Researchers Sara Strakosova, Petr Novak, and Petr Kadera from the Czech Technical University in Prague have developed a digital twin technology aimed at improving the end-of-life management of electric vehicle (EV) batteries. Their work, published in the journal “Computers in Industry,” focuses on enhancing the sustainability of EV battery life-cycle management through better data sharing and process optimization.
In a circular economy, products should be remanufactured or recycled at the end of their life to promote sustainability and environmental conservation. However, manufacturers often fall short in supporting these processes by not sharing relevant data about the products or their (re-)manufacturing processes. To address this issue, the researchers propose the use of Product Digital Twins (PDTs), which can carry crucial information to facilitate and optimize production and remanufacturing processes.
The researchers introduce a knowledge representation called Bi-Flow Product-Process-Resource Asset Network (Bi-PAN). This extends the well-proven Product-Process-Resource Asset Network (PAN) paradigm by integrating both assembly and disassembly workflows into a single information model. Bi-PAN enables capturing relevant relationships across products, production resources, manufacturing processes, and specific production operations that need to be performed during the manufacturing phase of a product.
The proposed approach is demonstrated in a use-case involving the disassembly of EV batteries. By utilizing PDTs with Bi-PAN knowledge models, the challenges associated with disassembling EV batteries can be solved flexibly and efficiently for various battery types. This enhances the overall sustainability of EV battery life-cycle management.
The practical applications for the energy sector are significant. As the number of EVs on the road continues to grow, the need for effective and efficient methods to manage the end-of-life phase of EV batteries becomes increasingly important. The use of PDTs and Bi-PAN knowledge models can help streamline the disassembly process, making it easier to recover valuable materials and reduce waste. This not only benefits the environment but also has the potential to lower costs and improve the economic viability of EV battery recycling and remanufacturing.
In summary, the research by Strakosova, Novak, and Kadera presents a promising solution for improving the sustainability of EV battery life-cycle management. By leveraging digital twin technology and advanced knowledge representation, the energy sector can enhance its efforts to create a more circular and sustainable economy.
Source: Strakosova, S., Novak, P., & Kadera, P. (2023). Product Digital Twin Supporting End-of-life Phase of Electric Vehicle Batteries Utilizing Product-Process-Resource Asset Network. Computers in Industry, 103807.
This article is based on research available at arXiv.