Roundtables - 2019 Archive

2019 Archived Content

Continental Breakfast Roundtable Discussions

THURSDAY, JUNE 27
8:30 - 9:30 AM

Join your colleagues and fellow delegates over breakfast for a focused, informal discussion moderated by a member of our speaking faculty. A small group format allows participants to meet potential collaborators, share examples from their own work and discuss ideas with peers.

TABLE 1: Battery Fire Safety Risks Mitigation and Communication
Haresh Kamath, Senior Program Manager for DER and Energy Storage, EPRI

Are recent battery fires related to inherent safety risks in the batteries, or are they related to integration failures?
Are battery users taking unknown risks by reviewing bids chiefly on the basis of price?
Are battery manufacturers and integrated solution providing enough information on battery failures to their customers and potential customers?
How can battery users and solution providers work together to enhance better understanding of fire risks and mitigation strategies?
What standard industry practices should there be about communicating high-profile failures to customers, regulators, and the media?

TABLE 2: Cell Manufacturing
Raf Goossens, PhD, CEO, Global Corporate Management, PEC

What are the key challenges for manufacturing large format cells?
How can we achieve the large volumes that will be needed to fulfill the expected future market demands?
What simplifications can be introduced during manufacturing?
How can we progress with reducing the current cell manufacturing cost?
What are the safety risks during manufacturing and how can we handle these?

TABLE 3: Electrolyte Developments: New Components and Approaches
Sam Jaffe, Managing Director, Cairn Energy Research Advisors

Recent electrolyte advances and their impact on the battery
Gauging cost/benefits to adding new components to electrolyte mixtures
Super-concentrated salt electrolytes: recent research and implications
Innovative solvent and additive approaches
Emerging salt candidates for improved performance

NEW: TABLE 4: Innovations in Recycling Battery Materials & Second Life
Steven E. Sloop, President, OnTo Technology LLC

Best practices when a battery is deemed ready to recycle, is it Class-9 or worse?
Logistical practice and experience
What will the second-life to recycling interface look like in 5 years?

TABLE 5: Silicon Anodes and Cells
Benjamin Park, PhD, Founder & CTO, Enevate

What is the maturity level of Si today?
What different approaches are there with Si?
What are the challenges and how can the industry work together to solve them?
How does Si compare with other next-gen technologies such as solid-state/lithium-metal?
What markets are the best markets for Si-based anode technologies?

TABLE 6: Charging Infrastructure for Zero-Emission Heavy-Duty Trucks, Buses and Freight Equipment
Leslie Goodbody, Engineer, Innovative Heavy-Duty Strategies, Mobile Source Control Division, California Air Resources Board

How important is standardization for conductive charging? Inductive charging?
For large battery electric fleets, what are the arguments for or against AC vs. DC vs. wireless charging?
How do demanding duty cycles and routine fast charging affect different battery chemistries in terms of life span and performance?
What are worker safety concerns with connecting and disconnecting high-power charge ports?

TABLE 7: BMS Test Approaches and Philosophies
Peter Blume, President, Bloomy Controls, Inc.

Types of BMS testing: engineering verification, software validation, design verification, HALT/HASS, reliability, and manufacturing test.
Who’s responsible for BMS testing? The vehicle OEM, the cell/module/pack supplier, and/or the contract manufacturer?
When should you use cell simulation hardware and when should you use real cells for testing the BMS?
How many cells or modules should you simulate in order to validate a BMS? When and how should you simulate an entire pack?
What are the capabilities of hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing?
What are the sources of commercially available BMS testing equipment?

TABLE 8: Charging and Infrastructure
Kevin Konecky, Battery Systems Consultant, Total Battery Consulting, Inc.

Review different charging protocols
What improvements are being made to the user experience
Discussion on DC-charging and wireless charging

TABLE 9: Trade-Offs of Various Battery Structure and Enclosure Materials (Steel, Aluminium, Structural Plastics/Composites)
Andrew Oury, Global Lead Engineer – Power Battery Packs, General Motors

What materials have battery manufacturers had success with in the past?
Are there production volume considerations for the best materials? Do lower-volume programs lend themselves to one type of construction while high-volume programs lend themselves to another?
Do lightweight materials “earn their way in” based on $/kg saved on a BEV?
What materials have shown promise for management of internal and external fires?
What influence does the enclosure material have on radiates emissions (EMC)?
Do certain materials have benefits for crash and underbody protection?

TABLE 10: High-Energy, Fast-Charge Lithium-Ion Cells
Sujeet Kumar, PhD, CEO, Zenlabs Energy

Is silicon the right anode choice?
Cycle life degradation during fast charge
Li-ion battery design architecture for fast charge

TABLE 11: Electrified Vehicle Battery System Research Needs
Ted Miller, Senior Manager of Energy Storage Strategy and Research, Ford Motor Company

Elements that are common to traditional automotive powertrain research
Elements that are unique as compared to traditional automotive powertrain research
Key needs in terms of scientist and engineer experience and training

TABLE 12: To What Extent Is Regulation Driving the Growth in the xEV Market?
Mike O'Kronley, Executive Director - Corporate Strategy, A123 Systems LLC