• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Power Electronics
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.165-173
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• 2022

The electrification trend of mobility increases every year due to the development of power semiconductor and battery technology. Accordingly, the development and distribution of fast chargers for electric vehicles (EVs) are in demand. In this study, we propose a design and implementation method of an LLC converter for fast chargers. Two 15 kW LLC converters are configured in parallel to have 30 kW rated output power, and the control algorithm and driving sequence are designed accordingly and verified. In addition, the improved power conversion efficiency is confirmed through zero-voltage switching (ZVS) of the LLC converter and reduction of turn-off loss through snubber capacitors. The implemented 30 kW LLC converters show a wide output voltage range of 200-950 V. Experiments applying various load conditions verify the converter performance.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.259-264
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• 2023

As the demand for lithium-ion batteries, a key power source in electric vehicles and energy storage systems, continues to increase for achieving global carbon neutrality, there is a growing concern about the environmental impact of disposing of spent batteries. Extensive research is underway to develop efficient recycling methods. While hydrometallurgy and pyrometallurgy methods are commonly used to recover valuable metals from spent cathode materials, they have drawbacks including hazardous waste and complex processes. Hence, alternative recycling methods that are environmentally friendly are being explored. However, recycling spent cathode materials still remains complex and energy-intensive. This study focuses on a novel approach called solid-state synthesis, which aims at regenerating the performance of spent cathode materials. The method offers a simpler process and reduces energy consumption. Optimal heat treatment conditions were identified based on experimental results, contributing to the development of sustainable recycling technologies for lithium-ion batteries.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.51-66
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• 2024

Modern society is making numerous efforts to reduce reliance on carbon-based energy systems. A notable solution in this transition is the adoption of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) as potent energy sources, owing to their high energy and power densities. Driven by growing environmental challenges, the application scope of LIBs has expanded from their initial prevalence in portable electronic devices to include electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage systems (ESSs). Accordingly, LIBs must exhibit long-lasting cyclability and high energy storage capacities to facilitate prolonged device usage, thereby offering a potential alternative to conventional sources like fossil fuels. Enhancing the durability of LIBs hinges on a comprehensive understanding of the reasons behind their performance decline. Therefore, comprehending the degradation mechanism, which includes detrimental chemical and mechanical phenomena in the components of LIBs, is an essential step in resolving cycle life issues. The LIB systems presently being commercialized and developed predominantly employ graphite anode and layered oxide cathode materials. A significant portion of the degradation process in LIB systems takes place during the electrochemical reactions involving these electrodes. In this review, we explore and organize the aging mechanisms of LIBs, especially those with graphite anodes and layered oxide cathodes.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 2024

In this study, the mechanical properties of friction stir welded A6061-T6 were evaluated. This material is used as a battery pack case material for electric vehicles. The Vickers hardness, tensile strength, and yield stress of the friction stir welding (FSW) specimen were all smaller than those of the base metal specimen. As the heat input increased, the nugget zone widened, and there were differences in hardness according to the base metal zone, heat affected zone, thermal-mechanical affected zone, and nugget zone. Mechanical properties were not proportional to heat input, and the thermal-mechanical affected zone on the advancing side was the smallest in all conditions. This is because the material flow speed increased on the advancing side, where the welding direction and the tool rotation direction were the same, forming a distinct boundary with mechanical deformation.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.334-342
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• 2024

The need for efficient and sustainable energy storage solutions has emerged due to a rapidly increasing energy demand and growing concerns about environmental issues. Among various energy storage methods, lithium secondary batteries are widely used in a variety of electronic devices such as smartphones, laptops, electric vehicles, and large-scale power storage systems due to their high energy density, long lifespan, and cost competitiveness. Recently, all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) have attracted great attention because they can reduce the risk of fire associated with liquid electrolytes. Additionally, using high-capacity alternative anodes and cathodes in ASSBs can enhance energy density. However, ASSBs that use solid electrolytes experience a degradation in their electrochemical performances due to resistance at solid-solid interfaces. These interfaces can also result in poor physical contact and the presence of products formed from chemical and electrochemical reactions. Solving this interface problem is a critical issue for the commercialization of ASSBs. This review summarizes interfacial reactions between the cathode and solid electrolyte, along with research aimed at improving these interactions. Future development directions in this field are also discussed.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.439-449
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• 2021

The recent reduction in greenhouse gases, interest in environmental pollution such as low-carbon emission policies is increasing. Accordingly, the penetration rate of eco-friendly vehicles, including hydrogen battery vehicles capable of reducing carbon emission, is increasing, and thus it is required for disaster prevention and safety-related measures. In this study, the degree of risk for the concentration distribution of hydrogen when leaking hydrogen fuel vehicles according to ventilation conditions was analyzed through numerical analysis, limited to places in parking lots. As a result, when only one hydrogen tank was released, the combustible volume ratio of hydrogen in the underground parking lot was up to 8.6%, and as ventilation continued, the volume ratio of combustible hydrogen decreased to less than 1% after 150 seconds, indicating that mechanical ventilation is essential. In the case of simultaneous release or stage release of three hydrogen tanks, the final combustible volume ratio of hydrogen is similar, but the increase in the combustible volume ratio of hydrogen in the early stage of release is low, and further research is expected.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.9
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• pp.2573-2576
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• 2013

Rate capability and cyclability of $LiMn_2O_4$ should be improved in order to use it as a cathode material of lithium-ion batteries for hybrid-electric-vehicles (HEV). To enhance the rate capability and cyclability of $LiMn_2O_4$, it was coated with $MnV_2O_6$ by a sol-gel method. A $V_2O_5$ sol was prepared by a melt-quenching method and the $LiMn_2O_4$ coated with the sol was heat-treated to obtain the $MnV_2O_6$ coating layer. Crystal structure and morphology of the samples were examined by X-ray diffraction, SEM and TEM. The electrochemical performances, including cyclability at $60^{\circ}C$, and rate capability of the bare and the coated $LiMn_2O_4$ were measured and compared. Overall, $MnV_2O_6$ coating on $LiMn_2O_4$ improves the cyclability at high temperature and rate capability at room temperature at the cost of discharge capacity. The improvement in cyclability at high temperature and the enhanced rate capability is believed to come from the reduced contact between the electrode, and electrolyte and higher electric conductivity of the coating layer. However, a dramatic decrease in discharge capacity would make it impractical to increase the coating amount above 3 wt %.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.63 no.9
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• pp.1212-1218
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• 2014

For OBC (On-Board Charger) and LDC (Low DC-DC Converter) used as essential power conversion systems of PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle), system performance is required as well as reliability, which is need to protect the vehicle and driver from various faults. While current development processor is sufficient for embodying functions and verifying performance in normal state during development of prototypes for OBC and LDC, there is no clear method of verification for various fault situations that occur in abnormal state and for securing stability of vehicle base, unless verification is performed by mounting on an actual vehicle. In this paper, a CCM (Charger Converter Module) was developed as an integrated structure of OBC and LDC. In addition, diverse fault situations that can occur in vehicles are simulated by a simulator to artificially inject into power conversion system and to test whether it operates properly. Also, HILS (Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulation) is carried out to verify whether LDC is operated properly under power environment of an actual vehicle.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.63-70
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• 2024

Lithium-ion batteries (LIB) are widely used in various sectors, such as transportation (e.g., electric vehicles (EV)) and energy (e.g., energy storage facilities) due to their high energy density, broad operating temperature (-20 ℃ ~ 60 ℃), and high capacities. LIBs are powerful but fragile on external factors, including pressure, physical damage, overheating, and overcharging, that cause thermal runaway causing fires and explosions. During a LIB fire, a large amount of oxygen is generated from the decomposition of ionogenic materials. A water fire extinguisher that helps with cooling and suffocating must be essentially required at the same time. In fact, however, it is difficult to suppress LIB fires in the case of EVs because a LIB is installed with a battery pack housing that interrupts direct extinguishing by water. Thus, this study aims to investigate effective fire extinguishing measurements for LIB fires by using an EV. Relevant documents, including research articles and reports, were reviewed to identify effective ways of LIBs fire extinguishing. A real-scale fire experiment generating thermal runaway was carried out to figure out the combustion characteristics of EVs. This study revealed that the most effective fire extinguishing measurements for LIB fires are applying fire blankets and water tanks. However, there is still a lack of adequate regulation and guidelines for LIB fire extinguishment. Taking this into account, developing functional fire extinguishment measurements and available regulatory instruments is an urgent issue to secure the safety of firefighters and citizens.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.83-89
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• 2020

For the past few decades, as part of efforts to protect the environment where fossil fuels, which have been a key energy resource for mankind, are becoming increasingly depleted and pollution due to industrial development, ecofriendly secondary batteries, hydrogen generating energy devices, energy storage systems, and many other new energy technologies are being developed. Among them, the lithium-ion battery (LIB) is considered to be a next-generation energy device suitable for application as a large-capacity battery and capable of industrial application due to its high energy density and long lifespan. However, considering the growing battery market such as eco-friendly electric vehicles and drones, it is expected that a large amount of battery waste will spill out from some point due to the end of life. In order to prepare for this situation, development of a process for recovering lithium and various valuable metals from waste batteries is required, and at the same time, a plan to recycle them is socially required. In this study, we introduce a nanoscale pattern transfer printing (NTP) process of Li2CO3, a representative anode material for lithium ion batteries, one of the strategic materials for recycling waste batteries. First, Li2CO3 powder was formed by pressing in a vacuum, and a 3-inch sputter target for very pure Li2CO3 thin film deposition was successfully produced through high-temperature sintering. The target was mounted on a sputtering device, and a well-ordered Li2CO3 line pattern with a width of 250 nm was successfully obtained on the Si substrate using the NTP process. In addition, based on the nTP method, the periodic Li2CO3 line patterns were formed on the surfaces of metal, glass, flexible polymer substrates, and even curved goggles. These results are expected to be applied to the thin films of various functional materials used in battery devices in the future, and is also expected to be particularly helpful in improving the performance of lithium-ion battery devices on various substrates.