Internal temperature sensing towards advanced thermal management for lithium-ion batteries

Eligibility: UK/International (including EU) graduates with the required entry requirements

Duration: Full-Time – between three and three and a half years fixed term

Application deadline: 27 May 2024

Interview date: Will be confirmed to shortlisted candidates

Start date: September 2024

For further details contact Haijun Ruan

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Introduction

Lithium-ion batteries have become predominant in e-mobility and grid-level energy storage, and their lifetime and safety is highly sensitive to their working temperatures. The thermal management system is thus essential, however, only the surface temperature is considered, neglecting the internal non-uniformities

Project details

The core temperatures of batteries are generally higher, especially at high currents, and this high temperature gradient commonly leads to an inhomogeneous degradation and potential lithium plating, resulting in accelerated deterioration and safety hazards. Here, this project will develop an advanced thermal management system through multi-objective optimization and sensing internal temperatures of batteries. Four specific objectives are:

• Utilise in-house developed, in-cell implantable thermal sensors to observe internal temperature and gradients, and understand the resulting current inconsistency within batteries.
• Develop an advanced electro-thermal coupled model to virtually sense internal states (temperatures and currents) of batteries.
• Investigate battery degradation under different cooling scenarios to relate battery aging behaviours with internal states.
• Develop a cooling optimisation framework that considers internal states, battery degradation, and cooling energy consumption to optimise the cooling parameters.

Funding

This is a fully-funded studentship, including tuition fees and stipend/bursary.

Benefits

The successful candidate will receive comprehensive research training including technical, personal and professional skills.

All researchers at Coventry University (from PhD to Professor) are part of the Doctoral College and Centre for Research Capability and Development, which provides support with high-quality training and career development activities.

Entry requirements

• A minimum of a 2:1 first degree in a relevant discipline/subject area with a minimum 60% mark in the project element or equivalent with a minimum 60% overall module average.

PLUS

• The potential to engage in innovative research and to complete the PhD within a 3.5 years.
• A minimum of English language proficiency (IELTS academic overall minimum score of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in each component).

How to apply

To find out more about the project, please contact Haijun Ruan

All applications require full supporting documentation, a covering letter, plus a 2000-word supporting statement showing how the applicant’s expertise and interests are relevant to the project.

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