Battery Test Facility

Ira Bloom prepares GS-Yuasa high-power, lithium-ion batteries for testing.

Panagiotis Prezas checks the voltages of A123Systems' high-power, lithium-ion batteries before starting a test.

Since 1976, researchers have used Argonne's Electrochemical Analysis and Diagnostics Laboratory to study advanced battery systems for applications such as hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and utility load-leveling during peak demand periods. The facility houses a computer-operated test laboratory, where individual cells and multicell modules of battery systems are subjected to performance and lifetime tests under simulated real-world conditions.

As a leader in the U.S. Department of Energy's multilaboratory research and development program on high-energy lithium-ion batteries for transportation, Argonne researchers are working to better understand the mechanisms of lifespan, abuse tolerance, and cost, and to evaluate a variety of advanced materials that have the potential to address these concerns. Lithium-ion batteries are currently the primary focus of research efforts because of their low weight and high energy density, which make them ideal candidates for transportation use.

To date, the laboratory has tested more than 3,000 cells, configured into multicell modules and full-size batteries. These units represent 13 types of battery systems provided by 18 battery developers.

March 2008