Advanced Battery Thermal Conductivity Testing for Safer, Smarter Energy
In today’s world, batteries power everything-from cars to phones. As we rely on them more, safety and performance become very important. There is a rising need for better energy storage. New testing methods are helping create safer and smarter batteries.
Advanced Testing Techniques: A Leap Forward
Thermal Simulation and Accuracy
Thermal simulation is a key tool for designing thermal management systems. These simulations depend on accurate thermal properties of the battery, especially the thermal conductivity of each battery cell. Traditional testing methods have limitations, particularly when measuring thermal conductivity in pouch and cylindrical batteries. For square batteries, there is no standard testing method. As a result, testing often relies on empirical data or theoretical models, which can cause large differences from actual results.
Zeal Instruments Testing Devices
Zeal Instruments provides two main devices for testing battery thermal conductivity. These devices are designed for different battery sizes and forms, such as pouch, square hard-shell, and cylindrical batteries. The devices offer high precision, accuracy, and stability. This ensures that testing meets the high standards required in laboratories.
The TCA 2SC-080 Thermal Parameter Tester can perform non-destructive testing on square and cylindrical batteries. It measures thermal conductivity and internal thermal resistance. Meanwhile, the TCA 3DP-160 Thermal Physical Property Analyzer is used to measure thermal conductivity in pouch batteries. It can measure both in-plane and longitudinal conductivity, ensuring precise results.

Dual-state Thermal Parameter Tester – TCA 2SC-080
Overview of the TCA 2SC-080
The TCA 2SC-080 Dual-state Thermal Parameter Tester uses infrared thermography for temperature measurement without contact. It also uses an advanced 3D heat transfer model for analysis. This technology works well for testing samples with different structures, like core-shell ones. The tester allows non-destructive testing of thermal conductivity and internal thermal resistance in hard-shell lithium battery cells.
Features of the Tester
The tester provides non-destructive, in-situ measurements of multidimensional thermal conductivity for battery samples. It automatically sets the experiment parameters based on the sample information. Adjustments can be made during the testing process. The device uses a 3D heat transfer model to measure key parameters, such as core transverse thermal conductivity, core longitudinal thermal conductivity, and overall equivalent thermal conductivity. The cold plate temperature and flow rate can be adjusted to simulate different heat dissipation conditions. The operation is simple, with fully automated test initiation and execution.
Testing Range and Conditions
The TCA 2SC-080 can test a wide range of sample sizes. It requires low surface flatness for accurate testing. The tester can handle homogeneous and heterogeneous samples with different specifications, surface hardness, roughness, and porosity. It also supports external battery charging and discharging equipment. This feature helps to simulate thermal conditions during these processes. The uniform temperature across the six-sided cold plates ensures accurate results. It has high-precision oil bath temperature control and adjustable ambient temperature.
Specifications
The TCA 2SC-080 measures Core Transverse and Longitudinal Thermal Conductivity, Core-shell Contact Thermal Resistance, and Overall Equivalent Thermal Conductivity. It can handle a maximum sample size of 400mm x 250mm x 80mm. The test time is 15 minutes, with a repeatability of less than 8%. The accuracy for Core Transverse Thermal Conductivity is less than 8%, and for Core Longitudinal Thermal Conductivity, it’s less than 10%. The Overall Equivalent Thermal Conductivity is also accurate within 10%. The temperature range is from 0 to 80℃, with temperature stability of 0.03℃ and accuracy of 0.1℃.

3D Thermal Properties Analyzer – TCA 3DP-160
Overview of the TCA 3DP-160
The TCA 3DP-160 3D Thermal Properties Analyzer uses non-contact thermal imaging. It also applies advanced dynamic 3D data inversion technology. This allows it to measure the thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity of complex structured samples. The analyzer is especially good for testing multi-layered, heterogeneous, and anisotropic materials, such as pouch lithium-ion batteries.
Key Features
The TCA 3DP-160 can test a variety of sample sizes, though it requires a certain level of surface flatness. It can handle both homogeneous and heterogeneous samples. These may differ in specifications, surface hardness, roughness, and porosity. The device provides non-contact measurements and automatically compensates for heat dissipation interferences from the surface and supports. This improves the accuracy of the results. The analyzer displays test data, predicted data, error data, and error assessment in color graphics. This makes it easier to validate experimental results quickly.
Additional Features
The TCA 3DP-160 allows non-destructive testing. It accurately measures the equivalent thermal conductivity of multi-layer thin film stacks. The uniform temperature across the six-sided cold plates ensures precise results. It also has high-precision oil bath temperature control and adjustable ambient temperature. The device is simple to use, with fully automated experiment initiation and execution. It can automatically generate and save graphs and process data. Additionally, the system supports historical data queries.
Specifications
The TCA 3DP-160 measures thermal conductivity in the longitudinal range of 0.2W/(m-K) to 5W/(m-K) and in the transverse range of 5W/(m-K) to 100W/(m-K). Its thermal diffusivity range is from 0.1 mm²/s to 2 mm/s longitudinally and from 2 mm/s to 50 mm/s transversely. The sample size for transverse measurements is less than 400mm x 250mm, and for longitudinal measurements, it ranges from 3mm to 20mm. The test time is 10 minutes with a repeatability of less than 3%. The temperature range is 0 to 60℃, with stability of 0.03℃ and accuracy of 0.1℃.

Understanding Thermal Conductivity: The Heart of Battery Performance
What is Thermal Conductivity?
Thermal conductivity is the ability of a material to conduct heat. In simple terms, it tells us how well heat can move through a substance. For batteries, thermal conductivity is important because it helps manage heat within the battery. If heat is not managed well, the battery may overheat or even fail. This makes thermal conductivity a key factor in battery design and function.
The Role in Safety
Effective heat dissipation is vital for battery safety. If heat builds up inside the battery, it can cause serious problems like overheating or thermal runaway. Thermal runaway happens when the battery gets so hot that it begins to break down, leading to fires or explosions. A battery that can manage heat well is less likely to overheat, which helps avoid these dangerous situations.
Maximize Your Battery Performance with TCA Testing Devices
The TCA 2SC-080 measures thermal conductivity and internal thermal resistance in hard-shell batteries. It provides quick, non-destructive testing with high accuracy. The TCA 3DP-160 analyzes complex samples like pouch batteries. It offers precise, non-contact measurements and is easy to use. Both devices ensure reliable results and high efficiency. Choose the right device for accurate battery testing.
For more details, contact us today!