Chip-based design leads to more compact construction and lower cost

SMART TESTSOLUTIONS, the specialist for cell voltage monitoring systems, presented the new product generation of its cell voltage monitoring for series applications at Hydrogen + Fuel Cells Europe, a sub-fair of the Hanover Fair. Compared to its predecessor, the G5S, the G6S product platform is characterised by a more compact design and lower costs.

Like all solutions for cell voltage monitoring on electrochemical cells from SMART TESTSOLUTIONS, the G6S also has a modular design. A measuring module comprises 54 channels, and up to nine measuring modules can be connected in series. All in all, a CVM system based on the G6S offers 486 measuring channels. The measuring modules are supplemented by a target market-specific head module, which is equipped with the data interfaces prevailing in the respective target market. In addition to automotive, SMART TESTSOLUTIONS addresses the marine, aerospace and electrolysis markets.

By using the same measurement modules in all application areas, economies of scale are achieved in production. Further cost advantages result from the use of integrated circuits instead of a discrete structure. A microchip is used as the technology basis for data acquisition on each measuring module. The measured values recorded by the ASIL-D-certified ICs are collected in a central microcontroller on the head module.

Other components of a CVM G6S system from SMART TESTSOLUTIONS are the mounting parts for the mechanical integration of the CVM near the cell stack, the necessary connection cable harnesses and the cell contacting units that are required for tapping the voltages at the individual bipolar plates. The so-called cell voltage pickups must be designed differently depending on the nature of the cell stack. SMART TESTSOLUTIONS now has several variations up its sleeve. All solutions were on display in the form of demonstrators at Hydrogen + Fuel Cells Europe.