Possibilities and limitations of active battery management systems for lithium-ion batteries

(English) Lithium-Ion Batteries (LIBs) are being used in more and more areas of application. At the same time, their chemical composition and their designs are constantly evolving. Major developments are also taking place in the field of Battery Management Systems (BMSs), which are essential for the safe operation of LIBs. The focus is on intelligent charge redistribution between individual cells, called Active Balancing (AB). This thesis deals with the possibilities and limitations of AB. An empirical long-term experiment provides new insights into the ageing behaviour of batteries that are actively balanced during their entire service life. The main objective of this work is to to demonstrate influences on the ageing behaviour of batteries that are still unknown at present. A literature study shows that previous work in this area is often based on theoretical approaches and rarely has a functional proof through measurement results. Most significant statements from literature are examined. These include the increase in discharge capacity, energy efficiency and service life associated with AB, as well as lower parameter variation of the individual cells installed in the battery. Before starting the empirical experiment, the current state of the art is captured and a universal AB topology is selected from a large number of known systems. The operating behaviour as well as the balancing algorithms are explained in detail in order to be able to understand the influences occurring during the ageing of the batteries. The ageing experiment itself is a comparison test between commercial Passive Balancing (PB) and the novel AB. Two identical battery packs are aged under uniform conditions, but with the two different BMSs mentioned above. At the end of the ageing process, the battery packs are disassembled and the parameters of all individual cells are determined for further investigation. The main contribution of this work is the proof of effects through AB, especially with large battery loads. Both the increase in discharge capacity and the service life are demonstrated. The work shows how parameter variation of individual cells can be made visible during operation. It also presents diagnosis and calculation methods. The energetic efficiency of the batteries cannot be increased, since the self-consumption of the power electronics of the AB system is always higher than with PB. However, the overall efficiency of the battery increases due to an increase in capacity and an extension of the service life. The thesis also shows that with lower battery loads, the use of AB is not beneficial any more or may lead to negative effects. In such applications conventional PB is sufficient. The results obtained during pack ageing are additionally substantiated and extended by the measurement results of the individual cells. At the end of the thesis, all results and contributions are summarised. Suggestions for optimisation as well as further research ideas are presented as a possible starting point for further scientific studies.(Català) Les bateries d’ions de liti (Lithium Ion Batteries, en anglès) s’usen en més aplicacions. Al mateix temps, la seva composició química i dissenys estan en evolució constant. Els sistemes de gestió del bateries (Battery Management Systems, en anglès), que són essencials per l’operació de les LIB, també estan en constant evolució. El focus principal està en la distribució intel·ligent de càrrega elèctrica entre cel·les individuals, l’anomenat balanceig actiu (Active Balancing, en anglès). Un assaig empíric, de llarga durada, com el dut a terme en aquest treball, dona molt informació en el procés d’envelliment de les cel·les durant tota la seva vida. El principal objectiu d’aquest treball és demostrar les influències encara desconegudes en el procés d’envelliment de les cel·les. L’estudi de la literatura mostra que el treball previ en aquesta àrea està sovint basat en aproximacions teòriques i estranyament ensenya resultats empírics que ho corroborin. En aquest treball s’examinen la majoria de presumpcions que es poden trobar a la literatura. Aquestes inclouen l’increment en la capacitat, l’eficiència energètica i la vida útil associada a un balanceig actiu de les cel·les, així com la reducció de la variació dels paràmetres de cada cel·la en una bateria. Abans de procedir amb l’experiment empíric, es revisa l’estat de l’art en els aspectes fonamentals per aquest estudi. També se selecciona una tipologia de sistema de balanceig actiu per tal de realitzar l’experiment. El treball detalla el procediment d’operació així com l’algoritme de balanceig actiu implementat per tal d’entendre els fenòmens que influencien la degradació de les cel·les durant la seva vida. L’experiment d’envelliment és una comparació entre un sistema de balanceig passiu (Passive Balancing, en anglès) i un de balanceig actiu. Per això s’escullen dues bateries idèntiques, però gestionades diferentment per dos sistemes de gestió diferents. Al final de l’assaig, les bateries es desmunten i s’analitza cada cel·la de forma individual per tal de determinar-ne els seus paràmetres i el seu envelliment. La principal contribució d’aquest treball es el demostrar els efectes del balanceig actiu , sobretot en bateries amb una càrrega elevada. El treball demostra que el balanceig actiu millor gla capacitat de la bateria i la vida útil. El treball també mostra com la variació dels paràmetres de les cel·les es pot fer visible durant la seva operació. També presenta nous mètodes de diagnosi i càlcul d’aquests paràmetres. L’eficiència energètica de les bateries no es pot augmentar degut al consum propi i les pèrdues del sistema de balanceig actiu basat en electrònica de potencia. Si que augmenta l’eficiència global de la bateria, ja que augmenta la seva capacitat i la vida útil. El treball també mostra que en bateries sotmeses a baixa càrrega, el balanceig actiu no aporta cap avantatge respecte el balanceig passiu. Fins i tot en algunes situacions, els efectes del balanceig actiu són negatius. En aquestes aplicacions, es recomana l’ús d’un sistema de balanceig passiu. Els resultats obtinguts durant l’assaig de la bateria queden reforçats quan es fa l’anàlisi de cada cel·la de forma individual. Al final del treball, es resumeixen tots els resultats a més de proporcionar suggereixes per la optimització així com possibles línies de futures investigacionsPostprint (published version

3D simulations of rising magnetic flux tubes in a compressible rotating interior: The effect of magnetic tension

Context: Long-term variability in solar cycles represents a challenging constraint for theoretical models. Mean-field Babcock-Leighton dynamos that consider non-instantaneous rising flux tubes have been shown to exhibit long-term variability in their magnetic cycle. However a relation that parameterizes the rise-time of non-axisymmetric magnetic flux tubes in terms of stellar parameters is still missing. Aims: We aim to find a general parameterization of the rise-time of magnetic flux tubes for solar-like stars. Methods: By considering the influence of magnetic tension on the rise of non-axisymmetric flux tubes, we predict the existence of a control parameter referred as $\Gamma_{\alpha_1}^{\alpha_2}$. This parameter is a measure of the balance between rotational effects and magnetic effects (buoyancy and tension) acting on the magnetic flux tube. We carry out two series of numerical experiments (one for axisymmetric rise and one for non-axisymmetric rise) and demonstrate that $\Gamma_{\alpha_1}^{\alpha_2}$ indeed controls the rise-time of magnetic flux tubes. Results: We find that the rise-time follows a power law of $\Gamma_{\alpha_1}^{\alpha_2}$ with an exponent that depends on the azimuthal wavenumber of the magnetic flux loop. Conclusions: Compressibility does not impact the rise of magnetic flux tubes, while non-axisymmetry does. In the case of non-axisymmetric rise, the tension force modifies the force balance acting on the magnetic flux tube. We identified the three independent parameters required to predict the rise-time of magnetic flux tubes, that is, the stellar rotation rate, the magnetic flux density of the flux tube, and its azimuthal wavenumber. We combined these into one single relation that is valid for any solar-like star. We suggest using this generalized relation to constrain the rise-time of magnetic flux tubes in Babcock-Leighton dynamo models.Comment: 18 pages, 15 figures, 6 tabula

Different Outcomes of Experimental Hepatitis E Virus Infection in Diverse Mouse Strains, Wistar Rats, and Rabbits

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is the causative agent of acute hepatitis E in humans in developing countries, but autochthonous cases of zoonotic genotype 3 (HEV-3) infection also occur in industrialized countries. In contrast to swine, rats, and rabbits, natural HEV infections in mice have not yet been demonstrated. The pig represents a well-established large animal model for HEV-3 infection, but a suitable small animal model mimicking natural HEV-3 infection is currently missing. Therefore, we experimentally inoculated C57BL/6 mice (wild-type, IFNAR−/−, CD4−/−, CD8−/−) and BALB/c nude (nu/nu) mice, Wistar rats, and European rabbits with a wild boar-derived HEV-3 strain and monitored virus replication and shedding, as well as humoral immune responses. HEV RNA and anti-HEV antibodies were detected in one and two out of eight of the rats and all rabbits inoculated, respectively, but not in any of the mouse strains tested. Remarkably, immunosuppressive dexamethasone treatment of rats did not enhance their susceptibility to HEV infection. In rabbits, immunization with recombinant HEV-3 and ratHEV capsid proteins induced protection against HEV-3 challenge. In conclusion, the rabbit model for HEV-3 infection may serve as a suitable alternative to the non-human primate and swine models, and as an appropriate basis for vaccine evaluation studies

A Parallel Mesh-Adaptive Framework for Hyperbolic Conservation Laws

We report on the development of a computational framework for the parallel, mesh-adaptive solution of systems of hyperbolic conservation laws like the time-dependent Euler equations in compressible gas dynamics or Magneto-Hydrodynamics (MHD) and similar models in plasma physics. Local mesh refinement is realized by the recursive bisection of grid blocks along each spatial dimension, implemented numerical schemes include standard finite-differences as well as shock-capturing central schemes, both in connection with Runge-Kutta type integrators. Parallel execution is achieved through a configurable hybrid of POSIX-multi-threading and MPI-distribution with dynamic load balancing. One- two- and three-dimensional test computations for the Euler equations have been carried out and show good parallel scaling behavior. The Racoon framework is currently used to study the formation of singularities in plasmas and fluids.Comment: late submissio

Identification and purification of a bovine liver mitochondrial NAD+-glycohydrolase

AbstractNonenzymatic ADP-ribosylation of mitochondrial proteins is thought to play a role in the regulation of Ca2+ efflux from mitochondria. It has been shown that intramitochondrial ADP-ribose is generated by a specific NAD+ glycohydrolase, which catalizes hydrolysis of NAD+ to ADP-ribose and nicotinamide. We purified this enzyme from bovine liver mitochondrial membranes. The final preparation had a 1660-fold purified enzyme activity and contained a main protein band with an apparent molar mass of 32,000 in a SDS-polyacrylamide gel. The identity of this protein band with NAD+-glycohydrolase was verified by renaturation of its enzymatic activity. Partial amino acid sequence information was obtained from two enzyme fragments after proteolytic cleavage of the protein band in the SDS-polyacrylamide gel. Searches in protein databases revealed that an arginine ADP-ribosyl hydrolase harbours two stretches of amino acids that are highly similar to the partial NAD+-glycohydrolase sequences

Das Wie und Warum mathematischer Wirkung

Mathematik scheint den natürlichen Formalismus zur Beschreibung und Berechnung physikalischer Prozesse und Gesetzmäßigkeiten zu liefern. Umgekehrt haben physikalische Fragestellungen die Entwicklung der Mathematik angeregt und teilweise ihre Richtung bestimmt, und eigentlich gibt es keine scharfe Grenze zwischen Mathematik und Physik. Eine sinnvolle Einteilung bezieht sich eher auf die Motivation als auf die Untersuchungsgegenstände der Mathematik: Forschung wird betrieben, um mathematische Strukturen zu verstehen oder ist durch naturwissenschaftliche oder technisch‐industrielle Anwendungen motiviert

He and Ne ages of large presolar silicon carbide grains: Solving the recoil problem

Knowledge about the age of presolar grains provides important insights into Galactic chemical evolution and the dynamics of grain formation and destruction processes in the Galaxy. Determination from the abundance of cosmic ray interaction products is straightforward, but in the past has suffered from uncertainties in correcting for recoil losses of spallation products. The problem is less serious in a class of large (tens of micrometer) grains. We describe the correction procedure and summarise results for He and Ne ages of presolar SiC "Jumbo" grains that range from close to zero to ~850 Myr, with the majority being less than 200 Myr. We also discuss the possibility of extending our approach to the majority of smaller SiC grains and explore possible contributions from trapping of cosmic rays.Comment: Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia, Contribution to PASA special volume "The Origin of Elements Heavier than Iron in honor of the 70th birthday of Roberto Gallino

COMBINATORIAL INSCRIBABILITY OBSTRUCTIONS FOR HIGHER DIMENSIONAL POLYTOPES

For 3-dimensional convex polytopes, inscribability is a classical property that is relatively well-understood due to its relation with Delaunay subdivisions of the plane and hyperbolic geometry. In particular, inscribability can be tested in polynomial time, and for every f-vector of 3-polytopes, there exists an inscribable polytope with that f-vector. For higher dimensional polytopes, much less is known. Of course, for any inscribable polytope, all of its lower dimensional faces need to be inscribable, but this condition does not appear to be very strong. We observe non-trivial new obstructions to the inscribability of polytopes that arise when imposing that a certain inscribable face be inscribed. Using this obstruction, we show that the duals of the 4-dimensional cyclic polytopes with at least eight vertices - all of whose faces are inscribable - are not inscribable. This result is optimal in the following sense: We prove that the duals of the cyclic 4-polytopes with up to seven vertices are, in fact, inscribable. Moreover, we interpret this obstruction combinatorially as a forbidden subposet of the face lattice of a polytope, show that d-dimensional cyclic polytopes with at least d+4 vertices are not circumscribable, and that no dual of a neighborly 4-polytope with eight vertices, that is, no polytope with f-vector (20,40,28,8), is inscribable