Battery Formation and Test (BFT)

Vicor's high-density and high-efficiency power modules enable BFT system design engineers to implement power delivery network (PDN) architectures. This will achieve higher power output in a significantly smaller footprint, maximizing throughput and optimizing energy efficiency through advanced recycling capabilities.

BFT OEMs maximize throughput without expanding existing equipment footprint to help minimize increases in manufacturing costs due to capital equipment and facility expansion investments. OEMs need to recycle as much of the power used in the battery formation, making the process as efficient and cost-effective as possible in order to be competitive in the market. These power modules provide design engineers with efficient and power-dense solutions. These power modules use a modular power approach, requiring dramatically less space than traditional discrete power solutions, allowing BFT OEMs to increase battery throughput without increasing floor space.

The power modules allow electricity to flow in two directions (bidirectional), making recycling energy used in the battery charging process effortless. The recycled energy can be used for different cells and other manufacturing processes or sent back into the grid for further cost savings.

The Vicor family of BCM bus converter modules extends from 800 V to 48 V inputs with various K factors to suit multiple applications and markets. For example, BCM6123 bus converter modules are critical in BFT PDNs due to the high-density, bidirectional, high-efficiency isolation features. Additionally, BCM6123 modules offer output voltage options of 48 V, 24 V, and 12 V for design flexibility. When matched with efficient ZVS buck regulators, Vicor offers many critical voltages for formatting cells from 12 V to 2.5 V.