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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 109 records · Page 6

Optimal preparation of the ECC ozonesonde

The ECC background current was identified as the removal of residual tri-iodide (iodine) as the cell approaches equilibrium. The altitude dependence of this source of the background current is expected to be only slowly changed in the troposphere with a more rapid decrease in the stratosphere. Oxygen does not play a role in the background current except in the unlikely situation where the electrodes have had all forms of iodine removed from them and the electrodes have not re-equilibrated with the sonde solutions before use. A solution mass transport parameter in the ECC was identified and its altitude dependence determined. The mass transport of tri-iodide dominates in the chemical transduction of ozone to electrical signal. The effect of the mass transport on the ECC background current is predicted. An electrochemical model of the ECC has been developed to predict the response of the ECC to various ozone vertical profiles. The model corresponds very closely to the performance of the ECC in the laboratory. Based on this model, an ECC with no background current is predicted to give total ozone values within 1% of the correct value, although the vertical profile may be in error by as much as + or - 15%.

Thornton, D. C.↗

Systems and methods for direct estimation of battery parameters using only charge/discharge curves

Electrochemical models for the lithium-ion battery are useful in predicting and controlling its performance. The values of the parameters in these models are vital to their accuracy. However, not all parameters can be measured precisely, especially when destructive methods are prohibited. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, a parameter estimation approach is used to estimate the open circuit potential of the positive electrode (Up) using piecewise linear approximation together with all the other parameters of a single particle model. Up and 10 more parameters may be estimated from a single discharge curve without knowledge of the electrode chemistry using a technique such as a genetic algorithm. Different case studies were presented for estimating Up with different types of parameters of the battery model. The estimated parameters were then validated by comparing simulations at different discharge rates with experimental data.

Qi, Yanbo↗

Anode Upcycling via Tailored Solvent Treatment

To achieve a truly closed-loop direct recycling process for lithium-ion batteries, all component materials must be recovered. To date, direct recycling method development has primarily focused on the high-value transition-metal cathode materials, while the inherently lower-value graphite has been challenging to recover in a cost-effective manner. However, end-of-life graphite contains a unique engineered value due to the presence of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). Growth of the SEI during the cell's active lifetime stabilizes the electronically reactive graphite surface through an irreversible consumption of Li, and thus necessitates both excess lithiation of the cathode and a costly and time-intensive formation procedure during manufacturing. An optimized pre-formed SEI that capitalizes on existing SEI components from end-of-life batteries has the potential to significantly reduce cathode lithiation requirements and eliminate the critical bottleneck of formation cycling during cell remanufacturing. Further, retaining Li at the anode obviates the need for a separate Li leaching and recovery step, improving the overall efficiency of the direct recycling line. In this work, we present a novel approach to "upcycling" spent graphite through use of tailored chemical treatment to remove adverse (i.e., highly resistive and/or poorly passivating) SEI species while retaining beneficially passivating components. We have explored a rational set of solvents spanning a range of polarity, proticity, and molecular size to evaluate structure-property-performance relationships between applied solvent(s), removed and remaining SEI species, and electrochemical response of the resulting graphite product. Further, we have developed and optimized a robust and holistic analysis procedure that couples symmetric-cell electrochemical testing, multi-modal materials characterization, and advanced electrochemical modeling. These analysis results inform a set of correlative metrics for graphite performance relative to both solvent properties and upcycled SEI composition. We demonstrate effective tunability in the residual SEI composition by varying solvent identity and concentration, and report on several promising solvent systems that achieve comparable or performance to pristine graphite.

anode recycling↗

An Efficient Electrochemical Tanks-in-Series Model for Lithium Sulfur Batteries

This article applies and efficiently implements the Tanks-in-Series methodology ( J. Electrochem. Soc. , 167 , 013534 (2020)) to generate a computationally efficient electrochemical model for Lithium-Sulfur batteries. The original Tank model approach for Lithium-ion batteries is modified to account for porosity changes with time. In addition, an exponential scaling method is introduced that enables efficient simulation of the model equations to address the wide range of time constants present for different reactions in the Lithium-Sulfur system. The Tank Model achieves acceptable voltage error even for transport-limited discharged conditions. Predictions of internal electrochemical variables are examined, and electrochemical implications of the approximations discussed. This suggests significant potential for real-time applications such as optimal charging, cell-balancing, and estimation, and represents a step forward in efforts to incorporate detailed electrochemical models in advanced Battery Management Systems for Lithium-Sulfur batteries.

Parke, Caitlin D. (ORCID:0000000177324044)↗

Automated and Accelerated Continuum Model Development for Electrochemical Systems (Abbreviated Report)

Despite the availability of computational resources and advancements in numerical computing capabilities, the multiscale models core to understanding, predicting the behaviors of, and designing energy and environmental systems involving porous media are still 1.) developed through by-hand derivations and 2.) limited by many methodological assumptions employed during model derivation. As a result, the advancement of effective media models for engineering DOE mission-critical systems (e.g., batteries, flow batteries, electrolyzers, geothermal systems, subsurface chemical storage systems, etc.) is slow (i.e., it takes years for models to traverse from stages of “development” to “practical utilization”), hindering our ability to effectively optimize such systems and stay at the cutting-edge of the energy frontier. In this work, we aimed to address these limitations by 1.) automating and accelerating multiscale model derivation via symbolic computing and 2.) develop a novel multiscale modeling methodology for flow and transport through porous media that avoids the typical assumptions hindering previous models. As a result of our efforts, we 1.) developed a hybrid symbolic-numeric code called Fouriera for fully-automating the implementation of multiphysical and phase-field models via the Fourier spectral method for materials science research, and 2.) advanced a multiscale modeling methodology called The Method of Finite Averages that rigorously predicts the behaviors of flow and transport through heterogeneous porous media under the influence of non-local effects and strong advection. Ultimately, these deliverables provide strong foundations from which further efforts can advance multiscale modeling tools and capabilities that do not intrinsically rely on 1.) the speed and mathematical capabilities of humans, nor 2.) the methodological assumptions limiting current models.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Opportunities and challenges in process modeling and simulation of electrochemical systems

Electrochemical technologies have garnered intense interest in both academic research and industrial applications due to their potential to increase energy efficiency and reduce carbon footprint. However, electrochemical process fundamentals have been absent from the chemical process simulators available to millions of chemical engineers worldwide. To expedite process research and development of electrochemical technologies in the chemical industry, it is imperative that essential electrochemical process fundamentals be incorporated into process simulators to support modeling and simulation of electrochemical processes. Here, this study examines three process fundamentals key to the research and development of electrochemical processes: electrochemical reaction kinetics, electrolyte thermodynamics, and heat and mass transfer. It further illustrates application of these process fundamentals with a case study modeling an electrochemical process for the conversion of acrylonitrile to adiponitrile. The modeling example highlights the roles of applied voltage on reaction rates, and electron flow rates on the performance of electrochemical processes. It suggests that the applied voltage and electron flow rates are two unique concepts that should be included in simulators for electrochemical processes.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

Hybrid-Energy-Powered Electrochemical Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement Model: Plant Operation, Cost, and Profitability

Electrochemical ocean alkalinity enhancement is a form of marine carbon dioxide removal, a rapidly growing industry that is powered by efficient onshore or offshore energy sources. As more and larger deployments are being planned, it is important to consider how variable energy sources like tidal energy can impact plant performance and costs. An open-source Python-based generalizable model for electrodialysis-based ocean alkalinity enhancement has been developed that can capture key system-level insights of the electrochemistry, ocean chemistry, acid disposal, and co-product creation of these plants under various conditions. The model additionally accounts for hybrid energy system performance profiles and costs via the National Laboratory of the Rockies’ H2Integrate tool. The model was used to analyze an example theoretical plant deployment in North Admiralty Inlet, including how the plant is impacted by the available energy sources in the region and the scale at which plant costs are covered by the co-products it generates, such as recycled concrete aggregates, without requiring carbon credits. The results show that the example plant could be profitable without carbon credits at commercial scales of 100,000 to 1 million tons of carbon dioxide removal per year, so long as it uses low-cost electricity sources and either sells acid or recovers recycled concrete aggregates with about 1 molar acid concentrations, though more research is needed to confirm these results.

hybrid energy↗

Electrochemical carbon dioxide concentrator: Math model

A steady state computer simulation model of an Electrochemical Depolarized Carbon Dioxide Concentrator (EDC) has been developed. The mathematical model combines EDC heat and mass balance equations with empirical correlations derived from experimental data to describe EDC performance as a function of the operating parameters involved. The model is capable of accurately predicting performance over EDC operating ranges. Model simulation results agree with the experimental data obtained over the prediction range.

Marshall, R. D.↗

A General Model for the Electrochemical Double Layer in Solids

It has long been clear that electrochemical double layer / space charge zone in the vicinity of interfaces and other extended defects greatly influences transport and reactivity. Over the past several years, multiple microscopic measurements of defect concentrations in the vicinity of solid-solid interfaces made clear that dilute-case thermodynamic theories to describe the behavior of charged species in space charge zones are untenable. Inhomogeneous thermodynamics – i.e., phase field models – have delivered the most success in describing both microscopic and macroscopic experiments. We still need a generalized approach that quantitatively reproduces the microscopic and macroscopic evidence, while remaining accessible to a wide range of researchers and engineers. In my talk I will present such a framework, which builds on the previously introduced Poisson-Cahn theory but utilizes data science methods which come into the thermodynamic framework in a well-defined way. I will review recent applications to both microscopic and macroscopic datasets while previewing our plans for connecting the theory to atomistic / first principles calculations and experiment simultaneously. I will also review plans for releasing open source code that runs on desktop-level computational resources.

David Mebane↗

Modeling for Battery Prognostics

For any battery-powered vehicles (be it unmanned aerial vehicles, small passenger aircraft, or assets in exoplanetary operations) to operate at maximum efficiency and reliability, it is critical to monitor battery health as well performance and to predict end of discharge (EOD) and end of useful life (EOL). To fulfil these needs, it is important to capture the battery's inherent characteristics as well as operational knowledge in the form of models that can be used by monitoring, diagnostic, and prognostic algorithms. Several battery modeling methodologies have been developed in last few years as the understanding of underlying electrochemical mechanics has been advancing. The models can generally be classified as empirical models, electrochemical engineering models, multi-physics models, and molecular/atomist. Empirical models are based on fitting certain functions to past experimental data, without making use of any physicochemical principles. Electrical circuit equivalent models are an example of such empirical models. Electrochemical engineering models are typically continuum models that include electrochemical kinetics and transport phenomena. Each model has its advantages and disadvantages. The former type of model has the advantage of being computationally efficient, but has limited accuracy and robustness, due to the approximations used in developed model, and as a result of such approximations, cannot represent aging well. The latter type of model has the advantage of being very accurate, but is often computationally inefficient, having to solve complex sets of partial differential equations, and thus not suited well for online prognostic applications. In addition both multi-physics and atomist models are computationally expensive hence are even less suited to online application An electrochemistry-based model of Li-ion batteries has been developed, that captures crucial electrochemical processes, captures effects of aging, is computationally efficient, and is of suitable accuracy for reliable EOD prediction in a variety of operational profiles. The model can be considered an electrochemical engineering model, but unlike most such models found in the literature, certain approximations are done that allow to retain computational efficiency for online implementation of the model. Although the focus here is on Li-ion batteries, the model is quite general and can be applied to different chemistries through a change of model parameter values. Progress on model development, providing model validation results and EOD prediction results is being presented.

Prognostics↗