Leak detection system for battery cells

A leakage testing system for a battery cell, comprising:

• a chamber defining a cavity;
• separating walls arranged in the cavity to define T sampling cavities around the battery cell, respectively, where T is an integer greater than one;
• a vacuum source configured to selectively evacuate the battery cell and the T sampling cavities;
• a trace gas source configured to selectively fill the battery cell with a trace gas;
• and
• a mass spectrometer configured to individually sample the T sampling cavities and to detect a trace gas level in the T sampling cavities.

A leakage testing system for battery cells, comprising:

• a chamber defining a cavity;
• separating walls arranged in the cavity to define B cavities configured to receive B battery cells, respectively, where B is an integer greater than one;
• a vacuum source configured to selectively evacuate the B battery cells and the B cavities;
• a trace gas source configured to selectively fill the B battery cells with a trace gas;
• a mass spectrometer configured to individually sample the B cavities and to detect a trace gas level in the B cavities;
• one or more valves configured to selectively fluidly connect the trace gas source and the vacuum source to vent ports of the B battery cells;
• B valves in fluid communication with the B cavities, wherein the vacuum source is selectively connected by B valves to the B cavities, respectively, and wherein the mass spectrometer is selectively individually connected by the B valves to the B cavities, respectively;
• and
• a controller configured to control the B valves and the one or more valves, wherein the controller is configured to:
• a) control the one or more valves to evacuate the B battery cells;
• b) control the B valves to evacuate the B cavities;
• c) after a), control the one or more valves to fill the B battery cells with the trace gas;
• and
• d) after c), control the B valves to individually sample the B battery cells to detect the trace gas level.