Advisors: Romain Postoyan (CNRS, Université de Lorraine) and Stéphane Raël (Université de Lorraine)
Among the different energy storage technologies available, lithium-ion accumulators offer many advantages in terms of volume capacity, weight, power density, as well as the absence of memory effect, which explains their popularity. On the other hand, they require a so-called battery management system (BMS) for a safe and efficient usage. The BMS thus plays a key role on the battery performances and lifespan. In this context, it is essential to feed the BMS with accurate data on the actual state of the battery. The challenge is that few information on the battery variables is directly accessible by measurements, typically the current, the voltage and possibly the temperature. The concentration of lithium in each electrode for instance, which is directly related to the state of charge (SOC) and is thus of primary importance, cannot be measured on-line and needs to be estimated. A common way to estimate unmeasured battery data is to design an observer based on a mathematical model of the internal dynamics. The problem is non-trivial due to the nonlinear relationships between the measured variables and the internal ones. In this context, the general objective of the PhD is to design state observers for lithium-ion battery models and to implement these on Matlab-Simulink interfaced with dSpace. Particular attention will be given to multi-cell batteries.
The PhD grant includes a 3-year studentship as well as additional expenses.
We target students with a M.Sc. degree or equivalent degree in control engineering, electrical engineering, or applied mathematics. Even though the PhD topic is interdisciplinary, the core deals with control (design of nonlinear observer, stability and robustness analysis etc.).
Below are some extra information.
- Expected starting date: fall 2022.
- Duration: 3 years.
- Location: CRAN (www.cran.univ-lorraine.fr), CNRS in Nancy (France).
- Application procedure: send us an e-mail to the addresses below with your CV and a record of your last marks. Reference contacts or letters are welcome but not mandatory.
- The candidate should speak English and is not required to speak French.
- Application deadline: July 1, 2022.
- Contact details: Romain Postoyan (romain.postoyan@univ-lorraine.fr) and Stéphane Raël (stephane.rael@univ-lorraine.fr).
