Course syllabus for Structural batteries: Design, manufacturing and characterisation

Course syllabus adopted 2023-04-19 by Head of Programme (or corresponding).

Overview

  • Swedish nameStrukturella batterier: design, tillverkning och egenskaper
  • CodeTRA350
  • Credits15 Credits
  • OwnerTRACKS
  • Education cycleSecond-cycle
  • DepartmentTRACKS
  • GradingTH - Pass with distinction (5), Pass with credit (4), Pass (3), Fail

Course round 1

  • Teaching language English
  • Application code 97195
  • Open for exchange studentsYes

Credit distribution

0123 Project 15 c
Grading: TH		7.5 c7.5 c

In programmes

Examiner

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Eligibility

General entry requirements for Master's level (second cycle)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Specific entry requirements

English 6 (or by other approved means with the equivalent proficiency level)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Course specific prerequisites

In addition to the general requirements to study at advanced level at Chalmers, necessary subject or project specific prerequisite competences (if any) must be fulfilled. Alternatively, the student must obtain the necessary competences during the course. The examiner will formulate and check these prerequisite competences.

The student will only be admitted in agreement with the examiner.

Team prerequisites (for the individual student at least one of the following)
  • Strength of materials or solid mechanics, including: Stress – Strain relations, Structural mechanics, Theory of elasticity in 3D, Yield criteria and Stress concentrations
  • Finite element method or Numerical solution of partial differential equations, Programming
  • Thermodynamics, Heat transfer or Thermal engineering
  • Engineering materials
  • Materials science, including characterisation methods
  • Chemistry, including: Physical chemistry, Polymer chemistry and physics , Inorganic chemistry, Polymer technology, Electrochemistry
  • Electric power engineering, including: Basic Electric circuit theory, Electric machines, Power electronics and Power systems, Automatic control
  • Programming and Signals and Systems, including Control and Filter Fundamentals
  • Systems analysis and design, including Energy efficiency , LCA

Aim

The aim of the course is to provide a platform to work and solve challenging cross-disciplinary authentic problems from different stakeholders in society such as the academy, industry or public institutions. Additionally, the aim is that students from different educational programs practice working efficiently in global multidisciplinary development teams.

The course introduces structural battery composites, their constituents, design, manufacture and characterisation. Structural battery composites are made from carbon fibre-reinforced polymer composites where the carbon fibres simultaneously act as reinforcement and electrode. The course will give comprehensive knowledge and understanding of this type of multifunctional composites
and their electrical and mechanical behaviour. This will include constituent, half-cell and full cell characterisation (multifunctional performance and properties), multi-physics modelling and design,
manufacturing techniques and device demonstration.
The course also aims to train an interdisciplinary team of students how to address and solve multidisciplinary scientific problems.

Learning outcomes (after completion of the course the student should be able to)


Valid for all Tracks courses:
  • critically and creatively identify and/or formulate advanced architectural or engineering problems
  • master problems with open solutions spaces which includes to be able to handle uncertainties and limited information.
  • lead and participate in the development of new products, processes and systems using a holistic approach by following a design process and/or a systematic development process.
  • work in multidisciplinary teams and collaborate in teams with different compositions
  • show insights about cultural differences and to be able to work sensitively with them.
  • show insights about and deal with the impact of architecture and/or engineering solutions in a global, economic, environment and societal context.
  • identify ethical aspects and discuss and judge their consequences in relation to the specific problem
  • orally and in writing explain and discuss information, problems, methods, design/development processes and solutions
  • fulfill project specific learning outcomes
Course specific:
  • List and explain the state-of-the-art of different combined mechanical and
  • electrochemical characterisation procedures, their applicability and limitations in
  • multifunctional tests on constituents, half-cells and full cell
  • Suggest and execute experimental methods for novel characterisation of multifunctional
  • properties of structural batteries and their constituents
  • List and explain the basics of different manufacturing procedures for structural battery
  • composites, their applicability and limitations
  • Study multi-physics models for the coupled electrochemical-mechanical-thermal problem
  • and apply these models in the analysis and design of the structural battery composite and
  • its half-cells
  • Perform basic finite element (FE) analyses of structural battery composite devices, using
  • the commercial software (COMSOL)
  • Asses multifunctional performance of structural battery composite devices and their
  • effect on systems weight and performance
  • Work in an interdisciplinary research team facing open problems in the
  • development of novel material system
  • Teach peers, prepare and execute a short course your core-competence area for your peers (from other disciplines)
  • Contribute to research communication and outreach activities linked to scientific
  • discoveries and demonstration

Content

Elastic anisotropy,
Homogenisation of lamina properties, Laminate theory,
Carbon fibres,
Polymer electrolytes,
Li-ion batteries,
Mechanical and electrochemical test methods, Connectivity and
power management of structural battery devices,
Finite element formulation of structural battery composites,
Manufacturing of fibre composites, Multifunctional performance metrics,
Multi-physics assessment of structural battery composites using commercial software (COMSOL).

Organisation

The course is run by a teaching team.
The main part of the course is a challenge driven project. The challenge may range from being broad societal to profound research driven. The project task is solved in a group. The course is supplemented by on-demand teaching and learning of the skills necessary for the project. The project team will have one university examiner, one or a pole of university supervisors and one or a pole of external co-supervisors if applicable.

Tracks-theme: Sustainable Transports

A research project to design, manufacture and characterise a structural battery composite devise is undertaken by a team of students from different programmes across Chalmers form the team.
The course is organised into a research project comprising experimental and theoretical
components. The team of students will learn the subject via lectures, tutorials and lab work. Lectures will be given by the teacher and teaching assistants, invited lecturers as well as by the students themself, where for example a student teaches the basics of the area of his/her background (e.g., solid mechanics, electrochemical characterisation of batteries or battery management systems). Every
student will be asked to prepare up to a half-day course in a relevant area for the project and give that to the team members. The main theory is presented in these lectures and exemplified during the execution of the project.

Literature

Relevant literature is retrieved and acquired by the students as a part of the project.

Approved peer-training and lab work
Team project, report and presentation with contribution report

Examination including compulsory elements

Approved peer-training and lab work
Team project, report and presentation with contribution report

The course examiner may assess individual students in other ways than what is stated above if there are special reasons for doing so, for example if a student has a decision from Chalmers on educational support due to disability.