Electrochemical Batteries and Branimir's Work.
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- Category: Branimir's Unique Diverse Combined Multidisciplinary Skills
- Published: Saturday, 18 November 2017 06:12
- Written by Branimir
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I have been involved with the electro-chemical battery technology, power electronics, EVs, and the renewables, over certain periods of my professional - engineering, R&D and scientific - career.
1 I have worked on Power Electronic ICs made by INFINEON Germany. The development of new IC, for Lithium Ion Battery management, has attracted my professional attention. My 'entry ticket' was: the experience withbattery management applications, knowledge of lithium ion battery - properties and methods for determination of SOC and SOH, experience in analog and digital design, with ADC architectures, and the system simulation expertize (Matlab, Simulink). In particular, I have studied an application (a multi-cell lithium-ion battery management) based on TI micro controller (MSP430TM), and a dedicated IC ( bq76PL536 - Lithium-Ion Battery Monitor and Secondary Protection IC).
I have studied a large portfolio of INFINEON's power electronic products, in particular: various topology inverters for photovoltaics (including MPP Tracking) and wireless (battery) charging solutions.
2 I have also been exchanging professional opinions with AVL Austria, on the battery management - mobile applications. We have analyzed & discussed various scenarios of electric / hybrid vehicle range extending / control for electric & hybrid vehicles, taking into consideration the route specifics against the operational regimes & drive train efficiencies under the continuously changing working points (battery SOC and SOH). My own ideas and concepts entangle Vehicle (electric, hybrid) Energy Optimization, application of GPS technology, communications, navigational aids, and its applicability within the strategic optimization agenda. It is possible to provide auto-pilot-like driving operational reference against the desired time (limit), available energy (stored), minimal possible cost (fuel efficiency), and under the route-specific traffic / road conditions (predictive / adaptive model reference optimization, that would take into consideration traffic congestions, road profiles / inclinations, vehicle power / drive train sub-systems status – batteries before all, ...).
Both of my INFINEON- and AVL- related endeavors took place around Graz Austria (and on my research facilities in Serbia), and have involved some direct experimenting on FIAT Panda Elektra (ZEBRA 'molten salt' Sodium Nickel batteries).
3 I have been actively working on generalized approach to various control & automation systems applied within the industry and (renewable) power generation, transmission and distribution. Most recently, I have performed a study of PLC & Process Automation International Standards IEC 61131, ISA-88, -95, & -106, as well as an evaluation of SIEMENS PCS7 Automation Platform – in particular Structured Control Language (SCL) programming language (Siemens' implementation of Structured Text programing standard). My intentions are to unify the interaction with various automation equipment (even from different vendors, not so-well integrated - as Siemens' PCS7 components, for instance).
4 I have been permanently maintaining my readiness for implementation of the engineering tools LabVIEW and Matlab/Simulink, with the embedded capabilities of processing the waste amounts of accessible information and applying wide scope of modern control techniques. System identification and parameter estimation methods, with a number of predictive / adaptive control schemes, for instance, could be conveniently developed, tested and, eventually, applied within some sort of real-time environment (micro controller) for battery management.
5 I had a contracted R&D cooperation with major Serbian NiCd batteries manufacturer KRUSIK Valjevo (stationary), and PbO batteries manufacturer BLACK HORSE SOMBOR (starter, traction, and semi-traction batteries for PV - applications).
6 Over the years I have developed proprietary facilities for, battery-related (among other purpose) research: solar PV generator, data acquisition and process control equipment (PICO, NI / LabVIEW & AT-MIO, FATEK+), mobile workshops (10+ heavy duty all-terrain ex-military vehicles), wind power assessment equipment, other sensors. I have analyzed, most recently, the traction & semi traction Pb-based batteries, stationary NiCd, and NiCl-type.
7 Another potentially relevant line of my work within the battery systems was the design and implementation of various SCADA platforms. As an example, I have designed the PLC / SCADA based replacement of a VARTA NiCd Battery Production Line control (filling machine, press, …).
8 In Australia, I have developed close professional relationship with Northern Territory's Power and Water Corporation. Formally, I've acted as their Specialist Service Provider: Power-Demand Management Study for Darwin-Katherine Region, Energy Auditing & Management, Grid-Connected Renewable Energy Systems (PV-Solar and Wind), Remote Supervision & Control were our major joint projects. I have also worked closely with the manufacturers of probably the most quality Australian-developed bi-directional inverters: Dale Butler – Power Solutions Australia – Selectronics.
9 In Serbia, I have worked on various Small Hydro Power Schemes, as an expert for grid-connection, and overall design & installation issues, where I have usually acted as an independent contractor, and all the tasks were performed by my own business (Sole Trade), and with maximum possible of my personal professional involvement.
10 I shall mentioned the sporadic, but strategic, development of some purpose-built power electronic devices, such as battery charge / discharge regulator (based both on discrete voltage comparators, and on Microchip's PIC micro controller), inverter (with astable multi vibrator – a classic NE555 circuit, power transistors and step-up trafo), and similar. These devices primarily served as work-horses, or just aides, for some of my main stream projects (energy auditing, for instance).