On-board chargers (OBCs) play a key role in charging efficiency and energy management for electric vehicles. They control the charging process that converts AC power to DC power.
Regenerative grid simulator solutions have now become a crucial testing tool to verify and optimize on-board chargers. These simulators can simulate the grid condition and test on-board chargers in different situations.
This allows manufacturers to monitor the chargers’ efficiency, reliability, and ability to adhere to various standards.
Necessity of Testing OBCs with Regenerative Grid Simulators
In the development of new energy vehicles, OBCs are an important link connecting EVs to the power grid. Their performance directly affects the user’s charging experience and the vehicle’s energy utilization.
Thorough OBC testing is needed to ensure they meet customers’ needs. They help ensure optimal:
1. Efficiency and Performance
Regenerative grid simulator solutions can subject on-board chargers to diverse load scenarios to evaluate power conversion effectiveness.
For example, in the case of voltage fluctuations and frequency changes, programmable ac loads can help verify whether the OBC performs efficiently in actual use.
This provides insights into maximizing effectiveness and identifying optimal performance. Such comprehensive testing enables refinements toward enhanced efficiency.
2. Security
The regenerative grid simulator can simulate power grid faults and abnormal situations, such as overload, overcurrent, voltage fluctuation, or short circuits, to ensure OBCs safely disconnect in fault situations.
Rigorous verification of these critical safety features helps strengthen protective functions.
3. Compatibility
By simulating different power grid and compliance standards, the regenerative grid simulator tests whether the OBC can adapt to different voltage and frequency ranges and whether it can integrate with the vehicle’s electrical system.
This confirms OBC’s dependability when connected to various local supply networks.
4. Reliability and Durability
By conducting various fault tests and long-term durability tests on the OBC, the regenerative grid simulator can generate data reports and analyses of the OBC under these conditions.
This identifies potential weaknesses before mass manufacturing. Rigorous durability evaluation enhances long-run quality and reduces post-sale issues.
What are the Characteristics of Regenerative Grid Simulators?
Regenerative grid simulator solutions authentically simulate the power grid environment. Their critical features include:
1. Full Power Quadrants
The regenerative power grid simulator can achieve four power quadrant simulations of active and reactive power.
It means that it can simulate the operational requirements of different equipment, such as electric vehicle charging stations, on-board chargers, and renewable energy systems, and test the performance of the equipment during power generation and consumption.
2. Bi-directional Power Flow
The bi-directional power flow characteristics enable the regenerative grid simulator to simulate the transmission of electricity from the grid to equipment and the feedback process. It helps to test and study devices with bi-directional energy flow characteristics, such as electric vehicle chargers and renewable energy systems.
3. High-precision Simulation
The high-precision voltage and current output capability of the regenerative grid simulator helps to ensure consistency between experimental results and actual power grid conditions. Therefore, it can identify potential issues before OBC is put into use.
4. Programmable AC Power Supply
The regenerative grid simulator’s versatile customization of voltage, frequency, and harmonics facilitates comprehensive observation of operations.
This programmable simulation capability enables testers to conduct targeted testing and obtain more accurate results.
5. Multi-functionality
The regenerative ac loads are designed specifically for common power testing scenarios, such as power grid disturbance simulation, programmable output impedance, waveform synthesis, etc.
They are also designed for applications such as power supply, electric vehicles, and photovoltaics.
Discover Advanced Regenerative Grid Simulator Solutions
ActionPower is a leading test solution provider that specializes in power technologies. The brand has attended and displayed its regenerative grid simulator lineup at the Automotive Testing Expo in Germany.
The exhibition provided an opportunity to highlight test offerings for the growing electric vehicle industry. The top offerings exhibited include:
1. PRE20 Regenerative Grid Simulator
The PRE20 models are full 4-quadrant, fully regenerative AC power sources designed for common electrical power testing scenarios. Their key characteristics include:
- Integrated Source and Load: The PRE20 combines bidirectional supply and feedback load in one unit for full testing.
- RLC Network Simulation: Integrated 12 RLC models validate device performance under different impedances, three-phase balance, and unbalanced load modes.
- Current and Power Protection: Reduces output if limits are exceeded. The overcurrent settings can capture actual surge current values.
- PHIL Simulation: High dynamic response enables testing product responses to simulated feedback.
- Impedance Simulation: Integrated R and L settings simulate cable impedance functions for IEC61000-3-2 and 3-3 standard compliance.
- Accuracy: Provides precise voltage and current outputs for validating product standards.
2. Electric Vehicle OBC/DC-DC Testing System
This is a complete system solution designed by ActionPower for testing on-board chargers and DC-DC converters. This solution primarily verifies that the input and output characteristics of these components meet requirements. The key features of this programmable AC power source include:
- Versatile: Support simulating testing scenarios such as OBC charging status, OBC inversion status, DC-DC electrical performance, and protection tests.
- Compact Design: The integrated grid simulator and electronic load simplify configuration.
- Space Efficiency: High power density maximizes lab space utilization.
- Customizability: Independent software customization provides strong commercial confidentiality.
- Automation: Streamline data analysis thanks to automatically generated reports.
- Versatility: Enable off-grid, V2G, V2L, and V2H testing in addition to on-grid scenarios.
Conclusion
Overall, regenerative grid simulator solutions have become essential test equipment for verifying high-performance on-board chargers. Brands like ActionPower provide reliable solutions.
Their accurately simulated grid conditions help manufacturers evaluate and optimize OBC design for maximum efficiency, reliability, and safety. Contact them to learn more about the innovative testing solutions supporting EV development.