THT사의 ARC는 Heat-Wait-Seek 원리를 최초로 채용한 열량계로써, 단열환경에서 소형 배터리의 발열온도(runaway temperature)를 읽어 온도와 압력을 정량적으로 분석하고 열안전성에 관한 최적의 조건을 구현하는 단열열량계 (adiabatic calorimeter)로써, 리튬이온2차전지의 폭주온도와 폭발압, 자가발열 온도를  측정하는 기기입니다. 본 장비는 내구성이 탁월해 견고하면서도 0.002 °C/min의 고감도 측정이 가능합니다.

Devised by Dow Chemical Company in the 1970's, an explosion at a Dow UK site led to commercialisation of ARC technology. The Chemical Processing Industry has been safer from its first availability in 1980! The ARC has specific features and advantages that make it unique and preferable to all other technologies that were available at this time - and today 30 years later this technology is still the number one choice for most people focusing in the area of quantifying exothermic reactions, effect of heat upon materials and simulating runaway reactions.

THT has played the major role in ARC technology development and has continuously kept ARC technology in manufacture. THT has produced up-to-date instruments and has extended and enhanced the technology as requested, by users. THT has worked with users worldwide to understand their needs and to develop new products and applications.

An understanding of the energy release from chemical reactions is vitally important in the chemical industries. When the heat generated by a chemical process is greater than the heat removal then the temperature will rise with perhaps catastrophic effect. On a laboratory scale, only an adiabatic calorimeter can reliably evaluate such conditions as it reproduces the worst case, zero heat loss conditions of a large scale process. The Accelerating Rate Calorimeter is the most widely used and respected adiabatic calorimeter in the world and provides a quantitative analysis of the temperature and pressure generation for a process. This allows optimum conditions to be employed whilst ensuring inherently safe operation. Developed by The Dow Chemical Company, the Accelerating Rate Calorimeter is in use in over 200 laboratories around the world and the re-engineered instrument offered by Thermal Hazard Technology extends the ease of use and application of the original. In addition to a strong and durable calorimeter and enclosure, options allow for vent sizing, gas sampling, battery safety testing and low temperature testing. The semi-automated data analysis yields temperature and pressure rates, self-heat rate, time to maximum rate and temperature of no return amongst other parameters.

The Accelerating Rate Calorimeter is in use in a huge range of chemical processing areas, from explosives to detergents and from batteries to resins. It can detect exotherms from as little as 0.005 °C/min, corresponding to as little as 100W/tonne. It can test all manner of materials from high energy solids to low energy gases for safety applications in processing, storage or transportation.

Specification

Design

• Fully compliant to ASTM E1981 (all revisions)
• Calorimeter design to Dow Patent No 4439048 of 1980 and 1984
• 9cm diameter; 10cm depth calorimeter
• 2.5cm thick copper, 8 heaters, 6 measuring, control and safety thermocouples
• Thermocouple resolution 0.001°C, Precision better than 0.2%, Accuracy 0.7%
• Adiabatic Control to 0.01°C

Temperature range

• 0-600°C temperature range (-40°C with Cryogenic System Unit CSU option)
• Tracking Rate to 20°C/min
• Fast Tracking Option (FTO) upto 400°C/min

Sensitivity (applicable to new calorimeters only) 

• 0.02°C/min
• Potential to achieve 0.002°C/min to 200°C, 0.01°C/min to 500°C

Pressure

• Pressure Range 0-200 bar (or specify range to 700 bar with alternative transducers), Resolution 0.005bar, Precision 0.02%, Accuracy 0.05%

Safety

• 0.25 cubic meter containment vessel (Blast Box);
• 3mm reinforced Steel, Proximity Switch, Door interlock;
• Automated Fume Extraction facility

Control Modes

• Adiabatic; Ramping, Isothermal modes, True Isothermal, Isoperibolic, Step Isothermal.

Sample Holders

• Hastelloy, titanium, stainless steel, aluminium, glass, ARC bombs (9cm³), low phi bombs (65cm³) tube bombs (1cm³) special open or closed holders for any battery type.

Software

Control Software

• National Instruments Labview based ARC-ES Control Software 
• Full on-the-fly change of test conditions
• Full on-the fly operation

Remote User facilities

• Ability to transfer operation on system to any allowed PC over network or internet

Virtual Technician facility

• Set up multiple tests in one method

Data Analysis Software

• National Instruments Labview based ARCCAL+ analysis software
• Features include: Graphical and tabulation of raw data including Phi Corrected TMR plots
• Data Conversion to Enthalpy, Power, Gas Generation     
• Kinetic Modelling for thermodynamic and kinetic data analysis
• Phi Correction through kinetic modelling
• Report generation in Microsoft Word, Excel, HTML
• Analysis of 9 concurrent data sets; 3 analyses on each data set, merge all datasets to a single plot.

Full range of options available

Want or need to do more? 

• Ultimate functionality. THT offers an unrivalled choice of options. Many are listed below.

Options for battery applications

CPU Automatic Specific Heat Measurement up to 120°C

FHU Air-shield mounted on inner blast box to provide improved extraction 

KSU Single Channel Battery Cycler – Customer specified voltage and current range

LNFO Liquid nitrogen flow for low temperature application, to -40°C start temperature

MPO Multipoint thermocouple for spatial distribution measurement

NPCO Automated Mechanical Abuse testing (Nail Penetration, Crush) up to 34kN force

NPCO-CS Automated Mechanical Abuse testing (Nail Penetration, Crush) up to 34kN force

Kits

Low Phi Kit 
For those working in reaction mixtures and low energy samples

Explosives Testing Kit 
For those working with energetic materials

Battery Safety Kit
For those working with own cycler and abuse tester

Battery Abuse and Pressure Kit
Hardware add-ons to allow simulation of abuse tests

Spares

Low Φ containers 
Designed by THT these low Φ containers are designed to enable accelerating rate calorimeter users to bridge the gap into the world of low-phi testing. These cells are available with several different fittings and can also be fitted with magnetic stir bars. Currently these containers are offered in stainless steel although other materials can be produced. Contact us for further details.

Burst disk unit
THT has designed this burst disk assembly, which is suitable for any accelerating rate calorimeter. Designed to sit above the calorimeter, this device enables the user to protect the system from cell ruptures. The user can fit a number of special burst disks which are designed to rupture at specific pressures and will cause the cell to rapidly discharge. Any liquid vented will be contained within the catch pot. This system is ideally used alongside low-phi containers and glass bombs

Battery sample holders
THT manufactures holders for specific batteries to enable testing in both open and closed (with pressure connections) modes. THT are able to manufacture special holders for any battery dependent on a specified minimum order. Please contact us with your specific requirements.

Customer Support

Installation & Training - 1 week, acceptance test

Support Guarantee 1 year, free of charge phone and email support over lifetime of instrument

Part Supply 10 years guaranteed

Manuals - Full Operations and Data Analysis Manuals with Tutorials

Operation / Ambient Environment

Environmental Requirements

• Temperature 5-45°C, Humidity 0-95%
• Air supply (Optional for rapid cooling post test)
• Water (needed only for CSU)
• Electrical Specification
• Single Phase Electrical Supply 100-250V, 16A 3.5kW
• Instrument conforms to CE, UL, VCCI, CSA standards