Services

Cold Temperature Testing

Cold Temperature Testing

Environmental testing, particularly cold temperature testing, is critical in clean technology projects to ensure that equipment and systems can operate efficiently and reliably under extreme conditions. Clean energy technologies, such as wind turbines, solar panels, hydrogen fuel cells, and battery storage systems, are often deployed in harsh environments that experience low temperatures. Cold temperature testing allows Czero engineers to assess how materials, components, and systems perform when subjected to freezing conditions, ensuring that they can withstand thermal stresses, avoid material brittleness, and maintain functionality in cold climates.

This testing also helps identify potential weaknesses early in the design phase, improving the longevity and safety of clean technology systems while enhancing overall reliability in diverse weather conditions. For example, wind turbines in cold regions must withstand ice buildup and freezing temperatures without compromising efficiency. Cold testing ensures these systems can continue to function under such circumstances.


Analysis

Cold temperature testing is a critical aspect of validating the durability, reliability, and performance of various technologies, particularly in industries that require systems to function in harsh, cold environments. Below is a comprehensive list of the types of analyses that Czero typically employs cold temperature testing:

Material Durability Testing

Thermal Expansion and Contraction Analysis: Examines how materials expand or contract when exposed to freezing temperatures and whether they maintain structural integrity.
Fatigue and Stress Testing:
Assesses how materials endure repeated temperature changes, which can lead to cracks or degradation over time.
Brittleness Testing:
Identifies materials that become brittle in low temperatures and are prone to cracking or breaking.

Mechanical and Structural Performance

Component Stress Testing: Evaluates the resilience of mechanical parts like fasteners, bearings, and joints under cold conditions.
Load-Bearing Capacity Testing:
Verifies the structural capacity of load-bearing components in cold environments.
Lubricant and Fluid Testing:
Determines how oils, greases, and other fluids behave in low temperatures, which can impact mechanical performance.

Electrical and Electronic Systems

Battery Performance Analysis: Tests the performance and efficiency of batteries, including lithium-ion, in freezing temperatures to assess energy storage and power output.
Semiconductor and Circuit Testing:
Examines how electronic circuits, microchips, and other components perform at low temperatures to ensure reliable operation.
Insulation and Cable Performance:
Evaluates the behavior of insulation materials in cold conditions, ensuring they can prevent electrical failures.

Thermal Management Systems

Heat Transfer Analysis: Assesses how well heat exchangers, radiators, and other thermal systems perform in cold environments.
Cold Start Testing:
For systems that need to operate immediately after exposure to cold temperatures, this testing ensures they start reliably without performance degradation.

Environmental Stress Screening (ESS)

Accelerated Life Testing: Simulates prolonged exposure to cold temperatures to predict a product's lifespan under real-world conditions.
Freeze-Thaw Cycle Testing:
Repeated freezing and thawing cycles are used to check if components can survive without losing functionality.

Clean Energy Technologies

Hydrogen Storage and Fuel Cell Performance: Assesses the performance of hydrogen fuel cells and storage tanks under freezing temperatures.
Wind Turbine Icing Analysis:
Evaluates how icing affects the performance of wind turbines, including aerodynamic performance and structural loads.
Solar Panel Efficiency Testing:
Measures how photovoltaic cells perform under cold weather, which affects energy output and durability.
Battery Storage Systems:
Tests how cold temperatures affect energy storage systems used in renewable energy technologies like wind and solar.

Automotive and Aerospace Components

Engine and Drivetrain Cold Start Analysis: Ensures engines and other critical components function properly in low temperatures.
Aviation Component Testing:
Verifies that components like landing gears, hydraulics, and control systems can operate safely in freezing conditions.

Cold temperature testing is essential across these analyses to ensure that products, materials, and systems can withstand real-world conditions, enhancing safety, reliability, and performance in industries where cold environments are a factor.


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Equipment

Czero utilizes a Thermotron F-42-CV-15-15 unit, which is a cold chamber designed for environmental testing by simulating extreme temperature and humidity conditions. This model offers precise control over temperature and humidity to test the durability and performance of materials, components, or products under harsh environmental conditions.

The chamber volume is 4ft x 4ft x 4ft (L x W x H), -40C Temp (-60C Temp might be possible). It has a built-in pump cart for hydraulic testing at low temperatures.

Key capabilities include:

  • Cold and hot temperature cycling to test products’ tolerance to temperature extremes (ranging from -70°C to +180°C).
  • Humidity control, allowing the chamber to simulate damp or dry environments, which is crucial for testing materials that are sensitive to moisture.
  • Rapid temperature change rates, which help evaluate how quickly products respond to temperature fluctuations.

This equipment is particularly useful for our engineers to test projects in the aerospace, automotive, electronics, and materials testing industries, helping ensure that products can withstand demanding conditions in real-world environments.


Projects

Czero uses cold temperature testing to optimize the design, safety, and efficiency of clean energy technology projects.

hydrogen storage tanks in snowy weather

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Systems for Cold Climates

Hydrogen fuel cell systems, particularly those used in vehicles or energy storage in cold environments, need to undergo cold temperature testing. This testing ensures the fuel cells can start efficiently, maintain performance, and avoid freezing of hydrogen storage tanks and delivery systems in freezing conditions.

wind turbines in cold weather

Wind Turbines in Arctic or Cold Weather Regions

Wind turbines installed in cold climates need to be tested for icing and cold weather performance. Cold temperature testing helps assess how ice buildup affects the turbine blades, aerodynamics, and energy output. This testing also ensures that the turbine’s materials and components can withstand cold temperatures without damage.

solar panels in the mountains

Solar Power Systems in Northern or Mountainous Areas

Solar panels in high-altitude or northern regions experience significant cold exposure. Cold temperature testing is essential to ensure the photovoltaic cells maintain efficiency despite freezing conditions. Testing would include evaluating how extreme cold affects the electrical performance and mechanical resilience of solar energy systems.

These projects highlight the importance of cold temperature testing in ensuring reliable performance of clean energy technologies in extreme environments.

Aker Solutions

"Czero is one of the best companies I have worked with for analysis and simulation; including dynamic modeling, CFD and FEA. Their deep expertise and comprehensive quality system ensure accurate results. Czero's project management is excellent, providing clean concise information on progress, schedule and budget. Czero is a go-to source for projects ranging from analysis and simulation to prototype product development and testing. They deliver strong solutions to the challenges faced by Offshore and Subsea markets."

- Horst Moll, Former First Chief Engineer, Aker Solutions
Nexceris

"Nexceris has been working with Czero since 2018 to develop and demonstrate a 50-kW scale hybrid power system for a government customer (ARPA-E). Czero led system design and controls development, and currently is leading system construction and testing work on the project. Czero engineers are extremely talented, innovative, detail oriented and responsive. I have thoroughly enjoyed our collaboration and provide my highest recommendation."


- Scott Swartz, Founder and CTO, Nexceris
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"PDC Machines- a compression and refueling technology provider to the world’s emerging hydrogen economy has been working with Czero for over 6 years on a combination of greenfield new technology and incremental technology improvements to our product. They have been able to take our napkin sketch frameworks and work with our team to deliver minimum viable product to complete solutions which are efficient, marketable and in many cases patentable. Their clear and simple approach to partnership- working as part of one team PDC staff is why I believe in the growing foundation we started 6 years ago."

- Kareem Afzal, Executive Chairman, PDC Machines
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"We chose Czero since they have a stellar reputation for innovation and expertise in the automotive industry. They also have a proven track record and prior history with the original inventor [of Onboard Dynamics natural gas refueling technology]—who is on our team—that has already resulted in huge successes in meeting critical milestones and performing to expectations."

- Rita Hansen, CEO Onboard Dynamics
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"I have a >$1M US Department of Energy research effort for which I was understaffed and lacking specific subject area expertise. Czero was able to engage last minute to displace a well-known automotive engineering company at a fraction of the price. Over a year into the project, Czero has continued to be responsive and trustworthy; their engineering performance has contributed significantly to an increase in project funding from the sponsor. As the project principal investigator, selecting Czero as an engineering services company has been one of the best decisions I have made."

- Chris Hagen, Assistant Professor, Energy Systems Engineering Oregon State University – Cascades
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"Czero’s work with us to fully understand the requirements of the end product for the new reactor engine system has been instrumental in developing a completely new, innovative system. From these requirements, they were able to quickly come up with multiple concepts for vetting against the tough project objectives, which include not only technical feasibility but also aggressive cost targets. The in-depth simulation and analysis of the various concepts that Czero did ahead of time has built tremendous confidence we are going down the right path."

- Devin Halliday, Principal Investigator, Gas Technology Institute
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"Czero’s ability to work with our engineers in developing innovative, ground-breaking technology has been a great benefit to the SuperTurbo development. We have placed a lot of trust in Czero’s ability to deliver and have not been disappointed. They are a top-shelf organization."

- Tom Waldron, Executive VP, SuperTurbo Technologies
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“My initial request to Czero was to develop software and the associated controller needed for a very important competitive assessment of our product. Due to the nature of the project, I needed the work to be accomplished and in my customers hands within 2 months, which was a very aggressive necessary timeline for this level of work. Not only did Czero get the software and ECU requirements done to spec, but the system was delivered to my customer ahead of time to support the testing. The expertise, timeliness, and quality of the Czero solution was outstanding!”

- Bradlee J. Stroia Ph.D., Stanadyne Operating Company LLC
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"We’ve had an absolutely fantastic, positive experience with Czero and I wholeheartedly endorse them. They are more than a typical ‘throw it over the fence’ engineering consulting firm, as Czero not only develops a strong understanding on the background of the project, but they also think along the way and offer suggestions and ideas beyond the scope of the simple engineering contract deliverables. And, they deliver, too. They are really solid, outstanding people."

- Steve Kloos, Former CEO AquaHydrex
Bluesource

"The engineers on the Czero team were proactive problem-solvers from our first introduction. They quickly applied the full breadth and depth of their engineering team’s impressive intellect to determine the most efficient and cost effective system to maximize the energy-harvesting capabilities of Brown’s concept.

They were remarkably objective in their trade studies to find the best solution, favoring a simpler mechanical solution over their greatest strength: advanced hydraulics. They walked us through potential failure modes of each system, and educated the team about the pitfalls of component scalability. In addition to their technical solutions, Czero did an excellent job conveying their thought process and analysis to the Brown team with clear graphs, diagrams and presentations, which streamlined decision-making.

Czero added tremendous value to the Brown project and was a pleasure to work with. We look forward to putting our heads together on future projects."

- Tom Derecktor, CEO
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"Czero has been an invaluable and integral part of our program. From component and subsystem design to detailed system performance analysis, Czero’s integrated engineering approach has allowed us to develop elements quickly to meet the very ambitious schedule challenges imposed by our U.S Department of Defense contract."

- Scott Frazier, Co-founder and CEO
Factor e

"Czero has been a valuable strategic partner in helping FACTOR[e] startups advance technologies quickly while staying lean during their crucial first two years. We know Czero’s agility, creativity and process. We trust their team. We’ve seen their technology insights and the business value of what they deliver."

- Morgan DeFoort, CEO
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"As we move from R&D to commercialization, Czero is providing top-notch engineering support to our team, transforming our ideas and concepts from prototype designs to viable commercial products. Czero really digs into the requirements before starting the design process, enabling us to easily collaborate on design options that optimize our product designs to meet market demand and ensure customer satisfaction. Without hesitation, we recommend Czero to anyone wanting to accelerate R&D and product development."

- Steve Witt, CEO, OptiEnz Sensors
Helix Energy Solutions Group logo

"Czero understood our test objectives very quickly and communicated systematically to define the test procedure, scale model details, and test fixture that fulfilled all test requirements quickly and safely. They creatively utilized off-the-shelf items in the scale model to keep its cost low and provided a clear, concise report—including useful insight—within a week of test completion. Helix is very pleased with the service provided by Czero."

- Roy Cottrell, Engineering Manager, Helix ESG
Logilube transparent

"With extensive experience in engine systems design, Czero played a vital
role in helping Logimesh expedite concept-to-prototype development and
testing of our award-winning Logimote engine health monitoring platform."

- Bill Gillette, President & CEO, Logimesh Technologies, LLC
Kmalt logo black

"Czero was the right partner to help us design our custom grist bin and bag intake station. They found the perfect balance between a properly engineered solution, a cost effective solution, and an aesthetic solution."

- Bryan Hermann, Technical Director, K-MALT
Tersus solutions transparent

"The true sign of individual or organizational dynamism is the willingness to take risks. It signals real confidence in capabilities and know-how, the flexibility and creativity to explore and test new solutions, and guts to do what it takes to deliver under real economic and technical uncertainty. Czero epitomizes those characteristics and combines them with old-fashioned integrity and reliability. Needless to say, their engineering and technical capabilities are superb. As a young company commercializing real black-box technology, we've entrusted Czero with taking responsibility for critical design and engineering tasks for which there are no precedents, i.e. it has never been done before. They have delivered, under demanding time and resource constraints, and set a very high bar. Culturally and otherwise, they are an ideal partner for young startups who need deep-dive, blank-slate engineering solutions. I would recommend them to anyone."

- Richard Kinsman, former President & CEO, CO2 Nexus Inc. (now Tersus Solutions)
Solix logo 3

"Czero was an insightful and very technically proficient group that were instrumental in helping us develop our technology. They were very quick studies to understand the fundamental challenges we faced and design/build solutions around them. Top qualities: Great Results, Personable, Good Value.

- Doug Henston, Former CEO, Solix Biofuels

"Czero understands technology development from the back-of-the-napkin stage to the product launch stage. I've never met a team who is more capable of keeping the end-product vision in mind during the early stages of engineering."

- Sam Jaffe, CEO, Panea Energy

"Czero provided a custom engineering solution to our need to convey conceptual functionality. Their approach was creative, effective, high quality and fast. Highly endorsed."

- Rick Dunagan, Partner, Symbiotic Solutions

"To work with Czero is nothing short of a privilege. Stemming from their excellent credentials and strong analytical aptitude, they consistently translate complex technical situations into plain English to allow multidisciplinary group to function together seamlessly."

- Nick Rancis, Co-Founder and Principal, Tierra Verde Consulting LLC

"I was extremely impressed with how quickly Czero understood the needs and intent of the bearing housing design and how responsive they were in completing the drawing package."

- Scott Taylor, VP of Engineering, TMA Global Wind Energy Systems

Reach out to us, schedule a meeting, and let's find your custom solution.

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