Impact Assessment: Test Stand for Operando Battery Investigation

The Hi-Acts Use Case Initiative (UCI) is a targeted funding programme that bridges cutting-edge accelerator-based research with industrial innovation. Its core goal is to generate measurable technological, economic, and societal impact by accelerating the translation of accelerator technologies into practical applications.

Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) developed a flexible test bench for battery tomography to address the urgent need for real-time insight into battery performance as Europe transitions to renewable energy and electric vehicles. Tomography is a 3D imaging method that allows researchers to look inside materials without destroying them. The test bench integrates with synchrotron beamlines—large-scale accelerator facilities that generate extremely bright X-ray light—and is compatible with all major battery formats: coin, pouch, prismatic, and cylindrical cells.

The hardware, supported by Python-based control software, progressed from TRL 5 to TRL 9. TRL, or Technology Readiness Level, is a standard measure of technological maturity, with level 5 meaning a validated laboratory setup and level 9 representing a proven system ready for real-world use. This upgrade enables operando 3D imaging, meaning that batteries can be observed during charging and discharging in real time. The system increases throughput by over 300%, reducing experiment times from several hours to as little as 20 minutes. Since synchrotron beamtime costs around €10,000 per day, this efficiency translates into tens of thousands of euros in savings per experiment, making synchrotron-based battery research significantly more accessible to industry.

Early adopters include two major automotive firms (confidential), highlighting the potential to accelerate innovation in EV battery development. The project has also attracted international collaborations with facilities in the UK, France, and Japan, reinforcing HZB’s role as a global leader in operando battery research.

Beyond technical breakthroughs, the project catalysed pathways for commercialisation, including potential sales of the test bench (€250k–300k per unit), associated support services, and even the development of an AI-powered large language model to guide researchers in accelerator-based battery studies.

By enhancing Germany’s ability to investigate and optimise batteries, this UCI project strengthens European battery sovereignty, directly supporting the automotive sector’s competitiveness in the EV transition. It demonstrates how modest UCI investments can deliver strategic advances with significant industrial and societal relevance.

Click now on the corresponding Success Story Next-Gen Battery Research: Seeing Performance & Degradation in Action, for even deeper insights!

You can find the report and infographic to download below: