CELL TESTING SYSTEMS AND CONTROL LOGIC FOR AUTOMATED IN-LINE LEAK DETECTION IN PRISMATIC BATTERY CELLS

Presented are smart testing systems for detecting leaks in electrochemical devices, methods for making/using such testing systems, and memory-stored instructions for automating operation of such systems. A method of detecting a leak in an electrochemical device includes positioning a temperature-controlled (TC) screen with an electrothermal device at a predefined distance from an infrared camera to define therebetween a test envelope. A testing system controller commands the electrothermal device to modify the TC screen's operating temperature to a predefined screen testing temperature. After positioning an electrochemical device in the test envelope, between the TC screen and infrared camera, the infrared camera captures infrared images of the electrochemical device within the test envelope, showing the device's housing located in front of the TC screen. The system controller then analyzes the captured infrared images of the electrochemical device to determine if a gas leak is present in the device housing.