Degradation and State Estimation of Li-Ion Batteries in Satellite Applications

Abstract

In-orbit satellite REIMEI, developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, has been relying on off-the-shelf Li-ion batteries since its launch in 2005. The performance and durability of Li-ion batteries is impacted by various degradation mechanisms, one of which is the growth of the solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI). In this contribution, we will address several aspects of the modeling and simulation of the batteries of satellite REIMEI. We simulate the long-term degradation under the generic LEO satellite cycling conditions in a P2D framework. The simulations are validated with experiments and in-flight data provided by JAXA. Our group has developed models for long-term SEI growth. To show the inhomogeneous growth of the SEI in 3D, we perform microstructure-resolved simulations with the software BEST. These studies are the foundation for performing state estimation and reliably predicting the state of health of satellite batteries in orbit.