On successful completion of the course, the student should:
have knowledge of the working principle of batteries
have knowledge of which components and their properties in a battery and battery cells
be able to perform calculations related to battery materials and battery cells
be able to perform risk assessments related to batteries, battery materials and battery cells/battery packs
Course contents
The course objective is to equip students with an in-depth understanding of common types of batteries. After passing this course, the students should be able to explain what happens inside a battery during operation, which key components are included, and how different active materials affect the function of the batteries. The student is expected to be able to calculate the key properties of battery materials and battery cells and know how to characterize them experimentally. They will be able to review which battery technologies are suitable for which application and what dominates their degradation in the intended use case. Furthermore, the students should be able to risk assess lithium-ion battery materials and cells and know how to handle them safely.
Battery history
Galvanic cells and voltage array
NiMH and lead-acid batteries
Structure of Li-ion battery
Active materials in Li-ion battery
Cell design and balancing
Degradation and side reactions
Battery testing
Security aspects and risk management
Next-generation batteries
Teaching methods
Lectures and exercises/lab.
The workload for the average student is estimated at 27 hours per credit.
Assessment methods and criteria
Portfolio exam. Content will be given at the start of the semester. Graded evaluation.
Evaluation
The person responsible for the course decides, in cooperation with student representative, the form of student evaluation and whether the course is to have a midway or end of course evaluation in accordance with the quality system for education, chapter 4.1.