Degree type
PhD
Closing date
1 February 2025
Campus
Hobart
Citizenship requirement
Domestic / International
About the research project
Transportation electrification is a novel green industrial revolution to tackle the transportation emission issues. The booming electric vehicle (EV) industry stimulates the development of onboard rechargeable power battery technologies towards a target of higher specific power & energy, greater safety & reliability, more environmental friendliness as well as increasing affordability. On the other hand, the revolutionary progress in battery technologies also drives the rapid development of the EV industry. In recent years, the lithium-ion battery (LIB) cells are favored by many EV giants including Tesla, General Motors, Honda, Ford, Nissan, BMW, and BYD, etc.... Studies have shown that LIB cells can cycle more than 2000 times during 1C charging and discharging. With the rocketing specific energy and power values of modern battery technologies, the heat generation rates of the power battery packs increase rapidly. Although the theoretical operating temperature range of LIB is from -10 to +50°C, the optimal operating temperature range is 15 to 35°C as recommended in a report by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). In addition, the temperature difference between different battery cells within a battery pack should be lower than 5°C. Much research verified that the battery degradation rate and aging phenomenon would be accelerated when the battery temperature was over 50 °C. This is a big challenge for batteries to cope with the extreme ambient temperatures or the abusive heat generations during fast charging/discharging without compromising cycle life and output performance. As a result, to tackle the challenges of extreme ambient temperatures and heat generations during normal or abuse operations, an appropriate battery thermal management system (BTMS) is crucial and necessary to maintain optimal operating temperature range, improve durability, and prolong the life cycle. This project aims to develop and investigate different battery management systems used in EVs and explore the energy platform for thermal management of EVs.
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Primary Supervisor
Funding
Applicants will be considered for a Research Training Program (RTP) scholarship or Tasmania Graduate Research Scholarship (TGRS) which, if successful, provides:
- a living allowance stipend of $33,511 per annum (2025 rate, indexed annually) for 3.5 years
- a relocation allowance of up to $2,000
- a tuition fees offset covering the cost of tuition fees for up to four years (domestic applicants only)
If successful, international applicants will receive a University of Tasmania Fees Offset for up to four years.
As part of the application process you may indicate if you do not wish to be considered for scholarship funding.
Other funding opportunities and fees
For further information regarding other scholarships on offer, and the various fees of undertaking a research degree, please visit Scholarships and fees.
Eligibility
Applicants should review the Higher Degree by Research minimum entry requirements.
Ensure your eligibility for the scholarship round by referring to our Key Dates.
Additional eligibility criteria specific to this project/scholarship:
- Applicants must be able to undertake the project on-campus
Selection Criteria
The project is competitively assessed and awarded. Selection is based on academic merit and suitability to the project as determined by the College.
Additional essential selection criteria specific to this project:
- Knowledge of thermodynamics and ANSYS simulation as well as heat transfer
Additional desirable selection criteria specific to this project:
- Knowledge of renewable energy, thermodynamics, heat transfer, modelling, system optimization, and energy concept
Application process
- Select your project, and check that you meet the eligibility and selection criteria, including citizenship;
- Contact Prof Xiaolin Wang to discuss your suitability and the project's requirements; and
- In your application:
- Copy and paste the title of the project from this advertisement into your application. If you don’t correctly do this your application may be rejected.
- Submit a signed supervisory support form, a CV including contact details of 2 referees and your project research proposal.
- Apply prior to 1 February 2025.
Full details of the application process can be found under the 'How to apply' section at Research degrees.
Following the closing date applications will be assessed within the College. Applicants should expect to receive notification of the outcome by email by the advertised outcome date.
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