New software makes future electric cars closer to reality
March 15th, 2011 - 6:36 pm ICT by ANIWashington, March 15 (ANI): Scientists are coming up with new software that would help speed up the process of development of future electric cars.
Lack of charging stations and limited battery life have so far prevented compact electric vehicles from going mainstream.
The lithium-ion batteries used by most automakers are simply too heavy, too expensive and go flat too quickly.
New materials should improve the performance, service life and safety of the energy storage device, yet the development of these kinds of materials is time-consuming and costly.
But now researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM in Kaiserslautern are developing software to simulate lithium-ion batteries, which should in turn speed up this process and make it more efficient.
The new software is dubbed BEST, short for Battery and Electrochemistry Simulation Tool.
The researchers have managed to simulate on macroscopic and microscopic level the entire battery cell as well as the transport and reaction processes of the lithium ions themselves.
“We can show the microscopic structure of the electrodes. Every individual pore measuring 10 micrometers can be seen - something none of today’s off-the-shelf programs can do. The position and shape of the electrodes can also be varied,” said Zausch.
By resolving the structure of the electrodes in three dimensions, parameters such as lithium ion concentrations and current density can be calculated.
For these computations a specialize “Finite Volume” code is used that was developed and implemented at the ITWM.
The distribution of the current flow provides an indication of heat production in the battery. Therefore, the software can pinpoint possible hotspots that may overheat and can lead to ignition of the battery. Aging effects can also be assessed using BEST. (ANI)
- Cellphone batteries to recharge in 15 minutes - Nov 18, 2011
- Scientists create the world's tiniest battery - Dec 10, 2010
- Carbon nanotubes in lithium batteries improve energy capacity - Jun 21, 2010
- Why batteries lose their ability to hold a charge as they age - Oct 20, 2010
- New method may help solve lithium battery safety problems - May 17, 2010
- Now recharge cellphones in seconds - Mar 21, 2011
- New 3-D nanostructure makes batteries charge quickly and retain capacity - Mar 21, 2011
- Scientists build microbatteries with nanowire hearts - Dec 10, 2010
- Silicon-coated nanonets could pave way for longer-lasting lithium-ion batteries - Feb 17, 2010
- 'Nanoscoops' batteries that charge '40 times faster than conventional ones' - Jan 05, 2011
- Now, a futuristic fuel efficient lightweight car - Sep 13, 2011
- A splash of graphene can improve battery materials - Sep 23, 2009
- Soon, batteries that could recharge within 10 minutes - Jul 18, 2010
- Battery that makes electricity from water developed - Mar 30, 2011
- Battery that uses freshwater, seawater to generate electricity developed - Apr 21, 2011
Tags: battery cell, current density, developing software, electric cars, electric vehicles, energy storage device, finite volume, fraunhofer institute, heat production, industrial mathematics, ion concentrations, lithium ion batteries, lithium ions, micrometers, microscopic level, microscopic structure, performance service, reaction processes, shelf programs, simulation tool