The drive inverter, which can be found in every xEV, is the key component of the electrified powertrain. It is an intelligent mini-computer that converts DC current into a rotating multiphase AC current and controls the torque of the actuator (e-motor). The inverter is very complex, and its behavior and handling influences the driving experience significantly. Therefore, it needs to be tested and developed without further influences of other components.
That is why a dedicated test system is required which enables the testing of the inverter – independently from the e-motor and already in an early development phase. Such an optimized testing environment results in an efficient verification process and shorter time needed compared to the testing of the Unit Under Test (UUT) in a real-world prototype vehicle.
The Inverter TS enables the independent testing of the inverter while optimizing the integration with all other components in the electrified propulsion. The test system is based on e-motor emulation technology with real-time simulation. This leads to highly accurate results when testing the inverter with required battery voltage and e-motor current.
For such a testing setup, exact copies of the e-motor and the battery are required. Within the Inverter TS, the e-motor is replaced very accurately with the Power Amplifier Cabinet (PAC) and the Signal Processing Cabinet (SPC). The UUT DC Supply Cabinet (USC) represents a digital copy of the battery. As a result, an efficient and flexible test equipment for the testing of inverters is available, which – in contrast to an active load – emulates with highest accuracy the real physics of an e-motor directly at the terminals.
Added value with our solution
- Reliable and reproducible test results - globally
- Flexible, accurate and fast mapping of all common motor concepts
- Emulating failure situations and inverter behavior testing
The AVL Active Load Cabinet (ALC) is an active load which can be used to perform high-voltage functional tests of inverters (UUT). Thanks to its open communication interfaces, the ALC can be easily integrated into the lab / the test setup.
The Active Load Cabinet enables robust inverter functional tests within short test times and according to the UUT’s voltage and power requirements. These functional tests allow for a paralleled development, independently from the UUT’s software, and provide the opportunity to detect failures at an early stage – before HW and SW integration.
Added value with our solution:
- Fast UUT commissioning enabled by the easy test setup capability: only 4 parameters must be defined to start the testing process.
- Easy and fast adjustment of several parameters: R and L can be parametrized via mouse click during operation.
- Minimum facility requirements: only 30kW AC connection for power and water connection for cooling is needed.
- Wide range of applications thanks to additional options like current source and four-quadrant mode operation.
- Realistic testing with active power: 4-quadrant-mode allows operation in all four quadrants of the torque/speed plane.
Explore how AVL Power Electronics Test Systems enable earlier validation under real electrical power conditions, increase reproducible test coverage and help use test capacity more efficiently.
Validate high-voltage inverter hardware early in development under relevant electrical load conditions. The AVL Active Load Cabinet™ enables flexible functional testing at real electrical power levels.
