Renewable Energy Storage Laboratory (RESL)

Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia
What the facility does

Applied battery research of modules/packs including electrical, mechanical, thermal, safety, and control systems for performance assessment and model validation

Areas of expertise

The facility houses a wide range of battery power cyclers, thermal chambers, and advanced data acquisition systems. We operate on cells, modules (~50 V) and battery packs up to 800 V and with 1000+ A over a range of temperatures from -70 to +325 °C. An outdoor containerized thermally conditioned test chamber has isolated test bays. Battery test samples are contained in tightly controls specialized environments to evaluate their energy, power, efficiency, and thermal performance over a wide range of conditions and control strategies. This includes long term degradation testing, advanced “stacked” control algorithms, and the use of predictive technologies.

Alongside the experimental laboratory is an advanced energy storage modeling center that creates powerful analytical models of battery systems for both short term and long term storage applications. These are applied at a range of scales including single applications and highly varied geospatial and temporal scales (up to provincial levels). Models are then validated with results from experiments.

Research services
  • Battery testing of single cells, modules, and full scale packs. 0 – 800 VDC, ± 1000 ADC, ±100 kW
  • Testing of a multitude of parallel and series battery packs for vehicle, grid, space, and marine applications
  • Advanced charge and discharge algorithms including predictive technologies and power signal varying on a per-second basis
  • High resolution temperature measurement throughout the entirety of the pack
  • Testing of power converter systems including conversion efficiency and maximum power levels
  • Testing of battery management systems including inter-cell balancing
Sectors of application
  • Aerospace and satellites
  • Automotive
  • Clean technology
  • Defence and security industries
  • Energy
  • Environmental technologies and related services
  • Manufacturing and processing
  • Ocean industries
  • Professional and technical services (including legal services, architecture, engineering)
  • Transportation
  • Utilities

Equipment

Function

Neware Battery power cycler (cell level)

  • Unit 1: 0-5 VDC, ±50 ADC, 8 channels
  • Unit 2: 0-5 VDC, ±50 ADC, 16 channels
  • Unit 3: 0-20 VDC, ±50 ADC, 4 channels

Arbin Battery power cycler (module level)

0-20 VDC, ±100 ADC, 3 channels

Gustav Klein / Green Light Innovations Battery power cycler (pack level)

0-800 VDC, ±200 ADC, 2 channels

CSZ Thermal chamber (cooling)

-75 to +200 °C; 1 m3

Campbell Scientific CR1000 data acquisition systems

Numerous and varied voltage, current, temperature sensors

dataTaker® DT80 data acquisition systems

Numerous and varied voltage, current, temperature sensors

Orion BMS battery management system

Up to 180 cell channels

Nuvation Energy battery management system

Up to 180 cell channels

Thermal conditioning system

Liquid thermal cooling system for battery packs

Battery test chamber (cell level)

Unique air cooled cabinetry for 12 individual cell testing

Battery test chamber (pack level)

Unique containerized pack level testing

Fluke 289 True RMS Industrial Data Logging Multimeter (2)

Portable measurement instrument

Fluke 87V digital Multimeter (2)

Portable measurement instrument

Fluke 1587 Insulation Tester Multimeter

Up to 1000 V output

Fluke 336 TRMS AC/DC Current Clamp Meter

 

Clamp meter (600 A DC/AC)

Fluke i30s AC/DC Current Clamp Meter

Clamp meter (20 A DC/AC)

Fluke i1010 AC/DC Current Clamp

 

Clamp meter (1000 A DC/AC)

Fluke BT510 Battery Analyzer

Internal resistance tester

Fluke 190-104 ScopeMeter® Test Tool

Portable oscilloscope, 4 channel, recording, up to 600 VDC

Anton Parr specific gravity meter

DMA35 Version 4

Anderson Power Products cabling and crimpers

Crimping from 26g to 4/0g

Fume hood

5’ x 2’

Batteries available for prototyping and experiments

A wide range of lead-acid and lithium-ion cells, modules, and batteries, including brands of A123, AESC, CD Technologies, Crown, East Penn, EnerDel, Lishen, K2, LG Chem, Panasonic, Saft, Samsung SDI, Surrette, Tesla, Trojan. Formats include prismatic, pouch, and cylindrical. Thermal conditioning technologies include passive, forced air, and liquid.

Extech power supplies

30 V, 20 A; 60 V, 10 A

Ohaus SD weigh scales

200 kg and 30 kg

CCS WattNode AC power meters

Modbus and pulse type. 240/120, 480, and 600 VAC models.