THOR · Innovative methodology for battery testing

Acceleration of growth of the battery sector is primordial in decarbonizing our economy as batteries play a vital role not only in making our mobility sustainable but also in increasing the uptake of renewable energies. Growth and particularly innovation in this sector are predominantly hindered by costly and time-consuming test protocols and methods that require large number of samples and sophisticated infrastructure. A battery concept generated in 2023 may at best reach the production stage in 2032 as performance, ageing and safety characteristics of the design must be assessed through a lengthy trial-and-error based physical testing. THOR aims to shorten this timeframe, diminish the number of physical tests and nurture innovation in battery conception by developing a virtual tool - a Digital Twin that simulates battery behavior. The project will target mobility and stationary applications and will focus on commonly used battery chemistries (representing 60% market share before 2030). Through an interdisciplinary approach involving experimentalists and modeling experts, 3 independent physics-based models for performance, lifetime and safety will be developed. The 3 models will then be combined and optimized using AI based approach to form a holistic digital twin of cell, module and pack. The digital twin will be accessible to the end-users through an efficient, user-friendly interface. THOR’s consortium covering the entire battery value chain will ensure that the project responds to the needs of battery industries (4 industrial partners including cell/ battery manufacturers and end-users) while enriching knowledge of the research community (3 research and technical organizations). In addition, the consortium aims to answer two requirements of the battery community: data harmonization and standardization of methodologies through the project. Ease-of-use, cost-effectiveness, rapidity and adaptability of the Digital Twin will be demonstrated by end-users.