The research objectives of this Grant Opportunity for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI) award are to develop a methodology to understand the propagation of aging in engineered system consisting of many interconnects subsystem and components, and to demonstrate it by developing tools and methods to predict life and understand the state of health of battery pack systems in plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. The first goal of the research is to understand how knowledge of the aging behavior of individual components (e.g.: battery cells) translates into overall system aging. The second goal is to develop a systematic approach to assess the state of health of the system based on knowledge of its components states of health. The resulting approaches are then demonstrated using a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle battery pack as a case study, in collaboration with General Motors. Deliverables include: mathematical models and computer simulations of aging propagation in a battery pack; the experimental validation of the life prediction methods, in collaboration with General Motors; graduate course materials; and a short course designed for industrial audiences.
The outcome of this work will have a broad impact on the theory, methodology and application of failure prognosis to engineered systems, beyond the specific application considered in this project. The participation of General Motors in this project is critical in that it provides an opportunity to validate and implement the methodology in a real-world setting that presents many important challenges such as cost constraints, the application to a large number of systems (potentially millions of vehicles), and the need to achieve a degree of robustness that is consistent with today's consumer expectations of warranty. If this research on aging propagation and prognosis for interconnected systems is successful, it will greatly help in making informed and timely life cycle management decisions, reducing warranty and maintenance costs while improving serviceability, availability and safety.
