New Testing Capabilities for Battery Safety at Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt

The C-ECOS research group at the CARISSMA Institute of Safety in Future Mobility, Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt, has expanded its experimental infrastructure with the installation of a new autoclave system from MOTIS Fire Technology for battery abuse testing.

The new facility enables controlled abuse tests on lithium-ion batteries and small battery packs. The system consists of a 20-foot container with an integrated 500-liter pressure chamber (Diameter of 700 mm × 1.3m Depth) that serves as a defined test environment for experiments up to EUCAR Hazard Level 7. Various trigger methods such as nail penetration, overheating, short circuit, overcharging can be applied. Integrated sensors measure temperature, voltage, pressure, and gas composition, enabling detailed analysis of hazardous emissions during battery fires. An integrated flue gas scrubbing system ensures that combustion gases are treated to minimize environmental impact.

The installation and integration of the new testing device were successfully coordinated by Mr. Nikolas Schwan and Mr. Rudolf Reclo. The C-ECOS group operates under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Hans-Georg Schweiger, who heads research activities in battery safety and forensic investigation.

Last week, Dr. Yash Kotak, Technical Head of the C-ECOS group, together with his team members completed specialized training on the newly installed system to ensure its effective use in upcoming research projects.

With this new infrastructure, C-ECOS further strengthens its capabilities to investigate hazardous emissions from lithium-ion battery failures and to advance research in battery fire safety and mitigation strategies.