Battery Boxes Research Articles

Thermal equalization design for the battery energy storage system (BESS) of a fully electric ship

The adoption of fully electric ships represents a significant step forward in addressing the environmental challenges of climate change and pollution in the shipping industry. This research details the optimized design of a battery energy storage system (BESS) and its air-cooling thermal management system for a 2000-ton bulk cargo ship. In comparison to the conventional flow splitter (FS-I), which divides airflow into 8 transverse branches, two novel designs—FS-II (dividing airflow into 2, 4, and 8 branches) and FS-III (dividing into 2, 4, 8, and 16 longitudinal and transverse branches)—were introduced. FS-II improves flow uniformity from 0.42 (FS-I) to 0.86 but results in an increased pressure drop up to 881.47 Pa. FS-III further enhances flow uniformity to 0.97 while reducing pressure drop to 191.99 Pa. The thermal performance of battery boxes with FS-I, FS-II, and FS-III was evaluated under extreme conditions and a complete voyage cycle. FS-III exhibited superior thermal regulation, maintaining Tmax consistently below 33.9°C during the entire voyage. These findings provide valuable insights for designing thermal management systems in electric ships.

Thermophysical characterization of innovative and recyclable composites, being developed and considered for battery boxes mass production

This paper describes the results of preliminary thermophysical characterization carried out on recyclable & biobased Fibre Metal Laminates (FML) for lighter, more sustainable & safer battery box production, with higher fire resistance. These FMLs are designed to be suitable for the low and medium end automotive. In particular, the specific heat and the thermal conductivity of four different types of FMLs were analysed and assessed depending on temperature. The results show increasing trends of specific heat by increasing temperatures and thermal conductivity values increasing both with temperature and the density of the samples. Further studies will be carried out both to optimise the composition of the FMLs and to provide extensive assessment of the thermal and mechanical properties of the solutions so as to guarantee high thermal and mechanical performances and durability of battery boxes for electric vehicles.

Mechanical Characterizations on biobased Sheet Molding Compound (SMC) developed for battery boxes.

In this work, performed within FENICE project (www.fenice-composites.com), semifinished materials for the mass production of fire-resistant battery box in the automotive. SMC were developed using PFA (polyfurfuryl alcohol) resin as the matrix and both long and short basalt fibers as reinforcement in a SMC and impregnation pilot line. Mechanical characterization is used to compare prepreg based on fabric impregnation and SMC and measure basic data needed for modelling. Short fiber reinforced composites are cheaper and more isotropic than those reinforced with fabrics, making them more interesting for mass market application in the automotive, such as electrical cars. The semifinished material production must be optimised, and basic mechanical data must be measured, to be used as input into FEM of the components to be produced.

Mechanical characterizations on biobased FMLs, being developed for battery boxes, before and after ageing

This paper reports the activities carried out under project FENICE (Upscaling, KAVA 9, EIT Raw Materials, www.Fenice-composites.eu, 2022-2025) about improving fire resistance of electric cars batteries, in particular through the development of Fiber Metal Laminates (FML) battery boxes. The aim of this study is to analyse the corrosion behaviour of FML based on bio-based and closed loop recyclable prepregs, in typical ageing conditions (thermal ageing, neutral and cupric acetic salt spray). FML degradation, evaluated in term of residual tensile strength after ageing, along with surface corrosion is remarkably low, and also resistance to humid environment seems satisfactory. However proper inorganic surface finishing is needed, since otherwise typical automotive tests, such as salty spray chamber ageing, cannot be passed in term of corrosion resistance requirements. The project is studying surface vitrification with sol-gel formulations, since traditional painting, based on organic polymers could ensure aluminium corrosion resistance, but would inevitably decrease fire resistance, while Cr-plating is not environmentally friendly, because of its higher carbon footprint and since it would make direct aluminium recyclability impossible, so. These advanced treatments were, up to now, not compatible with the adoption in the mass production, but things are rapidly changing, following the green transition that is currently bringing a number of small revolutions in the manufacturing sector.

Environmental impact assessment of battery boxes based on lightweight material substitution

Power battery is one of the core components of electric vehicles (EVs) and a major contributor to the environmental impact of EVs, and reducing their environmental emissions can help enhance the sustainability of electric vehicles. Based on the principle of stiffness equivalence, the steel case of the power cell is replaced with lightweight materials, a life cycle model is established with the help of GaBi software, and its environmental impact is evaluated using the CML2001 method. The results can be summarized as follows: (1) Based on the four environmental impact categories of GWP, AP, ADP (f), and HTP, which are the global warming potential (GWP), acidification potential (AP), abiotic depletion potential (ADP (f)) and human toxicity potential (HTP), the environmental impact of lightweight materials is lower than that of the steel box. Among them, the aluminum alloy box has the largest reduction, and the Carbon Fiber Sheet Molding Compound (CF-SMC) box is the second. (2) In the sensitivity analysis of electric structure, an aluminum alloy box is still the most preferable choice for environmental impact. (3) In the sensitivity analysis of driving mileage, the aluminum alloy box body is also the best choice for vehicle life. (4) Quantitative assessment using substitution factors measures the decrease in greenhouse gas emissions following the substitution of steel battery box with lightweight materials. The adoption of aluminum alloy battery box can lead to a reduction of 1.55 tons of greenhouse gas emissions, with a substitution factor of 1.55 tC sb−1. In the case that composite materials have not been recycled commercially on a large scale, aluminum alloy is still one of the best materials for the integrated environmental impact of the whole life cycle of the battery boxes.

Enhancing Sustainability: Jute Fiber-Reinforced Bio-Based Sandwich Composites for Use in Battery Boxes.

The rising industrial demand for environmentally friendly and sustainable materials has shifted the attention from synthetic to natural fibers. Natural fibers provide advantages like affordability, lightweight nature, and renewability. Jute fibers' substantial production potential and cost-efficiency have propelled current research in this field. In this study, the mechanical behavior (tensile, flexural, and interlaminar shear properties) of plasma-treated jute composite laminates and the flexural behavior of jute fabric-reinforced sandwich composites were investigated. Non-woven mat fiber (MFC), jute fiber (JFC), dried jute fiber (DJFC), and plasma-treated jute fiber (TJFC) composite laminates, as well as sandwich composites consisting of jute fabric bio-based unsaturated polyester (UPE) composite as facing material and polyethylene terephthalate (PET70 and PET100) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) as core materials were fabricated to compare their functional properties. Plasma treatment of jute composite laminate had a positive effect on some of the mechanical properties, which led to an improvement in Young's modulus (7.17 GPa) and tensile strength (53.61 MPa) of 14% and 8.5%, respectively, as well as, in flexural strength (93.71 MPa) and flexural modulus (5.20 GPa) of 24% and 35%, respectively, compared to those of JFC. In addition, the results demonstrated that the flexural properties of jute sandwich composites can be significantly enhanced by incorporating PET100 foams as core materials.

Analysis and Optimization of Fatigue Caused by Vibrations in the Quick-Replacement Battery Box for Electric Vehicles

Quick-replacement battery technology has the advantages of eliminating mileage issues, extending battery life and reducing cost. The battery box plays an important role in carrying and protecting the on-board battery pack. However, fatigue life has not been well-established in changeable operating environments and driving conditions; hence, this knowledge gap is the focus of this paper. Here, SolidWorks (SolidWorks, Waltham, MA, USA) was used to establish a three-dimensional model of a quick-replacement battery box for electric vehicles, OptiStruct software (Altair, Detroit, MI, USA) was used for sweep frequency and random vibration analyses, and random vibration fatigue analysis was carried out using Ncode software (ANSYS, Pittsburgh, PA, USA). The quick-replacement battery box structure was then optimized according to the analysis results and lightweight targets. The results of sweep frequency and random vibration analyses showed that the maximum stress of a quick-replacement battery box is 39.058 Mpa. Compared with the allowable stress of the DC01 material at 150 Mpa, a significant margin is still present. The results of random vibration fatigue analysis showed that the minimum service life of a quick-replacement battery box is 5.740 × 1010, which meets the design requirements. Following optimization design, the maximum stress of a quick-replacement battery box was 71.197 Mpa, still meeting the allowable stress of the DC01 material at 150 Mpa and effectively alleviating the stress concentration. Furthermore, the optimized quick-replacement battery box was approximately 4 kg lighter. Therefore, optimization of the quick-replacement battery box is feasible and necessary. The results provide great theoretical and engineering significance for the design and optimization of quick-replacement battery boxes for electric vehicles.

Study on the Corrosion of Iron by Lithium-Ion Battery Fire Extinguishing Agent - Perfluorinated Hexanone

ABSTRACT In recent years, perfluorinated hexanone has been widely used as a fire extinguishing agent for lithium-ion batteries in China. However, it can cause corrosion of ferrous materials in LIBs/batteries, such as storage tanks, battery boxes and ferrous connectors, while extinguishing LIBs fires. Therefore, when storing or using perfluorinated hexanone, it may cause secondary disasters. In order to clarify the corrosion mechanism and the structure of the products of perfluorinated hexanone on iron, we designed experiments to obtain “iron corrosion product”. Then the main components of the corrosion products were studied by various chemical analysis methods and the corrosion mechanism was proposed. The results show that the main component of “iron corrosion product” is (CF3CF2COO)3Fe, which is generated by the reaction of CF3CF2COOH, the decomposition product of perfluorinated hexanone, with iron oxides. Accordingly, it can be determined that perfluorinated hexanone has certain safety hazards when used as a lithium-ion battery fire extinguishing agent. In order to avoid the above safety hazards of perfluorinated hexanone, it is recommended that when storing and using perfluorinated hexanone, it needs to be protected from light and moisture.

Scansonic with broad portfolio of optics for laser welding of battery boxes in electric cars

AbstractBattery boxes in electric vehicles can influence more than just vehicle dynamics. The fire risk posed by batteries makes them crash‐relevant components. For this reason, high‐strength aluminum alloy structures are used in production, although they are markedly susceptible to hot cracking; the quality of the weld seams is a decisive factor in their strength. Scansonic, one of the world's leading manufacturers of laser machining optics, is presenting its product portfolio at Laser World of Photonics in Munich.

Strength analysis of the lightweight-designed power battery boxes in electric vehicle

The weight lightening of electric vehicles’ power battery box not only improves the vehicles’ mileage but also extends the service life of the power battery, while in practice the design of lightweight shall not sacrifice its strength for safety reason. Herein, three materials including the glass fiber composite, carbon fiber composite, and metal steel are used to develop the same power battery box and their strengths are simulated. The results show that the sheet molding compound (SMC, a kind of glass fiber composite) power battery pack shall be damaged when the loaded extrusion force is increased to 98.2 kN; for the metal power battery pack, a force of 81 kN would make the deformation more than 30%; while for the carbon fiber composite one, it can stand the extrusion test up to 100 kN, and the specific gravity and specific strength are higher than the former two materials under the same design model condition. This study proves the carbon fiber composite has the advantages of high strength and light weight when applied to the power battery box.

Study on Side Collision of Battery Boxes Based on HyperWorks

To effectively improve the safety of battery boxes in side collision of electric vehicles, two measures are proposed: Firstly spread the boss evenly around the battery box. Secondly the upper and lower parts of the battery box are matched with the convex heads and groove structure. The finite element models of the battery boxes before and after the optimization, the vehicle and the movable barrier are established in this paper. According to the collision regulations, the side collision simulation of the vehicle body is carried out. The changes of the stress, deformation and lateral acceleration of the battery boxes are analyzed. The effectiveness of the measures is verified. The extrusion models of the battery boxes are established. The deformation and the changes of the internal energy of the battery boxes are analyzed. The effectiveness of the measures is verified again.

Control method for cooling fans inside traction battery boxes installed in battery powered EMU based on thermal network model

AbstractRecently, there has been a gradual increase in the use of battery powered electric multiple unit trains (EMUs), replacing the conventional diesel trains for nonelectrified lines of approximately 10–30 km. Battery powered EMUs are typically equipped with closed‐type traction battery boxes, in which cooling fans are mounted. To improve the performance of battery cooling, we developed a control method for the cooling fans. Our novel method is derived from a thermal network model of the battery box, and is based on the temperature difference between the battery modules and outside air. We conducted an evaluation test for the Series BEC819, an AC‐fed and battery‐powered hybrid EMU of JR Kyushu. The test results demonstrated that the developed control method reduced maximum temperature of the battery by 1–2°C in comparison with the conventional constant speed control.

Effect of locally enhanced heat dissipation of the polar on Li-ion power batteries

For the sake of comprehend the influence of locally enhanced heat dissipation of the polar on Li-Ion power batteries, coupling the thermal effect of anode and cathode, the heat generation model of Li-Ion battery with different discharge magnification is obtained. Based on this model, the discharge process simulation analysis of the single battery is carried out and compared with the experimental results. The experiment results show that battery polarity heat effect has great influence on the temperature field distribution of the battery. Then, a locally enhanced heat dissipation structure is set up near the polar region and a comparative experiment is carried out by changing the discharge rate. Although the heat pipe can only slightly improve the discharge capacity of Li-Ion battery by enhancing the heat dissipation capability of polarity, the heat generated under low discharge rate can be reduced by using the heat pipe with low emission rate, the heat generated by the polar region can be effectively and timely exported to reduce the temperature of the polar region and it can greatly reduce the overall temperature of the battery. Then, according to the thermal characteristics and the results of locally enhanced heat dissipation analysis, a new battery module is designed and simulated. The prototype is completed and tested. The results show that this method can effectively reduce the temperature rise and temperature difference of the battery module by using locally enhanced heat dissipation structure. Finally, combined with the simulation and the experimental results, some useful suggestions are put forward for the design and manufacture of battery modules and battery boxes.

Control Method for Cooling Fans inside Traction Battery Boxes Installed in Battery Powered EMU Based on Thermal Network Model

Recently, there has been a gradual increase in the use of battery powered electric multiple unit trains (EMUs), replacing the conventional diesel trains for non-electrified lines of approximately 10-30km. Battery powered EMUs are typically equipped with closed-type traction battery boxes, in which cooling fans are mounted. To improve the performance of battery cooling, we developed a control method for the cooling fans. Our novel method is derived from a thermal network model of the battery box, and is based on the temperature difference between the battery modules and outside air. We conducted an evaluation test for the Series BEC819, an AC-fed and battery-powered hybrid EMU of JR Kyushu. The test results demonstrated that the developed control method reduced maximum temperature of the battery by 1-2 °C in comparison with the conventional constant speed control.

Dynamic laser beam shaping for laser aluminium welding in e-mobility applications

High demanding novel laser welding applications are currently encountered in e-mobility sector such as overlap joint of thin aluminium alloys without full penetration for battery coolers and battery boxes. In this work, high dynamic laser profiles enabled by unique CIVAN proprietary Coherent Beam Combining (CBC) and Optical Phase Array (OPA) technologies are explored. Experimental investigation of overlap welding of 3003 aluminium alloy plates of 0.8mm thickness at speeds over 10m/min and the study of main process parameters, various beam shapes and oscillation patterns at high frequency up to MHz are undertaken. Effects of laser beam intensity profiles, oscillation frequencies in resulting seam shapes are presented. Process optimization is carried out in terms of weld seam geometry width and depth of penetration avoiding defects as porous, cracks and voids in the interface. Quality of weld joints is evaluated by cross sections macrographs and metallographic examination.

Role of Calcium Carbonate(CaCO3) in improving wear resistance of Polypropylene(PP) components used in automobiles

Abstract Compounds of Polypropylene (PP) will continue to play as an important materials for automotive applications because of its good mechanical properties including mold ability combined with excellent appearance, colorability ,environmental suitability and high performance at low cost. PP compounds are used in automotive interior parts, instrumental panels, door panels, pillars, Loading platform for light pick-up trucks, battery boxes, indoor carpets. These parts easily porn to wear because of its frequent usage. In this work calcium carbonate(CaCO3) has been blended with PP in different proportions using twin screw extruder machine and tested it in Pin-on-Disc machine for varying load, speed and sliding distance to study its wear characteristics. The wear phenomenon has been investigated and discussed based on wear loss of the material and microstructure of worn surfaces.

Multi-body simulation of a flapping-wing robot using an efficient dynamical model

The aim of this article is to present an efficient dynamical model for simulating flapping robot performance employing the bond graph approach. For this purpose, the complete constitutive elements of the system under investigation, including the main body and accessories, flapping mechanism, flexible wings and propulsion system consisting of a battery, DC motors and gear boxes, are considered. A complete model of the system was developed appending bond graph models of the subsystems together utilizing appropriate junctions. The wings were also modeled using ANSYS only for an initial evaluation. Moreover, a computer model was developed employing the block-oriented structure of Simulink in MATLAB software for simulation studies. Further investigation was performed developing a finite element model of the flexible wing and multi-body simulation tool. SimMechanics toolbox of MATLAB software was used to investigate whether the equations obtained from the bond graph were extracted correctly and whether the relationships between all the subsystems are maintained so that they lead to a logical motion for the flapping wing. The very good agreement between the results achieved from various models illustrates the validity and accuracy of the proposed bond graph model in this study. As a result, the offered approach presents a comprehensive and efficient model to obtain a clear insight into the power flow between the subsystems included in a flapping robot and provides helpful information for the design of such systems.

Dengue vectors in urban and suburban Assam, India: entomological observations.

Dengue is rapidly becoming established in north-east India and spreading, on account of rapid urbanization and population movement, with reported morbidity and attributable death cases. This study aims to determine the seasonal abundance of Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus and Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti in Guwahati metropolis and suburban settlements; to characterize the breeding resources for these mosquitoes; and to ascertain the status of their susceptibility to adulticides and larvicides. Mosquito larval surveys were carried out in different localities in both Guwahati city and adjoining suburbs from January to December 2013, to determine the seasonal abundance of disease vectors and their breeding preferences. The insecticide susceptibility status of mosquito adults and larval populations of both Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus was ascertained, using World Health Organization standard diagnostic concentrations and test procedures. The study revealed that both Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus are widely abundant in Guwahati city and suburbs, and breeding in a wide variety of resources. Aedes albopictus, however, was the predominant mosquito species in suburbs, breeding preferentially in flower vases, cut-bamboo stumps and leaf axils. Aedes aegypti was the most common in the city, breeding predominantly in discarded tyres, cement tanks and used battery boxes. Both Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus were resistant to dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT; 4%), but susceptible to malathion (5%), and exhibited a varied response to pyrethroids. However, larval populations of both these mosquito species were susceptible to larvicides, including malathion (1.0 mg/L), temephos (0.02 mg/L) and fenthion (0.05 mg/L), at much lower dosages than diagnostic concentrations. Given the seasonal abundance and case incidence in city areas, it is highly probable that Aedes aegypti is the predominant mosquito vector transmitting dengue virus. The study results have direct relevance for the state dengue-control programme, for targeting interventions and averting outbreaks and spread of disease.

Experimental determination of the hydrogen concentration in the battery boxes of the passenger cars

In the work the experimental determination of the hydrogen concentration in accumulator boxes of the coach in a charging mode of nickel-cadmium batteries in operating conditions (stop and operation) is presented. The comparison of the obtained characteristics at different environmental and operating conditions as well as the corresponding conclusions are made.

Halogenated and Non-Halogenated Flame Retardant Additives in Polypropylene (PP) Homopolymer for Battery Applications

The paper describes how to make PP homopolymer flame retardant through the use of halogenated and halogen-free additives. The paper attempts to capture the intricacies involved in compounding recipe development, physical and mechanical properties and performance aspects during injection moulding of the final article. In a nutshell, the paper describes the end user's experience of flame retardant additives in PP homopolymer from concept to product. The present work was directed towards compound development and the characterization of physical, mechanical, flammability performance and performance during the injection moulding of PP homopolymer. The application identified was injection mouldable battery boxes for applications in the telecom sector. PP compounds were prepared from halogen-based and halogen-free flame retardant (FR) additives, designed to meet V0 at 3.2 mm thickness as per the UL94 test protocol. Flame retardant polypropylene; (FR-PP) is used for “back-up” batteries. These are used in telecommunications and railway units and supply energy immediately in the case of an interruption of normal power supply. The batteries contain sulphuric acid as electrolyte. Experimental work was undertaken to develop FR-PP compounds and investigate the effect of FR additives on critical properties. The effect of FR-additives on the heat sealing properties of battery containers was also investigated. The results show that halogenated FR additives can contribute to the excellent acid resistance of PP. Use of non-halogenated FR additives in PP resulted in compounds having densities close to 1.0 g/cm3, at identical loadings to those used with halogenated FR additives. In comparison, FR-PP compounds based on halogenated FR additives gave densities close to 1.2 g/cm3. The data obtained from this investigation show that both types of FR/PP compounds are suitable for battery box applications made by injection moulding.