Electrochemical power sources such as batteries and fuel cells are considered as one of the key technologies for future mobility in view of fossil fuel limitations and environmental aspects. Two different approaches for electromobility are conceivable: on the one hand, electricity generated by primary energy sources, e.g., wind or solar power, is stored in rechargeable batteries for later usage; on the other hand, electricity is produced on-board in a fuel cell based on fuels such as natural or hydrogen gas. Hybrid solutions combining both approaches in one vehicle also appear to be very promising.

Our research for these applications aim at developing novel computational methods enabling the numerical simulation of electrochemical power sources. In general, for the modeling and numerical simulation of both electrochemical applications, electrochemical reactions occurring at electrodes and multi-ion transport processes have to be taken into account. Computational methods will be instrumental in gaining further insight into these complex systems, to optimize existing configurations and to support the development of future systems.

EEBatt – Interdisciplinary energy storage research project

Overview of the research project EEBatt 

The Research Project EEBatt “Distributed stationary battery storage systems for the efficient use of renewable energies and support of grid stability” is a multidisciplinary project run by the TUM’s Munich School of Engineering (MSE).

Combining the strength of 13 chairs and departments of the Technische Universität München, the industry partner VARTA Storage GmbH and the Bayerische Zentrum für Angewandte Energieforschung e.V. (ZAE Bayern) , a multidisciplinary team of researchers works together on a wide range of issues concerning stationary storage of electrical energy.  Driven by the actual evolution in the energy market, the main goal of the project is to investigate, develop and produce a decentralized energy storage device, which ensures that locally generated electrical power can be consumed locally. Based on the actual and expected results for lithium-ion technologies, EEBatt uses Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) and Lithium Titanate Oxide (LTO) chemistry for the setup. Together with the KWH Netz GmbH, a regional power supplier company in Haag/Oberbayern, the obtained results of the research project will be evaluated and implemented.

The energy turnaround implicates not only a change in the technologies used for energy production, it also means a structural change towards a large number of decentralized time-dependent production facilities. The resulting fluctuations in the power production and imbalanced charging of the power grid make the use of storage technologies essential.  To identify and explore possible storage solutions Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Wirtschaft und Medien, Energie und Technologie enables the EEBatt research project. 

The research project EEBatt pursues in the period from 01/01/2013 to 31/12/2016  the following objectives: 

1.     Development of an innovative decentralized stationary energy storage system
2.     Increase and secure the system security
3.     Optimization and advancement of the „Battery Management Systems“
4.     Increase battery lifetime and cycle stability
5.     Cost optimization, modular and scalable product design
6.     Reduction of the production costs
7.     Increase the overall efficiency 
8.     Development of an optimally adapted energy management system
9.     Cost-effective and intelligent integration

Research interest at this institute:

In battery research, computational methods are increasingly used, e.g., to provide insight into physical and chemical aspects or to optimize future designs. For such numerical simulations, reproducibility and reliability are key issues, which depend on appropriate physical models, boundary conditions, and accurately determined transport parameters, among other things. Standard models as well as various computational approaches for electrolyte solutions can be rather easily found in literature, whereas accurate and reliable transport parameters are rather seldomly published. It is the goal of this project to gain deeper insight into the influence of transport parameter on numerical simulations and to develop accurate and at the same time as simple as possible experimental procedures for determining transport parameters required for predictive numerical simulations.

Field test ENERGY NEIGHBOR  

One result of the research project EEBatt is the stationary battery storage system Energy Neighbor, which is going to be tested in Moosham (corporation Kirchdorf/Oberbayern). Energy Neighbor as a community energy storage system has a storage capacity of 200 kWh, which allows to consume local generated energy locally. Therefore Energy Neighbor helps to integrate electricity produced from renewable energy sources better and to relieve the grid. This is a contribution to a sustainable and decentralized energy system.