Project description
Battery manufacturers will be charging ahead with an open-source modelling platform
Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) power everything from portable electronics to electric cars. Since the first one was launched nearly 30 years ago, they have continued to evolve to support rapid innovation of the products that depend on them. A critical bottleneck in today's LIBs is the cathode material. Cathodes based on nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) are among the most promising. These materials could significantly reduce costs and enable longer driving ranges for tomorrow's electric vehicles. The EU-funded DEFACTO project plans to turbocharge the development of next-generation LIBs for the automotive market with a comprehensive open-source modelling tool. Using experimental data from two existing NMC cells to optimise algorithms, the platform promises to reduce development time and cost while enhancing performance and durability.
Objective
The DEFACTO project rationale is to develop a multiphysic and multiscale modelling integrated tool to better understand the material, cell and manufacturing process behaviour, therefore allowing to accelerate cell development and the R&I process. This approach will allow developing new high capacity and high voltage Li-ion cell generation 3b battery. This will increase the understanding of multiscale mechanisms and their interactions, reducing the R&D cell development resources, therefore unlocking an innovation-led cell manufacturing industry in Europe. The validated computational simulations will be a powerful tool to (i) tailor new optimum cell designs, (ii) optimise manufacturing steps of electrode processing and electrolyte filling, and (iii) shape new generation 3b materials.
This work will be based on an iterative exchange process for model development, validation and optimisation using two cell technologies for the automotive market: a commercial NMC622/G cell taken from the product portfolio from one of the DEFACTO partners and last generation prototypes (NMC811/G-Si). Characterisation tests will provide data for model development and validation, and for gaining understanding on ageing mechanisms. Sensitivity analysis will demonstrate model robustness and reduce the number of experiments needed during cell development. The optimization algorithms will enhance cell performance and durability through optimised designs and manufacturing processes. The novel fast-track cell development procedure achieved will be further extended to LMNO/G-Si prototypes. In parallel, the set of individual multiscale and multiphysic models will be compiled in an open-source simulation tool, including mechanical and electrochemical ageing with outstanding accuracy at reasonable computational cost. The project consortium, which covers the whole cell manufacturing value chain, has the required experience to ensure a smooth and high-quality delivery of the outcomes of the project.
Fields of science
- engineering and technologymechanical engineeringmanufacturing engineering
- natural sciencescomputer and information sciencescomputational sciencemultiphysics
- medical and health sciencesmedical biotechnologycells technologies
- natural sciencescomputer and information sciencessoftwaresoftware applicationssimulation software
Keywords
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinator
20014 San Sebastian
Spain