Born and educated in Germany, Eymen pursued an academic and professional journey in the realm of automotive engineering. Specializing in powertrain and chassis development he had the privilege of studying in cooperation with Volkswagen in Wolfsburg.
During this collaboration he also attained a degree in construction engineering with a specialization in fine sheet metals. Subsequently, Eymen joined the requirements and test management team for the electrical control unit in the research and development department at VW. Operating within a systems engineering environment he gained extensive experience in agile methodologies, especially the Scrum framework.
With a deep interest in systems engineering, Eymen made a contribution to the field by writing his thesis that delved into the evaluation and application of the new systems modeling language SysML v2.
Embodying the T-shaped approach, Eymen is eager to further deepen his knowledge in automotive engineering at AAPS CDT and looks forward to collaborating with other members of AAPS CDT, sharing knowledge across diverse areas and disciplines.
The promotion and application of electric vehicles (EVs) is a vital strategy for many countries to achieve reduced carbon emissions and realise carbon neutrality by 2050 (Global EV Outlook 2021). As the power source of electric automotive, power batteries play a decisive role in the performance, driving range and lifespan of EVs. At present, lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are the most promising candidate to propel usage of EVs due to their high energy/power density, long cycle life, high stability and high energy efficiency. However, Li-ion batteries are sensitive to the operating temperatures. For instance, at temperatures > 35oC, side reactions inside the batteries are intensified, causing capacity fading and battery ageing. More seriously, thermal runaway incidents of EVs due to overheating of batteries are frequently reported, raising questions and attention in EVs’ safety. On the other hand, when the temperature is low, typically < 15oC, the discharge capacity is largely reduced due to the increased internal resistance and depressed reaction kinetics, leading to a much shorter driving range. In addition, the non-uniform temperature distribution will cause inconsistent electrochemical process and further reduce the battery pack capacity and cycle life. Therefore, an efficient battery thermal management system is essential to ensure the safety and performance of Li-ion batteries in EVs.
The main aim of Eymen's research is to design high-performing and safer Li-ion battery designs by using numerical modelling that can fully characterise the interactions between chemical reaction and thermal transport mechanisms of current and next-generation battery designs. The numerical models will be used to provide insights into thermal propagation, possible overpressure due to runaway chemical reaction and other associated risks in the enclosed systems. In addition, he will use the validated models to predict performances of new battery configurations and propose adequate safety measures to prevent disasters, with reduced physical testing. Such an approach is imperative for the design of safer and high capacity Li-ion batteries for EVs.
To achieve our aims, we proposed the following specific objectives:
Develop a series of robust and adaptable numerical models to assess the thermal and chemical stability of current and next-generation Li-ion batteries;
Assess the wide applicability of lumped heat transfer correlations to model thermal propagation of Li-on batteries;
Identify and design new approaches to maintain a stable and uniform temperature of the battery pack;
Design a unified thermal management system (air conditioning and battery) by energy integration;
Design safety measures that can offer prompt and powerful responses to critical thermal issues.
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