Entering the market for electric refrigerant compressors
Some years ago, a renowned Tier 1 supplier from the South of Germany wanted to install a completely new test facility for electric refrigerant compressors due to their market entry in this field. Being new to the market, their test technology needed to be especially reliable, precise, and flexible. IPETRONIK supported them in defining their individual requirements, in planning the test facility, and in installing the equipment. When the test center had to be extended two years later, we again proved to be a strong partner.
The Challenge
Efficient thermal management is vital for battery-powered vehicles, especially when it comes to optimizing their range. Thermal management systems include a refrigerant and heat transfer system as well as a “refrigerating” aggregate: the refrigerant circuit. At the core of this circuit is the refrigerant compressor – belt-driven in vehicles with combustion engine, electric in today’s hybrid and electric vehicles.
Since thermal management is not only important for energy efficiency and comfort but also for security, the demands on refrigerant compressors regarding performance and resilience are extremely high. Suppliers of electric refrigerant compressors have to meet the extensive validation requirements of developing OEMs.
Requirements
- Wide mass flow range from 30 kg/h to 800 kg/h
- Several test items in one climate chamber for endurance test benches
- Quick and easy test bench adjustment for varying test requirements during the validation cycle
- Guided measurement with input mask upon test start, steady state detection, and test report generation
- Temperature measurement at the electric refrigerant compressor power electronics with HV thermocouple measurement technology
- Measurement of NVH-relevant parameters such as vibration of the test item or pressure pulsation in high and low pressure
- Measurement of the facility’s power consumption with integrated measurement technology
Our Solution
Within half a year, the first test bench was installed, three additional load units for endurance testing were delivered, and a test station for NVH measurements was equipped with measurement technology as well as a thermodynamic load unit. During the next six months, the test facility was extended to five IPEcomp function test benches, five IPEcomp endurance test benches, as well as twenty test stations for endurance testing (HTOE and PTCE) with compact IPEload load units in one large test center.
A few years later, eleven more IPEcomp test benches were added to the test center. Increasing demands regarding performance and efficiency called for test benches with extended functional and operational areas. These new test benches cover double the mass flow range and are ideal for heat pump application tests. A special “wet test” allows the supplier to feed liquid refrigerant through the suction line.
The Advantages
- Modular design
- Various load units for functional and endurance testing
- Variable voltage levels
- Flexible integration of communication files via CAN and LIN with our software IPEmotion
- Easy test procedure programming in the software
- Fully automated testing on the test bench
- Test report generation in IPEmotion with one click
The IPEcomp: Validation Test Bench for electric and mechanical Refrigerant Compressors
Thanks to the modular design of the IPEcomp test benches, our customer can flexibly adjust their test facility to the current development phase of the product. An IPEcomp includes a temperature chamber and an exchangeable rollable load unit. This way, more test benches are available for functional validation and performance measurements of new models in the early phase of development, whereas in later phases, they can be quickly and flexibly optimized for endurance testing with various load units.
With each test bench providing several DC supplies, test items with different supply voltages (48V DC, 410V DC, 810V DC up to 1500V DC) can be tested at the same time.
