Project Team
Student(s)
Elijah Graves
Electrical and Electronics Engineering
Norfolk State University
Mentor(s)
Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering
Project Video
Project Abstract
Today the need for electricity is massive and it has become a necessary element of our everyday lives. An overlooked subset in the electricity industry is energy storage. Energy storage devices can be seen in everyday electronics like smartphones, laptops, and the rapidly growing industry of electric vehicles. With the current trend in science and politics to move away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy for electricity generation, the demand and need for safe and powerful energy storage devices is increasing. Although Li ion batteries are dominant in the current market, Li-Metal batteries have attracted increased interest because of their higher energy density. The potential of Li-Metal batteries makes them very attractive for consumer electronics and renewable energy production. However, there are limitations which delay its commercial release and implementation. The most prominent limitation of Li-Metal batteries is the growth of weed like structures called dendrites which can cause the battery to short circuit or fail. Dendrite growth occurs in Li metal batteries due to Li-ion depletion and Li-ion transport limitations at the electrode-electrolyte interface. In this project, we plan to build safe and fast charging metal batteries with electrolyte flow induced by magnetic field. Magnetic field would be used to bend Ni current collector, thus inducing electrolyte flow and increasing ion transport. It is critical to synchronize the duty cycles of LMB and electromagnet in order to cause the electrolyte to flow towards the Li metal electrode and thus enhance ion transport. My responsibilities in this project focus on the design of a circuit which charges and discharges a Li-Metal battery in conjunction with an electromagnet using the Arduino platform. This project has the potential to increase the feasibility of renewable energy for power generation as Li-Metal batteries are high energy density storage devices. The increasing use of renewable energy in conjunction with powerful energy storage units would ease the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy and greatly reduce the production of greenhouse gases which are contributing to climate change.
Wonderful job Elijah! I hope you enjoyed the program. You have done great work!