Battery Engineering

A data-driven framework is introduced for predicting the energy yield and classifying the trigger mechanism of thermal runaway in lithium-ion batteries. The core of this approach is a 2D uniform data augmentation method that corrects for severe data imbalances across multiple feature dimensions simultaneously. A stacked ensemble regressor trained on this balanced data demonstrates high predictive accuracy across all failure modes, providing a valuable tool for designing safer battery systems.

In this study, cells with three different cell chemistries—Na3V2(PO4)2F3 (NVPF), LiNi0.6Mn0.2Co0.2O2 (NMC), and LiFePO4 (LFP)—are analyzed in exactly the same setup to compare the hazardous vent gases and their thermal behavior during thermal runaway. Additionally, the influence of different triggers on the failure behavior of NVPF cells is elucidated. Of the three cell chemistries, LFP releases the least amount of vent gas at 0.02 mol/Ah (41% H2, 27% CO2, 8% CO), followed by NVPF at 0.05 mol/Ah (42% CO2, 17% electrolyte solvent, 15% H2 and 10% CO), and NMC at 0.07 mol/Ah (36% CO, 24% CO2, 19% H2). The maximum vent gas temperature increases from NVPF (265 °C) to LFP (446 °C) and NMC (1050 °C). As for the triggers, overcharge has the highest vent gas production of the NVPF cells at 0.07 mol/Ah.

The fast pace of consumer electronics development often challenges the validation for lithium ion batteries, which are long lead-time and critical components. To navigate this constraint, reliability validation needs to be agile. This talk details Google’s "shift-left" strategies to expedite the battery validation. We will share practical approaches covering three key phases: (1) early mechanical risk validation; (2) module - system validation correlation; and (3) longevity assessment for intended field life

This talk presents mathematical modeling approaches to understand and simulate thermal runaway in lithium-ion batteries, focusing on capturing the complex heat and mass transfer processes that drive this critical phenomenon.

This talk examines safety considerations in solid-state batteries using a bottom-up approach. By analyzing material behavior and interface interactions, we identify potential failure mechanisms and highlight emerging insights that challenge assumptions about the inherent safety of solid-state systems

This talk explores key challenges in battery module design, focusing on thermal malmanagement with high-power cells in confined spaces—particularly in the material handling sector. Drawing from real-world experience, it covers failure scenarios, design strategies, and novel thermal solutions using both emerging and commercial materials. Attendees will gain actionable insights into how engineering decisions impact thermal behavior across the battery development lifecycle

The impedance spectrum of a lithium-ion battery cell contains a rich amount of information regarding the cell’s physical properties. It can be measured in a straightforward way using electrochemical-impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and the measurements can be regressed against a physics-based model to infer model parameter values. To do so, we must be able to simulate the model quickly and accurately: this talk addresses three approaches to doing so.

Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) require careful and reliable battery management for safe and efficient operation and energy utilization.  A “dual-mode” variant of model predictive control (MPC) has recently shown it can deliver robust performance at low computational cost.  This presentation explains this new control approach and shows how it may be employed to improve overall battery utilization in electric vehicles.

KULR Technology Corporation, in collaboration with South 8 Technologies and NASA Johnson Space Center, is developing -60 °C lithium-ion batteries for deep-space and lunar missions under the Texas Space Commission’s SEARF program. Using South 8’s novel LiGas electrolyte in 18650-M35A and 21700-M52V cells, the project integrates KULR’s radiation-tolerant kBMS into the KULR ONE Space (K1S) platform, culminating in an 8U CubeSat flight demonstration validating cryogenic, human-rated battery performance.

Vents are crucial for battery pack safety, especially under thermal runaway conditions. As battery cell chemistry and pack designs evolve, selecting appropriate venting units becomes increasingly important. The presentation provides an overview of regulatory and technological trends influencing vent design and introduces additional features such as gas sensors and hot particle filters.

As battery controls become more dynamic, cell testing must move beyond static protocols to adaptive, model-integrated validation. Cell hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) couples real cells with real-time battery and environmental models, widening scenario coverage while reducing physical tests and equipment. We see cell HIL as a cornerstone for digital-twin testing, real-time control co-development, and accelerated learning loops. This talk reviews how our collaboration with Maccor enables advanced control validation at scale.