Vibration Test for Large Lithium-ion Battery Assemblies on UN Transportation Manual of Tests & Criteria

UN38.3 Vibration Test

38.3.4.3.1 Purpose
• This test simulates vibration during transport.

38.3.4.3.1 Test procedure
• Cells and batteries are firmly secured to the platform of the vibration machine without distorting the cells in such a manneras to faithfully transmit the vibration.
• The vibration shall be a sinusoidal waveform with a logarithmic sweep between 7 Hz and 200 Hz and back to 7 Hz traversed in 15 minutes. This cycle shall be repeated 12 times for a total of 3 hoursfor each of three mutually perpendicular mounting positions ofthe cell. One of the directions of vibration must beperpendicular to the terminal face.

. Some elements of the existing test series are not relevant to a non-operating cell or battery packaged for transport, however, some elements of the existing test
series will be retained and strengthened in order tocompensate for some of these deletions. Specifically:

a) the extreme temperature exposure test is expanded to stress connections within cells and battery packs;
b) the vibration test is expanded in frequency range to be representative of conditions of all modes of transport; and
c) the current shock test is replaced by a more universal shock test

Vibrations: Vibrations in commercial aircraft from which packages may be exposed ranging from 5 mm amplitude at 7 Hz
(corresponding to 1 g acceleration), to 0.05 mm amplitude at 200 Hz (corresponding to 8 g acceleration).

ICAO TI and IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations describe Generic Transportation Circumstance about Temperature, Pressure and
Vibration. The current vibration test conditions are referred to this description, the requency range 7 Hz to 200 Hz and the vibration acceleration of 8 g at
maximum

Since the 4th revised edition, the specified frequency range was expanded from 10 Hz - 55 Hz ( the 3rd edition) to 7 Hz - 200 Hz, in order to account for the generic transport circumstance of aircraft.

Vibration Test Methods of Three Directions for Small DUTs

Fix the DUT with an attachment or jig to the platform and turn it to set in the proper direction when change the vibration direction.
The attachment or jig should be designed in order to avoid harmful influences from resonant vibration of jig and DUT in the test frequency range.
Note: DUT(Device Under Test)

Typical Method of Securing and Test in Three Directions for Ordinary Size of DUTs

Battery Pack Designs

-Lithium ion battery packs are required to pass UN Tests and Criteria Section 38.3, sameas lithium ion cells.
-Lithium Ion Battery Packs are electric storage systems which are made by assembling cells or modules with connection by bus-bars/electric wires and have at least one disconnect plug and are composed of other necessary electronic units.
-The battery packs have appropriate strength resistant in order to meet the automobile design requirements.
-Such battery packs are mainly no more than 6200 Wh in capacity. They will be categorized as “Large battery” . However, they are still required to pass UN Tests same as battery cells.
-The gross weight is generally proportional to its battery capacity, also dependent of itssystem design, and from 12 kg to 100 kg or more.

-Large, heavyweight and sophisticated battery pack (DUT) has much difficulty in conducting mechanical vibration (T.3) and shock (T.4) tests and also needs
testing facilities of enough capability.
-Current test procedure states that “Cells and batteries are firmly secured to the platform of the vibration machine without distorting the cells in such a
manner as to faithfully transmit the vibration.”
-To secure such a large and heavy DUT to the platform during vibration tests in 3D orthogonal axes, the DUT has to be clamped by screw, instead of by
belts in a normal transport style.

Difference of Vibration Transmission (z-axis)

There are several standards related to Vibration Tests such as;
– ISO/CD 12405 “Electrically propelled road vehicles — Test specification for lithium-ion traction battery packs and systems — Part 1: High power
applications” is now in work by ISO TC22/SC21 LIBPT.

– ISO 16750-3 (2007) “Road vehicles -- Environmental conditions and testing for electrical and electronic equipment -- Part 3: Mechanical
loads” defines test procedures and conditions for automobile parts evaluation.

– RTCALDO- 160D (1997) “ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS AND TEST
PROCEDURES FOR AIRBORNE EQUIPMENT” is used in the robust vibration test for different aircraft types with best selected test profile.

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