Thesis
Multi-physics finite element simulations on structural battery composites: a parametric study
Master of Science (M.S.), Drexel University
Sep 2023
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/00001868
Abstract
Structural Battery Composites (SBCs) are a new type of multifunctional material that provide energy storage and electric power while simultaneously contributing structural integrity. It is essential to characterize SBCs in order to mature the technology for application. In this thesis, a multi-physics SBC negative half-cell is modeled in COMSOL Multiphysics based upon previously developed SBC modeling frameworks. A parametric study is conducted to investigate the effect of design parameters on mechanical performance of the SBC. The SBC model in this study couples thermal, electrochemical, and mechanical effects and considers three basic case studies: tensile, shear, and bending. Within each of the case studies, five parameters are investigated: fiber radius, fiber packing arrangement, fiber type, fiber spacing, and fiber volume fraction. The results show that fiber packing arrangement, fiber type, and volume fraction had the greatest impact to mechanical performance. Additionally, it was observed that different loading scenarios change the sensitivity of the design parameters. The SBC was found to be sensitive to fiber spacing under tensile loading while the design was found to be relatively insensitive to this parameter under shear and bending loading scenarios. Lastly, it the fiber volume fraction was found to have the most considerable effect on electrochemical performance; a lower fiber volume fraction yielded an SBC with a shorter discharge time and a larger fiber volume fraction yielded a longer discharge time. While significant advances in manufacturing technology are required to control the fiber packing arrangement within a composite material, fiber volume fraction remains the most controllable parameter in the state of the art in composite material manufacturing.
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Details
- Title
- Multi-physics finite element simulations on structural battery composites
- Creators
- Timothy Joseph Speck
- Contributors
- Ahmad Raeisi Najafi (Advisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Master of Science (M.S.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Number of pages
- xi, 68 pages
- Resource Type
- Thesis
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- College of Engineering (1970-2026); Mechanical Engineering (and Mechanics) (1970-2026); Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 991021230210904721