Basic cell for performing a functional test of your PAT-Tester
Product description
The PAT-Dummy-Cell I is used to perform a quick functional test of your PAT-Tester right out of the box, or in case the tester does not work as expected with your electrochemical test cell. The PAT-Dummy-Cell-I consists of simple RC circuits:
The dummy cell can be considered a simplistic equivalent circuit of the three electrodes of an electrochemical cell. The R2|C1 parallel connection represents the electrode/electrolyte interface of electrode 1. R3|C2 is the same for electrode 2. The bulk (ohmic) resistance contributions between 1 and 2 are represented by R1 and R4. If the current passes between 1 and 2, the voltage drop across R5 is zero. Then the electrode R can be considered the voltage tap between electrodes 1 and 2. In contrast, if the current goes through electrode R, then voltage also drops across R5.
Test cases
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1. DC test with constant current When applying a constant current, the dummy cell behaves, in steady state, as an ohmic voltage divider. For the test shown below we apply a current of 1 mA between 1 and 2, then between 1 and R, and finally between 2 and R. The three cc steps are separated by rest steps. Each step takes 200 milliseconds. The steady state is reached within a few ms, defined by the time constant of the respective RC element. Script used: Dummy-I-CC-i12-i1R-i2R.elc |
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2. Impedance (GEIS) test
The RC elements of the dummy circuit are best characterized by impedance measurements. For the results shown below as Bode plots, we applied a sinusoidal alternating current with an amplitude of 1 mA, with frequencies between 100 kHz and 1 Hz. First, the alternating current was applied between 1 and 2, then between 1 and R and finally between 2 and R.
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2.1 Current flows between 1 and 2 Script used: Dummy-I-GEIS-i12.elc
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2.2 Current flows between 1 and R Script used: Dummy-I-GEIS-i1R.elc  |
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2.3 Current flows between 2 and R Script used: Dummy-I-GEIS-i2R.elc
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| PAT-Dummy-Cell I | ||
| Height | 36 mm | |
| Width | 68 mm | |
| Depth | 68 mm | |
| Electric component values | ||
| R1 | 10 Ohm | |
| R2 | 287 Ohm | |
| R3 | 1000 Ohm | |
| R4 | 1 Ohm | |
| R5 | 1000 Ohm | |
| C1 | 1 µF | |
| C2 | 10 µF | |