OST

OST – Battery Research & E-Mobility

The Battery Research & E-Mobility Group of OST (Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences – formerly NTB) is working in the field of electro mobility, battery research and charging technology since 2007.

For battery systems, the know-how and expertise ranges from technology characterization, over system design and optimization to prototyping and product development. The applications focus on rugged mobile storage solutions, fast-charging technology and their integration in vehicles.

The thermal management of batteries extends their service life, improves their rapid charging capability and enables them to be used fully at low temperatures.

Services:

• Experimental characterization of thermal and electrical cell behavior
• Verification of cooling concepts in the same test rig
• Thermal-electric models of cells, stacks and batteries
• Simulation of thermal management systems
• Design of temperature-controlled batteries
• Simulation and verification of the mechanical reliability in mobile applications
• Simulation of fire load

In the field of electrified vehicles, innovative concepts are realized under consideration of the application and a high user benefit.

The requirements for robustness, longevity and minimization of energy, taking into account the system context, are focal points of technology transfer.

Services:

• Evaluation of the requirements, especially vibration, driving profile, environmental conditions and customer needs
• Development of innovative concepts
• Efficient thermal management of passenger compartment, drive train and battery
• Integration of efficient charging solutions
• Control of the vehicle to minimize energy consumption, increase safety and reliability and enlarge the passenger comfort

OST – Power Electronics Laboratory

The Power Electronics Laboratory at the OST was established in 2008 and offers comprehensive expertise in the field of switched mode power conversion. One of the focuses is placed on battery charging for electro mobility and stationary applications.

In modern energy systems, power electronics has gained a great deal of importance over the last decade. The demand for ever-increasing charging/discharging power ratings of battery systems poses great challenges on power electronics. This can only be met with novel topologies combined with new semiconductor device technologies.

We have placed a particular focus on wireless power transfer WPT. For electric vehicles, WPT systems offer a number of advantages, such as ease of use for the operator, no conductive parts between the electric systems of charger and vehicle enhance safety, and no wear-out of mechanical parts increase reliability.

The Power Electronics Team offers the following services:

• Feasibility studies for power electronics components and systems using analytical methods and simulation tools.
• Development of switched mode power converter hardware and related software, while employing the latest technology.
• Realizing, optimizing and testing hardware from early evaluation models to advanced prototypes.
• Development of WPT systems, which includes electrical and magnetic modelling, analytical optimization using 3D-FEM tools, constructing the hardware and final characterization and verification.

3/6 kW Solar/Battery/Grid Converter

Power electronics for a 4 kW WPT System

Bidirectional wireless coupler of a WPT system with 4kW power

Thermal image of a wireless coupler

11 kW Wireless charging module for car assembly

22 kW full bridge for a wireless charging system