The Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) works with a variety of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Laboratories to maintain unique user facilities and conduct research and development (R&D) on power electronics, electric motors, and other aspects of electric drive technology. The capabilities of the National Laboratories are available to help industry.  A description of some of the facilities VTO works with at the National Laboratories in electric drive technologies are below.  To learn more about working with the National Laboratories visit the Department of Energy’s National Laboratory Impact Initiative page. 

 

Oak Ridge National Laboratory Power Electronics and Electric Machinery Research Group

  • 9,000 sq ft dedicated to developing, building and testing next-generation prototype power electronics and electric machines
  • Multiple dynamometer test cells:
    • A test cell capable of 150 hp and 7,500 rpm that has an eddy current brake that slows the machinery using electromagnetic force
    • A test cell capable of 400 hp and 6,500 rpm with an eddy current brake
    • A test cell capable of100 hp and 10,000 rpm that has 4-quadrant capability, allowing it to act as a brake for mechanical load or a prime mover for testing motor drive)
  • One 600 V DC, 600 A, 4-quadrant power supply (also known as a bipolar power supply) that can provide positive or negative output voltage and source or sink current
  • Multiple DC power supplies ranging from 45-480 V and 85-2,000 A
  • Current amplifiers
  • Allen Bradley Variacs (control circuit transformers)
  • Motor drives from multiple suppliers
  • Multiple commercial inverters
  • Environmental laboratory chamber with humidity control capability and environmental laboratory hood
  • Programmable environmental oven, with capability of reaching 750C
  • Ultra high-speed safety tank for testing rotational equipment

 

Ames National Laboratory’s Division of Materials Sciences and Engineering

  • Thermal analysis facility with High Temperature – Digital Signal Controller, Low Temperature-Digital Signal Controller, and Dilatometer
  • Magnetic characterization facility with Magnetic Property Measurement System with superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) Magnetometer 5 Tesla magnet; Physical Property Measurement System (PPMS)9 Tesla platform; two VersaLab 3 Tesla platforms, and one Hysteresigraph closed loop magnetometer.
  • X-ray diffraction capabilities with PANalytical Diffractometers and Bruker Diffractometers: DaVinci D8 Advance Powder Diffractometer with texture and phase mapping capability.
  • Powder processing facilities with two unique high-pressure gas atomization systems, both of which contain novel (patented) passivation devices/provisions that allow for the safe production, handling, characterization, and consolidation of reactive and non-reactive powders:
    • An experimental gas atomizer (EGA) with 5kg capacity
    • Pilot-scale gas atomizer (PSGA) with about 30kg capacity.

 

National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Power Electronics and Electric Machines Laboratory (for Thermal Management and Reliability)

  • Heat transfer experimentation equipment that includes the capabilities for single-phase liquid cooling and two-phase liquid cooling.
  • Air-cooled test benches for heat transfer experiments.
  • Thermal characterization equipment, including:
    • A steady-state test apparatus for thermal interface materials thermal resistance characterization
    • Infrared imaging
    • Xenon flash apparatus for thermal resistance and thermal conductivity characterization
    • Calorimeters (large and differential scanning)
    • Transient thermal tester.
  • The ability to use the transient thermoreflectance technique - an optical technique to measure thermal properties in thin films and multilayered structures.
  • Electrical characterization equipment, including a 1000 amperes dual-channel power supply and high-potential tester to test electrical insulation.
  • Equipment for accelerated testing, including an accelerated stress test chamber, benchtop array for thermal cycling, environmental chambers that simulate environmental conditions, and vertical shock chambers for testing rapid product temperature changes.
  • Equipment for analyzing mechanical characteristics and reliability, including:
    • Microscopes (digital as well as C-mode scanning acoustic that uses ultra-high frequency ultrasound)
    • Laser profilometer that measures roughness without contacting the surface of an object
    • Multifunction bond tester to test the bonding strength of interfaces and interconnects
    • Mechanical tester for measuring strength and stress-strain curves for specific layers in electronics packages.
  • Equipment for synthesizing samples, including a vacuum oven, ability to use the hot-press technique for synthesizing bonded interfaces (such as solders, sintered silver and thermoplastics), and a vacuum solder reflow station for process development and low-volume production of soldered joints.
  • Thermal and thermomechanical modeling capabilities.