NI (formerly known as National Instruments) has announced the newest product in its portfolio of high-power test systems for battery testing and simulation.

The NHR 4800 high-density battery cycler and emulator is designed for modularity, versatility and safety. It addresses the needs of battery testing across research, validation, production and second-life applications.

The NHR 4800 is highly modular and scalable, allowing engineering teams to efficiently scale their test capabilities. When combined with NI’s software-defined battery test approach, it enables engineers to adjust and evolve for future battery test requirements.

“Battery testing can be a competitive advantage for EV manufacturers, and NI provides them with an open, flexible and cost-effective platform to achieve it,” said Drita Roggenbuck, Senior VP and GM of Transportation at NI. “The NHR 4800 delivers best-in-class, high-power testing in a safe and compact system to provide our customers the performance necessary for today’s and tomorrow’s battery testing requirements across multiple industries.”

The NHR 4800 is capable of functioning as a battery cycler, DC source, DC load, battery emulator, and amplifier for power-level hardware-in-the-loop testing. The system delivers up to 80 V and 400 A in a single-4U chassis while delivering scalable power ranging from 16.5 kW up to 165 kW. This wide operating envelope makes the NHR 4800 optimal for testing low- to mid-range battery modules and packs, fuel cells, energy storage systems, and solar PV systems.

Key features include:

• Modular and scalable power with parallel operation of up to 10 systems to go from 16.5 kW to 165 kW
• Built-in isolation contactor relays, pre-charge circuit, reverse polarity checker
• High-performance source and regenerative load with typical regenerative power efficiency >90%
• Regenerative power efficiency >90% (typical)
• 100% SiC-based technology
• Air-cooled to simplify maintenance
• Multiple control options: touch panel and SCPI commands via LabVIEW and Python

Source: NI