NREL-Backed Software Drives EDV Innovation
Published: 2019-06-27 05:58:55


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title: NREL-Backed Software Drives EDV Innovation
published: true
description: Could more efficient programming and modeling software be the push that turns lithium-ion batteries into the household names the EDV industry needs them to be? The NREL says "yes" and commits to innovation with its CAEBAT program.
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Could the future of Electric-drive vehicles (EDVs) lie in software programming design? The answer could be “yes.”

The Computer-Aided Engineering for Electric Drive Vehicle Batteries or <a href="https://www.nrel.gov/transportation/caebat.html">CAEBAT project</a>, put forth by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the U.S. Department of Energy, is designed to provide software tools to make life easier for battery designers, developers, and manufacturers. 

Using these models, key stakeholders can more accurately conceptualize cutting-edge lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries that are both affordable and high-performing. Today, we’re delving into the foundation of the CAEBAT project and its major functions. 

Ready to get started? Let’s take a look!

<h2>Limitations of Traditional Lithium-ion Development</h2>
In most cases, <a href="https://www.lithiumbatterypower.com/collections/marine-batteries">lithium batteries</a> are designed via a build-assess-break cycle that’s representative of other industry measures.

While effective in its own right across myriad manufacturing subsets, this approach can be time-consuming. It can also drain participants of their resources, time and money. This is where the advanced modeling resources provided by CAEBAT tools come into play.

<h2>How to Use CAEBAT</h2>

CAEBAT tools are used for myriad applications within the NREL’s renewable energy initiatives, but a few of their most common applications include:

<h3>Designing Battery Cells and Battery Packs</h3>
Improving battery performance, timeline, and safety
Reduce development and production expenses in the battery manufacturing process
Quicken the battery prototyping and manufacturing steps

An example of the recent innovation that CAEBAT has helped to spur? Recent models depict a variety of cell performance types including alternatively stacked, wound, and large-format cylindrical formats, including pack thermal networks. 

To expand this functionality, NREL-enforced CAEBAT teams have consolidated and combined their current and existing battery models into software that’s available for commercial use within the industry. This will help shorten overall design cycles and improve battery quality and performance moving forward. 

To date, there are three main phases of the CAEBAT project. They include:

<ul>
<li>CAEBAT-1: Models and Design Tools: Software tools for battery pack design, based in part on the NREL multi-scale multi-domain (MSMD) model</li>

<li>CAEBAT-2: Speed and Safety Optimization: Optimizes the pace of MSMD and explores battery safety</li>

<li>CAEBAT-3: Software and Microstructures: Prioritizes software integration and microstructure applications</li>
</ul>

<h2>Key CAEBAT Tools</h2>

A few of the tools that CAEBAT developed and packaged include:

<h3>Fluent 15 (ANSYS)</h3>

This is the organization’s flagship practice. It comes complete with battery simulation tools, as well as an application programming interface (API) that connects to the NREL MSMD model within the ANSYS simulation software suite. This allows users within the industry to access all of the NREL’s most recent models. 

<h3>STAR-CCM+ (CD-adapco)</h3>

This is a software program that primarily provides CAEBAT battery simulation models to help users understand how one would work in a given scenario. 

<h3>AutoLion-3D (EC Power)</h3>

An important part of lithium-ion battery design is safety and security. With this specific simulation package, users can recreate various battery safety aspects to measure the integrity of the models, making sure they’re as secure as possible. It also factors in electrochemical-thermal conditions to monitor those, as well. 

<h2>Practical Applications of the CAEBAT Initiative</h2>

Technical details aside, how is the CAEBAT changing the renewables industry as a whole? What can consumers expect to see moving forward and how does this program shape the future of EDVs?

In short, CAEBAT engineering resources help those involved in lithium-ion battery production create the sophisticated and advanced technologies that this sector needs to propel future growth and sustain current momentum. Moving forward, successful EDV manufacturers will be those that take into account ways to boost performance alongside consumer appeal.

Of course, the ultimate goal of EDVs is to reduce the amount of petroleum that drivers consume and emit on a regular basis. Making these batteries as affordable and accessible as possible is a major step in the right direction. To aid this initiative, the NREL partners with key personnel in the field, including university partners, laboratory specialists and industry experts, to make the computer-aided engineering process as smooth and seamless as possible. 

<h2>Future-Focused Industry Growth</h2>

Though the industry has made huge strides in recent years, full-fledged adoption of EDVs will hinge on the development and distribution of top-quality lithium-ion batteries. In the race to be on the cutting edge of this industry, it’s easy for manufacturers to overlook such important internal components. 

As the NREL continues to kick off new phases of its CAEBAT project, tech-savvy and future-focused leaders in this space will leverage these exciting new software tools to make their jobs easier, smarter and ultimately, more effective.