CAREER: Identifiability Optimization in Electrochemical Battery Systems

This Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program award is to examine the identifiability of electrochemical battery model parameters, defined as the degree to which one can quickly, uniquely, and accurately determine these parameters from experimental data. The research will build on previous research by the PI in battery parameter identification. The first goal is to explore different metrics for quantifying identifiability. The research will also develop algorithms for estimating both the internal state variables (e.g., degree to which a given battery is full or empty) and parameters (e.g., degree to which a battery is healthy or unhealthy) of lithium-ion batteries from experimental data. Together, these two contributions will serve as foundations for identifiability optimization. Critical information to be acquired in identifiability optimization include: the type of of sensors to be install on a lithium-ion battery to improve the detection speed and accuracy of its health degradation and the type of laboratory cycling experiments that can yield the greatest amount of information about battery model parameters with minimal time and cost.

The research will have broader impact on multiple societal stakeholders. Society at large will benefit from improvements in online battery diagnostics enabled by improvements in battery parameter identifiability. Battery experimentalists will be able to obtain more accurate parameters from shorter, less expensive laboratory tests. The scientific community will benefit from the efforts to bridge current gaps among electrochemistry, online estimation, and optimal control literature. Finally, the effort will focus on outreach and education activities including: (i) the engagement of undergraduate students, especially women and underrepresented minorities through Penn State University's Schreyer Honors College; (ii) the creation of web-based courses in the areas of battery system dynamics and control; (iii) the engagement of industrial partners through complementary research efforts funded by agencies such as ARPA-E; and (iv) the creation of battery-focused educational materials for K-12 STEM outreach.