R&D

Energy Storage Systems Group

The Energy Storage Systems Group, operating under TÜBİTAK RUTE Alternative Energy Technologies Department, designs, develops and manufactures battery components (anode, cathode and electrolyte) and battery prototypes of secondary batteries. In addition to material, cell, battery module and battery pack development activities, the Energy Storage Systems Group operates to meet both its own research and development processes and the needs of the industry thanks to its competent and extensive testing infrastructure. In order to reduce dependence on battery raw materials, it carries out many R&D activities such as cobalt-reduced electrode, cell production from recycled materials, design and production of high energy density cells, development of new generation anode and cathode chemistries, solid state electrolyte studies. It conducts extensive testing for primary and secondary lithium ion batteries, nickel metal hydride batteries, lead acid batteries, gel batteries and many next generation storage technologies. It also provides consultancy and testing services (according to TSE/EN standards) to public and private organizations/companies for innovative electrochemical storage solutions.

R&D

Aims and Objectives

Objective

  • Understand and meet the needs of our stakeholders,
  • Formulating battery formulas with different characteristics in strategic areas,
  • To produce R&D solutions that meet the pilot-scale production and testing needs of the battery ecosystem.

Objectives

  • To design and develop environmentally friendly battery cells with high energy density and reduced raw material dependency.
  • Developing methods to increase the safety levels of batteries and conducting R&D studies on highly reliable battery chemistries.
  • Developing new generation battery technologies and pioneering our country's efforts in this field.

Working Areas

  • Active Material Development
  • High Energy Density Cell and Component Development
  • Next Generation Anode and Cathode Chemistries
  • Next Generation Energy Storage Technologies Like Sodium Ion Batteries
  • Solid State Cell Development
  • High Voltage Electrolyte
  • 3D Current Carriers
  • Fast Charging
  • Cell Production from Recycled Materials
  • Cell Design and Fabrication Using Cobalt Reduced Cathode Chemistry
  • Li-ion Pouch-type and Prismatic Type Cell Design
  • Production of Pouch Type and Prismatic Type Cells at Pilot Scale
  • Tests on Different Battery Technologies (Lithium Ion Batteries, Nickel Metal Hydride Batteries, Lead Acid Batteries, etc.)
  • Comprehensive Electrical Testing for Cells of Different Geometries (Button, Cylindrical, Pouch, Prismatic)
  • Battery Module and Pack Level Electrical Performance Tests
  • Life and Storage Tests
  • Customer Defined Electrical Performance Tests
  • Electrical Performance Tests under Different Temperature and Humidity Conditions
  • Cell, Module and Battery Pack Level AC and DC Internal Resistance Measurements
  • Cell Level Security Tests (Nail Penetration Test, Crush Test, Short Circuit Test and Impact Test)
  • Vacuum and Helium Tightness Tests
  • Consulting Services

Infrastructure

TUBITAK RUTE Battery R&D and Test Center Laboratory, with an area of approximately 1,150 square meters, not only meets the basic research needs for electrical energy storage systems, but also has the necessary equipment for the production of pilot-sized lithium-ion batteries. It also has devices and equipment for the certification and testing of batteries in accordance with international standards. The laboratories operating in the existing infrastructure are listed below:

  • Active Material Development Laboratory
  • Anode, Cathode and Electrolyte Development Laboratory
  • Electrochemical Identification Laboratory
  • Design and Control Systems Laboratory
  • Prototype [Electrode, Pouch Battery and Cylindrical Battery] Development Laboratory
  • Prototype (Prismatic Battery) Development Laboratory
  • Electrical Test Systems Laboratory
  • Safety Test Systems Laboratory

Projects/Products

  • Developed Batteries
    • Pouch type Battery
    • Prismatic Battery
  • Battery Modules Developed
    • 2 Series 2 Parallel Battery Modules
    • 12 Series 2 Parallel Battery Module
    • 3 Series 2 Parallel Battery Module
    • 7 Series 8 Parallel Battery Module
  • Battery Packs Developed
    • 1 kWh Battery Pack
    • 5 kWh Battery Pack
  • Developing Battery Management Systems (BMS)
    • Stand-alone Battery Management System
    • Battery Management System

TÜBİTAK RUTE Battery R&D and Test Center Laboratory has a mixer, ball mill, grinder, tube furnace, melting furnace, muffle furnace, hydraulic press, reactor, microwave, etc. and necessary equipment for active material development activities; a mixer, coater and calender for laboratory scale electrode production; and 2 glove boxes and necessary equipment for button battery production.

The production of anode and cathode electrodes and the subsequent development of the battery production process are being carried out intensively. The existing pilot scale electrode production line has two mixers with 5 lt capacity, one coating device and one rolling device for preparing anode and cathode slurries. There is a kinematic viscosity device for the fluidity measurement of anode and cathode slurries. The pilot scale electrode (anode/cathode) production line can produce electrodes at a speed of 0.5 meters per minute and a width of 15 cm.

In TÜBİTAK RUTE Battery R&D and Test Center Laboratory, the pilot scale pouch type battery production infrastructure is located in a dry room. The pouch type lithium ion battery pilot production line includes electrode sizing, electrode stringing, pressing, pouch forming, pole head assembly, three-sided sealing, electrolyte filling and final sealing devices. In the production line, 1-20 Ah capacity pouch type lithium ion batteries with battery sizes (mm) 70*120 and 100*150 and battery thickness up to 12 mm are produced. Electrolyte production can also be realized in the existing dry room.

In addition to the pilot scale electrode production and pouch type battery production infrastructure, there is a prismatic type lithium ion battery production line infrastructure located in a dry and clean room that meets dew point -65 °C, humidity level (RH) < % 0.05 and 10,000 class clean room standards. The existing prismatic battery production line includes electrode winding, pressing, ultrasonic welding, winding placement, laser welding, leakage control, electrolyte filling, soaking, pre-charging and final closing devices. The production line can produce prismatic type batteries with a capacity range of 3-60 Ah.

R&D

Battery Test Systems Infrastructure

In TÜBİTAK RUTE Battery R&D and Test Center Laboratory, where studies on battery material development, battery prototype development and electrochemical identification are carried out, the infrastructure required for the electrochemical testing of batteries in accordance with national and international standards has been established and is currently being used. In this context, our Battery Test Systems Infrastructure is as follows:

Module/Battery Pack Test System:

  • 600V-150A-90kW,2 Channel (600V-300A-180kW in parallel)
  • 1,200V-800A-250kW, 1 Channel
  • 72V-200A, 10 Channel (72V-2000A in parallel)
  • 200V-600A, 1 Channel

 

Cell Testing Systems:

  • 5V-1mA, 8 Channel
  • 5V-10mA, 56 Channel
  • 5V-20mA, 24 Channels
  • 5V-3A, 8 Channel
  • 10V-10A, 16 Channel
  • 5V-12A, 24 Channels
  • 5V-20A, 40 Channel
  • 5V-50A, 24 Channel
  • 5V-100A, 16 Channels
  • 6V-500A, 6 Channel (6V-3000A in parallel)
First Charging System:

  • 6V-20A, 10 channel prismatic battery test system

  • Potentiostat-Galvanostat
    AC Internal Resistance Meter
    Thermal Shock Cabinet
    Air Conditioning Cabinets
    HL6 Resistant Air Conditioning Cabinet
    Cell Formation System
    Helium Tightness Tester
    Sealing Test Vacuum Device
    Safety Test Equipment (Puncture Test, Crush Test, Short Circuit Test and Impact Test)
    Button Type Cell Production and Test Equipment
    Electrode Production and Test Equipments
    Pouch Type Cell Production and Testing Equipment
    Prismatic Type Cell Production and Test Equipment