Determining the ageing of battery cells with computer tomography

Electromobility Determining the ageing of battery cells with computer tomography

2025-01-24 From Stefanie Eckardt | Translated by AI 2 min Reading Time

How can old EV batteries be reused? This critical question drives the research project "Re-use of Battery Cells: CT Analysis of Lithium-Ion Batteries to Assess Function- and Safety-Critical Features for the Second Life Phase." The project investigates how computed tomography (CT) can be used to analyze the aging process of lithium-ion battery cells and assess the impact of usage on their functionality and safety. By leveraging CT technology, researchers aim to identify key factors that enable the efficient and safe reuse of EV batteries, extending their lifecycle and supporting sustainable energy solutions.

A second life for lithium-ion batteries - computer tomography should help to achieve this.(Image: freely licensed from Pixabay) — A second life for lithium-ion batteries - computer tomography should help to achieve this.
(Image: freely licensed from Pixabay)

As electromobility gains traction, more electric vehicles are hitting the roads, making lithium-ion batteries increasingly vital. This also raises critical questions about how their aging process and potential for reuse can be effectively analyzed. CT Analysis of Lithium-Ion Batteries to Assess Function- and Safety-Critical Features for the Second Life Phase"—better known as RELIBRE. This initiative focuses on leveraging computed tomography (CT) to explore battery aging and ensure safe, efficient reuse in their second life.

Researching the relationship between the use and ageing of battery cells

"The service life of the installed battery cells is limited, as the usage requirements can no longer be met at some point. However, for an application with lower requirements, aged batteries can still be usable in a second life," explains Prof. Dr.-Ing. Stefan Bracke from the Chair of Reliability Engineering and Risk Analysis at the University of Wuppertal, who is leading the research project. However, in order to make second life possible, it is necessary to record, assess and quantify the ageing caused by the gradual reduction in a battery's capacity. "In this way, conclusions can be drawn about the performance of the battery and safety-relevant aspects," says Bracke. The project researchers are investigating how computed tomography can be used to analyze the relationships between the use and aging of battery cells.

Optimizing application scenarios for old batteries

"Computed tomography makes it possible to examine the inside of battery cells using images without having to open the battery," emphasizes Bracke. "This allows various changes inside the battery cell that have an influence on ageing to be visualized non-destructively. This allows a more precise examination of the ageing condition of the battery, which means that the second-life capability of a battery can be better assessed and the selection of an application scenario can be optimized."

Among other things, the project is looking at the interactions between the use of batteries in their first life cycle and the observable changes due to production and use. The researchers want to use statistical methods to analyze the correlations in order to draw conclusions about the aging processes and their causes.

Research partners

The project consortium consists of industrial companies and scientific institutions: The manufacturer and service provider of industrial computer tomographs diondo GmbH is the consortium leader and responsible for the development of standardized CT measurement methods and the CT examinations of battery cells, while the certified waste management company elorec GmbH is responsible for the measurement and examination of battery cells in their current state and the analysis of the qualification potential of complementary, non-destructive battery testing methods. This project is being funded by the German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU) with a total of around 140,000 euros. (se)

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