Battery Management System (BMS) testing

Electric vehicles (EV) rely on battery management systems to maximize their power, range, and efficiency. Every battery cell in the EV has to be connected (wired or wirelessly) to a Battery Management Controller (BMC). Automotive manufacturers try to maximize the number and density of the cells whilst maintaining galvanic isolation, increasing the necessity for correct management. To ensure performance and safety, it is crucial to emulate the battery cells used in electric vehicles as well as verify the communications between the BMC and Cell Management Controller (CMC).

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Your BMS testing challenges

To optimize the monitoring, controlling and management of the battery cells using the BMS. For example, overcharging and deep discharging reduces the lifetime of the batteries, so correct control by the BMC must be ensured:

Battery defects could lead to overheating of a battery and even cause a fire, so stress testing of the battery by emulating real-world conditions, including error scenarios such as overload and under-voltages and complex cell profiles should be conducted.
CMC suppliers need to characterize the controller and perform production tests with flexible cell emulation.
Validation of the complete BMS system including software simulation and HiL testing.
Conduct cell balancing testing: emulation of pre-defined State of Charge (SoC) for each single cell.

Verify communication between the CMC & BMC, in accordance with the appropriate standard, e.g. CAN, LIN SPI etc.:

Need to analyze many frames for a long period of time, identify certain frames of interest out of all frames transmitted on a bus
Measure frame spaces: (frame to frame, trigger to frame, gap time etc)

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Features of Rohde & Schwarz BMS testing solutions

Battery Management System testing:

Simulation and control of individual battery cells with multiple power supplies
Pre-defined and programmable cell models, for example Li-Ion
Real time monitoring of battery cell parameters such as terminal and open circuit voltage, charge and discharge current, state of charge (SOC), internal resistance
Scalable to the needed number of cells
Fast regulation of output impedance (adjustable from -50 mOhm to 100 Ohm)
Digital I/O interface ensures synchronous and fast control of all battery cells

CMC/BMC communication verification:

Analyze/decode multiple frames of CAN, LIN, SPI, UART buses over long periods of time
Isolate key frames of interest with extensive protocol and symbolic level triggering (data, error messages, start of frame, etc)
Segmented memory further allows trigger & efficient capture of even larger periods of data
In depth bus measurements and analysis of the decoded data (bus idle ratio, bit rate etc)
Measure frame timings and statistics: (frame to frame, trigger to frame, gap time etc)
Advanced analysis capabilities such as spectrum analysis and spectrogram to visualize anomalies, EMI effects and events in both time and frequency domain
Automatic PWM measurements (unipolar & bipolar)

Benefits of R&S BMS testing solutions

Efficiency: Flexibility gains provided by test instruments that can be used on benchtop or in production.
Security: Assurance from using a reproducible and realistic test environment.
Shorter time-to-market: Flexible, fast verification and optimization of Cell Monitoring Controllers.
Safety: Remove the need for hazardous cells.
Future-proof: Modular concept and scalable design.

Our expert

Ralf Oestreicher, Market Segment Manager, Rohde & Schwarz

"The battery Management System is the key element in electric vehicles in the same way that the Engine Control Unit is central to the operation of conventional cars. Therefore, ensuring its correct and safe function is critical for optimum performance, range and efficiency. We are proud to say that BMS test solutions from Rohde & Schwarz provide out customers with the highest accuracy and stability available on the market."

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