Influences of a Drop Tower Test Rig on Dynamic Mechanical Testing of Lithium-Ion Battery Modules

In this publication, a test rig for dynamic compression tests of battery modules is examined. It is investigated as to how much the mechanical properties of the test rig influence the measured force and displacement signal of experiments. The starting point of the investigations are observations from a dynamic compression test with a battery module. Observations at this test lead to the assumption that elastic deformations of the test rig influence the measured force and displacement signal. To examine the mechanical properties of the test rig, a simulation model of the test rig is created. For the validation of the simulation model, tests are carried out only with the test rig, without any testing object. After the simulation model has been validated, module tests can be carried out in the simulation. It turns out that the influence of the test rig is small if, firstly, the impactor mass is low and, secondly, a large part of the kinetic energy of the drop mass is dissipated via the battery module. However, it is also proven that the influence of the test rig is high if these two points are not met.