Batteries

In June 2019 Gudrun talked with Serena Carelli. Serena is member
of the Research Training Group (RTG) Simet, which is based in
Karlsruhe, Ulm and Offenburg. It started its work in 2017 and
Gudrun is associated postdoc therein. The aim of that graduate
school is to work on the better understanding of Lithium-ion
batteries. For that it covers all scales, namley from micro
(particles), meso (electrodes as pairs) to macro (cell) and
involves scientists from chemistry, chemical engineering,
material sciences, electro engineering, physics and mathematics.
The group covers the experimental side as well as modeling and
computer simulations.


Serena is one of the PhD-students of the program. She is based in
Offenburg in the group of Wolfgang Bessler (the deputy speaker of
the RTG). Her research focusses on End-of-life prediction of a
lithium-ion battery cell by studying the mechanistic ageing
models of the graphite electrode among other things.

Mathematical modelling and numerical simulation have become
standard techniques in Li-ion battery research and development,
with the purpose of studying the issues of batteries, including
performance and ageing, and consequently increasing the
model-based predictability of life expectancy. Serena and others
work on an electrochemical model of a graphite-based lithium-ion
cell that includes combined ageing mechanisms:
Electrochemical formation of the solid electrolyte interphase
(SEI) at the anode, breaking of the SEI due to mechanical stress
from volume changes of the graphite particles, causing accelerated
SEI growth, gas formation and dry-out of the electrodes,
percolation theory for describing the loss of contact of graphite
particles to the liquid electrolyte, formation of reversible and
irreversible Li plating.


The electrochemistry is coupled to a multi-scale heat and mass
transport model based on a pseudo-3D approach.


A time-upscaling methodology is developed that allows to simulate
large time spans (thousands of operating hours). The combined
modeling and simulation framework is able to predict calendaric
and cyclic ageing up to the end of life of the battery cells. The
results show a qualitative agreement with ageing behavior known
from experimental literature.


Serena has a Bachelor in Chemistry and a Master's in Forensic
Chemistry from the University of Torino. She worked in Spain, the
Politécnico de Torino and in Greece (there she was Marie Curie
fellow at the Foundation for Research and Technology - Hellas)
before she decided to spend time in Australia and India.


References

Serena's Linked in site

A. Latz & J. Zausch: Thermodynamic consistent transport
theory of Li-ion batteries, Journal of Power Sources 196
3296--3302, 2011.

T. Seger: Elliptic-Parabolic Systems with Applications to
Lithium-Ion Battery Models, Doktorarbeit Universität Konstanz,
2013.

M. Kespe & H. Nirschl: Numerical simulation of
lithium-ion battery performance considering electrode
microstructure, International Journal of Energy Research 39
2062-2074, 2015.

J.-M. Tarascon & M. Armand: Issues and challenges facing
rechargeable lithium batteries, Nature 414 359-367, 2001.

W.G. Bessler: Elektrische Energiespeicherung mit Batterien
und Brennstoffzellen, Forschung im Fokus, Hochschule Offenburg
(2018).



Podcasts

A. Jossen: Batterien, Gespräch mit Markus Völter im Omega Tau
Podcast, Folge 222, 2016.

J. Holthaus: Batterien für morgen und übermorgen, KIT.Audio
Podcast, Folge 2, 2016.

D. Breitenbach, U. Gebhardt, S. Gaedtke: Elektrochemie,
Laser, Radio, Proton Podcast, Folge 15, 2016.

M. Maier: Akkumulatoren, Gespräch mit G. Thäter im
Modellansatz Podcast, Folge 123, Fakultät für Mathematik,
Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT), 2017.

V. Auinger: Optimale Akkuladung, Gespräch mit G. Thäter im
Modellansatz Podcast, Folge 160, Fakultät für Mathematik,
Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT), 2018.