Inverter Testbed

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Short Description

The inverter test bench at FH JOANNEUM, Department of Automotive Engineering, is used for the characterisation, verification and qualification of inverters for electric drive systems. It enables the investigation of electrical, thermal and functional properties under defined and reproducible operating conditions. The infrastructure is suitable for applications in hybrid electric vehicles (HEV, PHEV), battery electric vehicles (BEV) and high-voltage charging systems.

The test bench supports the measurement of efficiency and loss maps, power testing, thermal investigations, endurance and lifetime testing, as well as functional and safety assessments. Different load and frequency conditions, supply voltages and operating profiles can be simulated. Supported motor types include PMSM, ASM, EESM and SRM. In addition, fault testing, including short-circuit and phase-loss tests, and the evaluation of control strategies can be performed.

The maximum electrical operating limits on the DC side are 1,200 V and 1,200 A for 30 seconds, or 800 A continuously. On the AC side, the system supports up to 1,200 V peak and 800 A RMS. Environmental conditioning is available within a temperature range of 10 °C to 95 °C and a relative humidity range of 10% to 98%. Temperature testing from −70 °C to 180 °C is also provided. The coolant temperature can be varied between −40 °C and 140 °C.

The facility is equipped with an AVL List PUMA automation system, an X-ION measurement system and rest-bus simulation capabilities. In combination with the drivetrain test bench and a battery emulator, inverters can also be investigated in conjunction with real electric motors. The infrastructure supports development, optimisation and qualification activities for electric drive systems.

Contact Person

DI (FH) Dr. Andreas Kerschbaumer

Research Services

• Characterisation and performance testing of inverters for electric drive systems
• Measurement of efficiency and loss maps
• Electrical measurements and analysis of voltage, current and power waveforms
• Thermal characterisation and cooling performance assessment
• Investigation of different load profiles, operating frequencies and supply voltages
• Functional and safety testing, including the evaluation of protection functions
• Fault testing, including short-circuit and phase-loss tests
• Endurance and lifetime testing
• Investigation and validation of inverter control strategies
• Climatic testing under defined temperature and humidity conditions
• Testing of different electric motor topologies (PMSM, ASM, EESM and SRM)
• Investigation of inverter performance in combination with real electric motors, using the drivetrain test bench and a battery emulator

Research and development services for external companies and research institutions are available subject to capacity and technical feasibility. The specific scope of services and test conditions are agreed upon on a project-specific basis. For enquiries regarding available testing capacities and potential collaborations, please contact fztprueffeld@fh-joanneum.at

Methods & Expertise for Research Infrastructure

The inverter test bench combines automated testing methods with expertise in electric drive systems, power electronics and vehicle engineering. The infrastructure enables systematic characterisation and evaluation of inverters under defined electrical, thermal and environmental conditions. Measurement methods include efficiency and loss mapping, analysis of voltage and current waveforms, thermal characterisation, and functional and safety testing. Dynamic load profiles and different operating conditions can be reproduced to investigate inverter performance, energy losses, cooling requirements and control strategies.

The expertise of FH JOANNEUM in electric drive systems supports the interpretation of measurement results and the evaluation of inverter performance in relation to practical vehicle applications. The test bench can be used to investigate different electric motor technologies, including permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSM), asynchronous motors (ASM), electrically excited synchronous motors (EESM) and switched reluctance motors (SRM). Further applications include endurance testing, fault testing and the verification of inverter protection functions.

In combination with the drivetrain test bench and a battery emulator, the infrastructure also enables investigations involving real electric motors and simulated battery operating conditions. This allows individual components and their interactions within an electric drive system to be evaluated. The resulting measurement data can support the development and optimisation of inverter hardware, control strategies and thermal management concepts. The facility provides a basis for collaborative research and development projects with universities, research institutions and industrial partners in the fields of electromobility and electric powertrain technology.