EAGER: SARE: Security and Functionality of Energy Storage Devices from an External Electromagnetic Attack

Missouri University Of Science And Technology, Rolla MO

Investigators

Abstract

This project supports fundamental research that contributes to new knowledge in the safety and security of energy storage devices under an electromagnetic attack. Energy storage devices are ubiquitous in the modern world, but they are very sensitive to electromagnetic radiation originating from internal devices or external sources. This project investigates the impact of electromagnetic radiation on the state of energy storage devices and their health/safety conditions. The research outcomes will enable the development of technologies and energy storage system designs that can detect, mitigate, and prevent detrimental interference from electromagnetic radiation and to protect the performance, safety, and security of energy storage devices used in the healthcare, energy, biomedical, aerospace, and chemical and automotive industries, which benefit the U.S. economy and society. This research involves several disciplines including electrochemistry, electromagnetics, manufacturing, control, and materials science. The multi-disciplinary approach helps broaden the participation of women and underrepresented groups in research and positively impacts engineering/science education and training. The project studies the fundamental relationship between electromagnetic fields and the performance, safety, and security of energy storage devices and their management systems through non-destructive experimental measurements. The study will identify the effects of electromagnetic radiation on battery status and electrochemical behavior, including state of charge, state of health, battery degradation physics, and cycling performance. The study explores the possible damage or accelerated degradation due to overcharge and over-discharge caused by the excess current generation from electromagnetic radiation. The team tests different operating conditions (current, voltage range) and temperature, device design, packing, and chemistry by an integrated measurement coupled with an electrochemical and electromagnetic field scan analysis. Furthermore, the effects of the strength, frequency, and direction of electromagnetic field on battery damage and degradation are examined by measuring the battery degradation and functionality. The study also relies on a coupled electrochemical-electromagnetic model with degradation physics, along with advanced material characterization technique to improve the understanding of the non-destructive measurement results. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.