Exploring the Correlation Between Ultrasound Speed and the State of Health of LiFePO$_4$ Prismatic Cells

TL;DR

This paper investigates how ultrasonic speed measurements can serve as a rapid, non-destructive indicator of the health and capacity degradation in LiFePO4 prismatic cells used in electric vehicles.

Contribution

It demonstrates a correlation between ultrasonic speed decrease and battery aging, supported by numerical simulations explaining the underlying physical mechanisms.

Findings

Ultrasonic speed decreases as battery capacity degrades

Numerical simulations link speed reduction to binder stiffness loss

Ultrasonic testing offers a promising non-destructive SoH assessment

Abstract

Electric vehicles (EVs) have become a popular mode of transportation, with their performance depending on the ageing of the Li-ion batteries used to power them. However, it can be challenging and time-consuming to determine the capacity retention of a battery in service. A rapid and reliable testing method for state of health (SoH) determination is desired. Ultrasonic testing techniques are promising due to their efficient, portable, and non-destructive features. In this study, we demonstrate that ultrasonic speed decreases with the degradation of the capacity of an LFP prismatic cell. We explain this correlation through numerical simulation, which describes wave propagation in porous media. We propose that the reduction of binder stiffness can be a primary cause of the change in ultrasonic speed during battery ageing. This work brings new insights into ultrasonic SoH estimation techniques.