controller being configured to direct ultrasonic scans of each battery; 
 an adjustable arm positioned above the base; and 
 a transducer head distributed across the arm and the base, the transducer head being constructed to transmit ultrasound signals into each battery and to detect ultrasound signals reflected by or transmitted through each battery in response to the transmitted ultrasound signals; 
   a signal drive and acquisition system configured to:
 generate transmitted signal data for the transmitted ultrasound signals and received signal data for the detected ultrasound signals; and 
 add the transmitted signal data and the received signal data to an instance of scan data for each scan; and 
   a processing system configured to:
 receive the scan data for each scan from the test platform; 
 analyze the scan data to quantify aspects of the signal data; and 
 present the quantified signal data as input to one or more battery models, 
   wherein the one or more battery models compute and assign a SOC and a SOH to each battery in response to the presentation.   
     
     
         2 . The battery testing system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more battery models compute and assign a level of outgas sing and a spatial distribution of outgas sing as a function of position in response to the presentation. 
     
     
         3 . The battery testing system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more battery models compute and assign a level of dendrite growth and a level of lithium plating in response to the presentation. 
     
     
         4 . The battery testing system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the scans are performed without charging or discharging the batteries. 
     
     
         5 . The battery testing system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller operates as the processing system. 
     
     
         6 . The battery testing system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the transducer head comprises a transducer head top portion attached to the arm, and   the transducer head top portion comprises at least one top ultrasound transducer that transmits the ultrasound signals into each battery and detects the ultrasound signals reflected by each battery.   
     
     
         7 . The battery testing system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the transducer head comprises a transducer head top portion attached to the arm and a transducer head bottom portion located within the base,   the transducer head top portion comprises at least one top ultrasound transducer that transmits the ultrasound signals into each battery, and   the transducer head bottom portion comprises at least one bottom ultrasound transducer that detects the ultrasound signals transmitted through each battery.   
     
     
         8 . The battery testing system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the transducer head comprises a transducer head bottom portion located within the base, and   the transducer head bottom portion comprises at least one bottom ultrasound transducer that transmits the ultrasound signals into each battery and detects the ultrasound signals reflected by each battery.   
     
     
         9 . The battery testing system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the transducer head comprises a transducer head bottom portion located within the base and a transducer head top portion attached to the arm,   the transducer head bottom portion comprises at least one bottom ultrasound transducer that transmits the ultrasound signals into each battery, and   the transducer head top portion comprises at least one top ultrasound transducer that detects the ultrasound signals transmitted through each battery.   
     
     
         10 . The battery testing system of  claim 1 , wherein the testing platform exerts a constant force upon each battery during the scans. 
     
     
         11 . The battery testing system of  claim 1 , wherein the transducer head includes at least one temperature sensor that obtains one or more temperature measurements of each battery during each scan. 
     
     
         12 . The battery testing system of  claim 1 , wherein the transducer head includes at least one voltage sensor that obtains one or more open circuit voltage measurements and/or impedance measurements of each battery during each scan. 
     
     
         13 . A method for testing batteries, the method comprising:
 preparing a test platform to perform ultrasonic scans of one or more batteries, the test platform receiving the one or more batteries with a first side of each battery disposed against a base of the test platform, the test platform comprising a transducer head that is distributed across an arm of the test platform and the base;   using the test platform to:
 perform the ultrasonic scans; 
 generate transmitted signal data and received signal data for each of the scans; and 
 include the transmitted and the received signal data in an instance of scan data for each of the scans; and 
   using a processing system to:
 receive the scan data for each scan from the test platform; 
 analyze the scan data to quantify aspects of the signal data; and 
 present the quantified aspects as input to one or more battery models, the one or more battery models computing and assigning a SOC and a SOH of each battery in response to the presentation. 
   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the using a processing system to analyze the scan data to quantify aspects of the signal data comprises:
 applying time domain analysis methods to the transmitted signal data and to the received signal data of the scan data to create time domain analysis results of the transmitted signal data and time domain analysis results of the received signal data, respectively; and   comparing the time domain analysis results of the transmitted signal data to the time domain analysis results of the received signal data.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the using a processing system to analyze the scan data to quantify aspects of the signal data comprises:
 applying frequency domain analysis methods to the transmitted signal data and to the received signal data of the scan data to create frequency domain analysis results of the transmitted signal data and frequency domain analysis results of the received signal data, respectively; and   comparing the frequency domain analysis results of the transmitted signal data to the frequency domain analysis results of the received signal data.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the processing system is located in a network that is remote from the test platform. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the using the test platform to perform the ultrasonic scans comprises:
 transmitting ultrasound signals into each battery via at least one top ultrasound transducer included within a transducer head top portion of the transducer head,   wherein the transducer head top portion is attached to the arm, and the at least one top ultrasound transducer detects ultrasound pulses reflected by each battery in response to the transmitted ultrasound signals.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the using the test platform to perform the ultrasonic scans comprises:
 transmitting ultrasound signals into each battery via at least one top ultrasound transducer included within a transducer head top portion of the transducer head, the transducer head top portion being attached to the arm; and   detecting ultrasound pulses transmitted through each battery in response to the transmitted ultrasound signals via at least one bottom ultrasound transducer included within a transducer head bottom portion of the transducer head, the transducer head bottom portion being included within the base.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the using the test platform to perform the ultrasonic scans comprises:
 transmitting ultrasound signals into each battery via at least one bottom ultrasound transducer included within a transducer head bottom portion of the transducer head,   wherein the transducer head bottom portion is included within the base, and the at least one bottom transducer detects ultrasound signals reflected by each battery in response to the transmitted ultrasound signals.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the using the test platform to perform the ultrasonic scans comprises:
 transmitting ultrasound signals into each battery via at least one bottom ultrasound transducer included within a transducer head bottom portion of the transducer head, the transducer head bottom portion being included within the base; and   detecting ultrasound signals transmitted through each battery in response to the transmitted ultrasound signals via at least one top ultrasound transducer included within a transducer head top portion of the transducer head, the transducer head top portion being attached to the arm.   
     
     
         21 - 30 . (canceled)