Model-based Graded Electrode Design for Lithium-ion Batteries

Abstract

Lithium-ion battery, due to its high power and energy densities and long life, has been identified as a preferred candidate for various applications, ranging from small-scaled consumer electronics to large-scaled energy storage systems for electric vehicles and grid applications. However, the performance of lithium-ion batteries today still needs to be improved to fully meet the requirements of these applications. There are two ways to achieve better performance, either by modifying the chemistry to reach a revolutionary breakthrough or by optimizing the cell design to realize a series of gradual and continuous improvement. This work focuses on the latter approach. Whatever material we end up using, it is always necessary to optimize the cell design to fully utilize that material. This dissertation is focused on model-based graded electrode design using electrochemical models, and the implementation of optimization and simulation methods necessary to achieve the optimal design profiles. Design with constraints and multi-objective optimization have also been explored to provide a framework that works for a wide range of applications.