Fast computational framework for optimal life management of lithium ion batteries

Summary The determination of optimal charging profiles over cycle life of a lithium ion battery is a challenging problem that is extremely important for commercial applications. It is a difficult problem to solve owing to the complex degradation processes occurring inside the battery. Further, modeling of a realistic battery operation, let alone the degradation mechanisms, results in computationally expensive mathematical models. In the present study, a framework is developed towards addressing this problem by (1) developing a method to formulate extremely fast and accurate algebraic models that capture essential features such as charging time and aging characteristics described by battery models and (2) utilizing these algebraic models in an optimization framework involving genetic algorithms for determining the optimal charging profiles over the cycle life of the battery. The utility of the present framework in determining the optimal charging solutions is illustrated with various real‐life usage scenarios such as fast charging and extension of cycle life. The proposed solution can be utilized onboard for generating the optimal charging profiles over cycle life of the battery. The design of optimal charge profiles over cycle life of lithium ion batteries is a challenging and commercially important problem. In this work, we have developed a new method for formulating extremely fast and accurate algebraic models that capture essential characteristics such as charging time and degradation of detailed physics‐based battery models. We further used these simplified models in an optimization problem formulation and determined optimal charge profiles for various real‐life objectives such as fast charging and life extension.