Lithium-ion Battery Analysis

Collaborators: Team of 3

Analyzed the performance of an electric scooter battery and motor under both real-world and controlled environments using a chassis dynamometer and environment chamber. This project assessed electric efficiency, thermal characteristics, and CO₂ emissions across different conditions. 

• Measure charging/discharging and motor efficiency.

• Analyze thermal effects using controlled environments.

• Assess real-world emissions and eco-friendliness.

• Installed thermocouples on eight battery sections and conducted surface temperature monitoring using a thermal imaging camera.

• Designed and implemented custom discharge and charge setups, routing sensors and current clamps to a data logger for voltage, current, and temperature tracking.

• Conducted indoor performance tests using a chassis dynamometer inside an environmental chamber (KIER) at controlled temperatures (22°C and 32°C).

• Ran real-road driving experiments with full-throttle discharge cycles, logging distance, velocity, energy usage, and ambient conditions.

• Repeated tests multiple times under different thermal environments to analyze temperature-dependent performance variation.

• Processed all collected data using MATLAB to calculate electric fuel efficiency, motor efficiency, and charge/discharge efficiency.

• Calculated well-to-wheel CO₂ emissions using Korea’s national grid intensity (468 g/kWh), comparing results from lab and field data.

Origin, Microsoft Office, MATLAB, Chassis Dynamometer, Thermal imaging Camera, Data Logger, Environment chamber,  Mechanical Tools 

• Successfully demonstrated the feasibility of two-stage turbocharging in maintaining power output under high-altitude conditions.

• Simulation results were validated against experimental data with less than 6% deviation.

• Observed only a 10% power reduction at the target altitude with the two-stage system compared to sea level.

• Effective control of the low-pressure turbocharger contributed to enhanced engine performance and stable power delivery even at high altitude.

Repeated testing across both lab and real-world settings taught me the importance of experimental iteration and how even small environmental variables can significantly impact EV performance metrics.