Hussam J. Khasawneh

Analysis of Heat-Spreading Thermal Management Solutions for Lithium-Ion Batteries

The analysis and optimization of thermal performance of Li-ion battery packs are topics of great interest today. Most Li-ion batteries for motive, vehicular, backup power and utility energy storage applications are fitted with a microprocessor-controlled thermal management system including an array of temperature and voltage sensors and an active cooling system. However, as the complexity of the thermal management system increases, so does its weight, volume and parasitic power consumption, all factors that adversely affect the vehicle’s performance. In this sense, an improved thermal management system based on including passive solutions such as phase change materials or heat spreading technologies could decrease the load on active components and ultimately the weight and costs of the system. This paper describes an experimental and simulation study aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of flexible graphite materials for heat spreaders in battery thermal management systems. A commercial Li-ion battery pack for power tools applications was adopted as a case study. The electro-thermal behavior of the battery pack was characterized through combined experimental investigation and 3D FEM modeling to determine the heat generation rate of the battery cells during utilization and to evaluate the thermal behavior of the battery pack. A thermal management solution based on flexible graphite heat spreading material was then designed and implemented. The paper presents a comparative study conducted in simulation to evaluate the improvements in the pack thermal behavior.Copyright

Evaluation and sizing of energy storage systems for microgrids

This paper evaluates the energy storage systems (ESS) in the microgrids. The ESS unit is regarded as an added energy resource in microgrid system to support the power balance when regular distributed energy resources (DERs) are incapable of matching the load demand. Sizing and specifications of ESS are investigated in this paper using several test case scenarios. An overall evaluation of the energy storage functionality is carried out for the microgrid by looking at different storage options for diverse operating scenarios.

Equalization of battery cycle life through flexible distribution of energy and storage resources

Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) in industrial microgrids are frequently subjected to large and fluctuating demands from loads like crushers, excavators, and steel rolling mills. This paper investigates the battery life when four small-rated DERs are interconnected in a microgrid to supply a crusher-conveyor load at an industrial plant, especially when power from the main (utility) grid is not available. Each DER consisted of a fuel cell accompanied by a Li-ion battery. After carrying out extensive modeling and analysis, this paper demonstrated that the battery life can be equalized by employing the cooperative framework of Flexible Distribution of EneRgy and Storage resources (FDERS). Various practical considerations have been taken into account in the analysis presented in this paper.

Supercapacitor Cycle Life Equalization in a Microgrid Through Flexible Distribution of Energy and Storage Resources

Industrial microgrids functioning under islanded mode of operation are often subjected to large and fluctuating demands from loads such as crushers, excavators, and steel rolling mills. This paper studies the supercapacitor (SC) cycle life when multiple small rated but distantly located distributed energy resources are supplying a cement plant crusher-conveyor load in the islanded operation of the microgrid. Each DER consists of a fuel cell (FC) supplemented with a SC. After having carried out extensive modeling, simulation, and analysis, this paper demonstrates that the SC cycle life can be equalized by employing the cooperative framework of flexible distribution of energy and storage resources.

Quantitative and qualitative evaluation of flexible distribution of energy and storage resources

Flexible distribution of energy and storage resources (FDERS) offers the benefits of increased resource lifetime, optimal energy storage deployment, enhanced controllability and improved system robustness. It is enabled through the use of reconfiguration, variable interface reactances and/or adjustable distributed energy resource (DER) controls to create a cooperative framework among multiple interconnected DERs in meeting the system load demands. This paper presents a systematic approach towards analysis of FDERS dynamic behavior to qualitatively and quantitatively evaluate the above benefits and provide design recommendations. It includes developing theoretical small-signal system models along with detailed time-domain simulations in MATLAB®/Simulink™ environment for an FDERS consisting of multiple interconnected DERs in various cooperative formations.

Flexible Distribution of Energy and Storage Resources: Integrating These Resources into a Microgrid

Industrial power systems in the mining and metal industries typically comprise several large and fluctuating loads, such as crushers, excavators, shovels, and steel mills. Flexible distribution of energy and storage resources (FDERS) is a proposed new framework for reliably regulating the quickly varying loads supplied by a network of multiple smaller-rated distributed energy resources (DERs), especially when power from the main grid is not available. It was inspired by the cooperative V-shape formation of flocks of birds and the peloton/echelon formation of cycling racing teams for extending their endurance limits. Similar ideas applied to integrating DERs can extend sustainability through increased resource lifetime, optimal energy storage deployment, enhanced controllability, and improved system robustness.

Supercapacitor cycle life equalization in a microgrid through flexible distribution of energy and storage resources

Industrial microgrids functioning under islanded mode of operation are often subjected to large and fluctuating demands from loads such as crushers, excavators, and steel rolling mills. This paper studies the supercapacitor (SC) cycle life when multiple small rated but distantly located distributed energy resources are supplying a cement plant crusher-conveyor load in the islanded operation of the microgrid. Each DER consists of a fuel cell (FC) supplemented with a SC. After having carried out extensive modeling, simulation, and analysis, this paper demonstrates that the SC cycle life can be equalized by employing the cooperative framework of flexible distribution of energy and storage resources.

Economic evaluation of energy storage options in a microgrid with Flexible Distribution of Energy and Storage resources

In this paper, an economic evaluation is carried out for energy storage options in an industrial microgrid comprising four distributed energy resources (DERs). It is assumed that each DER unit is accompanied by Li-ion battery and/or supercapacitor for load following under islanded mode of operation. Cost estimates are made for different energy storage options based on present value of life cycle cost. The cost calculations use published information from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Sandia National Laboratories, and Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). Two different scenarios of project life, viz., 20 and 30 years, are covered. The economic advantage of using the Flexible Distribution of EneRgy and Storage resources (FDERS) framework in microgrid operation is analyzed.

State-of-health based load sharing strategy in vehicle-to-grid systems

A novel control strategy to intelligently regulate load sharing in vehicle-to-grid (V2G) systems is proposed in this paper. It is based on sharing the load demand between the vehicles based on the state-of-health (SoH) of their batteries. The strategy employs an on-board smart device that computes the battery aging, and this device communicates with the smart grid controller when the vehicle is connected to the microgrid. This paper also presents the algorithm for determining the share factor, and the implementation details of the control strategy.

Autonomous cooperative agent based flexible distribution of Energy and Storage resources

A new framework for integrating distributed energy resources (DERs) and energy storage devices, known as Flexible Distribution of EneRgy and Storage resources (FDERS), has been proposed recently. It offers the benefits of increased DER lifetime, optimal energy storage deployment, enhanced controllability and improved system robustness. This paper presents an autonomous cooperative agent based FDERS system. The pecking order or hierarchy of distributed energy and storage resources in FDERS can be varied based on the energy resource availability, response characteristics or fuel pricing of individual DERs. Such a hierarchical scheme may at first suggest a centralized control philosophy, but this paper has presented an improved and decentralized cooperative strategy with intelligent agents processing local information for delivering the larger system goals.