The INFICON ELT3000

A Breakthrough In Battery Leak Testing

There is no denying; batteries are an ever growing feature of our everyday lives. From phones to watches & from laptops to cars, batteries are everywhere and seemingly in everything.

The concept of batteries is far from new. The first use of “battery” being used to describe an electrical device is credited to Benjamin Franklin in 1748, with the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta building the first electrochemical battery in 1800. In the centuries that followed batteries would continue to be developed and refined, until they took on the form(s) many of us are familiar with today.

The 21st century has, however, brought new challenges and opportunities for the humble battery cell. Increasing electrification, especially within the automotive sector, has seen the demand for batteries grow rapidly. Yet at the same the demand for safety, longevity and relatability has never been higher.

Most of us have experienced the frustration of a dead battery. A laptop, that’s no longer potable, when the battery refuses to charge, a torch that won’t turn on when it’s needed the most, or a phone that dies before that important call. While these are all frustrating, they have all historically been easy and, relatively, inexpensive to rectify. Batteries were consumable, when they failed, we replaced them. Today, however, there is a growing expectation and need for batteries to last as long as the product they are powering, and of course be safe while doing so. Failure to live up to these expectations, can lead to damaged product reputation, and or expensive warranty claims and product recalls

This is where the ELT3000 from INFICON can help

Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries have good energy density, which means they are ideal of many modern applications, especially within the automotive sector. Today Li-ion cells are the go to choice for the majority of hybrid-electric and electric vehicle manufactures, due to their power to weight ratio and relative cost per cell. These applications can, however, expose Li-ion cells to harsh environments, meaning that cell quality, and leak tightness are critical.

The electrolytes used within these cells, reacts with moisture to create acid. If the conditions are correct, this acid can create an exothermal reaction leading to a thermal runaway event and ultimately fire. Total loss is the worst-case scenario, but even if contained, damage can be significant leading to unhappy customers and costly warranty issues.

The risk can be reduced through good pack design and rigours trace gas testing, but do not eliminate the potential for leaking cells absorbing water vapour entirely. This is only possible through testing at the cell-level and required a vastly different approach to the problem.

The ELT3000, provides as a highly accurate leak test for Li-ion battery cells vastly differing from traditional methods. Utilising the existing electrolyte solvent as the indicator, the ELT3000 required no additional tracer gas. Furthermore, by being able to detect a range of electrolytes including; dimethyl carbonate (DMC), ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC) and polypropylene (PP) offers unique flexibility.

While convectional test methods vary, none meet the accuracy, relatability or repeatability of the ELT3000. Against visual inspection, commonly used for pouch cells, the detectable leak rate of the ELT3000 is a million times smaller and against other tracer gas methods up to 1,000 times.

Further details can be found either via our webpage or by watching our recorded webinar on the ELT3000 https://bit.ly/2IUxjVb

If you have any questions, or are interested in the ELT3000 for your application please feel free to contact me directly

Matthew Fitzpatrick

Key Account Manager 

Mobile: +44 (0)7985 382 411

Emil: matthew.fitzpatrick@inficon.com

Innovation based on proven technology