Low-cost electronic DC Load module design for battery capacity evaluation

Rapid advancements in energy storage technology spurred by the use of electricity in a variety of applications have brought attention to the critical need for precise battery capacity evaluation. The electronic DC load devices play an important role in those tests by replicating real-world discharge conditions. Commercial equipment, however, is typically costly and inaccessible to small businesses, labs, or individual researchers. Also, while open-source designs have advances in cost, they are still deficient in scalability, flexibility, and user-friendliness. This study proposes a low-cost, modular electronic DC load that can maintain a steady current of up to 100W per module. With its user-friendly interface and support for numerous other tests, including high power pulse charge (HPPC), constant current, constant resistor, constant power, and battery evaluation, the proposed electronic DC load is robust and simple to use for battery research and evaluation.