Test benches for alternative drives
August 1st, 2021
To ensure the safety and quality of components for alternative drive technologies, these are extensively tested under extreme conditions. Poppe + Potthoff Maschinenbau offers specially adaptable solutions for e-mobility and hydrogen applications with test benches for strength testing of media-carrying components.
In electric and hybrid vehicles, components such as those for cooling and heating systems, refueling systems and other fluid circuits have to withstand extreme load changes and at the same time operate highly efficiently. Pressure and temperature cycling test benches and function test stands from Poppe + Potthoff Maschinenbau allow manufacturers to test and precisely analyze their products under the highest stresses. In a typical test, the component (e.g. valves, hoses or other media-carrying components) is inserted into the test chamber of the test stand. In the climatic chamber of a functional test stands, components can be tested at -40 °C to +160 °C to simulate changing ambient temperatures during the actual pressure / strength test. Pressure changes are freely programmable in sinusoidal and trapezoidal form at a test frequency of e.g. 0.2 to 5 Hz (and more) and enable fast and economical pressure change testing. Possible weak points in the material combination – for example around a weld seam – can be detected and eliminated in this way both early in the development process and during production.
The testing systems from Poppe + Potthoff Maschinenbau can also be used for H2 applications in research & development and for validating components in series production. In addition to pressure cycling test systems, the portfolio also includes solutions for hydrostatic strength testing, burst pressure testing and functional testing. The test benches are used for various component test setups. Some examples are: Shut-off valves, connection parts for tanks, flexible fuel lines, check valves, pressure regulators, pressure reducers, pressure relief valves, flow sensors and hydrogen leak detection sensors.