Inductive modeling of lithium-ion cells

Sandia National Laboratories has conducted a sequence of studies on the performance of lithium ion and other types of electrochemical cells using inductive models. The objectives of some of these investigations are: (1) to develop procedures to rapidly determine performance degradation rates while these cells undergo life tests; (2) to model cell voltage and capacity in order to simulate cell output under variable load and temperature conditions; (3) to model rechargeable battery degradation under conditions of cyclic charge/discharge, and many others. Among the uses for the models are: (1) to enable efficient predictions of battery life; (2) to characterize system behavior.

Inductive models seek to characterize system behavior using experimentally or analytically obtained data in an efficient and robust framework that does not require phenomenological development. There are certain advantages to this. Among these advantages is the ability to avoid making measurements of hard to determine physical parameters or having to understand cell processes sufficiently to write mathematical functions describing their behavior. We have used artificial neural networks (ANNs) for inductive modeling, along with ancillary mathematical tools to improve their accuracy.

This paper summarizes efforts to use inductive tools for cell and battery modeling. Examples of numerical results are presented.     

Synthesis and magnetic properties of an iron 1,2-bisthienyl perfluorocyclopentene photochromic coordination compound

The coordination compound Fe(BM-4-PTP)₂(NCS)₂⋅2MeOH (1) including the photoisomerizable ligand BM-4-PTP (1,2-bis(2′-methyl-5′-(pyrid-4″-yl)thien-3′-yl)perfluorocyclopentene) was obtained as an orange powder. The powder turns blue upon photocyclization of the 1,2-bisthienyl photochromic ligand induced by UV light irradiation at room temperature. Photocycloreversion is obtained by visible light irradiation of the material in the solid state. The orange and blue powders were investigated over the temperature range (5-293 K) and pressure range (1 bar-12 kbar) by magnetic susceptibility measurements and variable temperature ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy. The photo-induced colour change is accompanied by a distinct magnetic variation at room temperature. Potentialities of this functional optical material for display and data recording are introduced.     

Study on the transformer equivalent circuit of eddy current nondestructive evaluation

The modeling of a practical configuration of nondestructive evaluation (NDE) by eddy currents (EC) generally requires extended analytical or numerical developments. This is a drawback to any understanding of the EC NDE principle and of its basic features. Nevertheless, it is possible to exploit a simple equivalent circuit based on an analogy with the operation of an electrical transformer. In this model the EC sensor constitutes the primary of the transformer whereas the evaluated conductive plate forms the transformer secondary and its electrical load. In this paper, thanks to the transformer analogy, the author obtains a simple analytical expression of the impedance of the EC sensor by using a distributed constant representation of the evaluated plate. This expression allows to exhibit some fundamental features of the EC NDE method.     

Visualizing program dependencies: An experimental study

This paper addresses the problem of visualizing program dependencies (i.e. entities and their relations). A code visualization tool that maintains a repository of structural and functional dependencies for C programs is described. Visualization of such dependencies is accomplished by using a presentation model which combines data and control flow information. Moreover, transformation mechanisms and partitioning techniques used by the tool provide the means for managing large graphical representations. The quantitative results from an experimental study using this tool indicate that the productivity of its users was increased and that the quality of changes made during a program modification exercise was improved. Furthermore, the qualitative results have shown that its presentation model, transformation mechanisms and partitioning techniques constitute a promising platform for the comprehension and maintenance of C programs. Finally, the outcome of an empirical evaluation of the tool and the enhancement of its functionality and user interface are also discussed in this paper.     

A proton and neutron beam polarimeter at SATURNE II

A beam polarimeter using CH₂ and carbon targets has been used to measure proton and neutron beam polarization in the energy range 0.4–2.8 GeV in one of the beam lines at the SATURNE II accelerator. The analyzing power for np-scattering is calibrated against the known analyzing power for pp-scattering by using the polarized deuteron beam to measure simultaneously the asymmetries for scattering of quasifree protons and neutrons in the deuterons. A low level of systematic errors is achieved by pulse to pulse polarization reversal at the ion source of the accelerator, and by measuring left and right scattering simultaneously. The detailed operation procedure and the beam polarizations measured during all experiments from 1981 to 1984 are presented.     

Successful combined lung and kidney transplantation for pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis and renal angiolipomas

Pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) and renal angiolipomas are rare but distinct clinical entities that share similar morphological features. Lung transplantation is considered as a valuable therapeutic modality in patients with end-stage pulmonary LAM. However, in some patients, renal complications due to bleeding angiomyolipomas and cyclosporin-induced nephropathy have become newly identified problems. This study reports the first case of combined lung and kidney transplantation for pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis and renal angiolipomas. Two years after transplantation, renal and pulmonary function have remained stable and the patient has resumed a normal daily life, including a full-time professional activity.     

Anisotropy of hygrothermal damage in fiber/polymer composites: Effective elasticity measures and estimates

Measured elasticity moduli of a highly (68%) glass-fiber reinforced epoxy matrix for different amounts of fiber/matrix interface weakening and debonding, due to different hygrothermal ageing stages, are compared to estimated ones. Ultrasonic measurements provide seven of the nine elasticity moduli of the orthotropic material samples, including all the moduli significantly affected by damage. Theoretical estimates combine homogenization modeling techniques and Finite Element (FE) calculations, the latter when the effect of observed partial debonding on effective moduli is to be specified. These estimates are performed under different assumptions for the composite structure, with special attention to the existence of a fiber–matrix interphase. Analytical comparisons for the undamaged composite establish that matching US measurements with estimates cannot be obtained, regardless of the chosen model, without the assumption of an interphase layer of modified resin coating the fibers. This coating resin, when in relevant concentration with regard to literature data about fiber coating thickness, typically conserves the epoxy moduli transversally to the fiber orientation, while, in the fiber direction its moduli approach those of the fibers. The comparison of the US measurements on damaged samples to FE calculations assuming progressive one-directional debonding shows that most of the composite stiffness loss can preferentially be due to an initial interphase weakening, while the fiber/matrix debonding seems more likely delayed to long H-ageing times. This is consistent with physical interpretation of damage by water pooling through silane bridges bonding epoxy to glass. The calculations also provide the effective stiffness, at different damage stages, of the “Undamaged Equivalent Inhomogeneity” for this damaged inclusion type.