Hansjörg Kapeller received his Dipl.-Ing. degree in Electrical Engineering from the Vienna University of Technology. He is a research engineer in the field of electric drives at AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, Vienna, Austria.
NEXTBMS offers him the opportunity to create new knowledge and contribute to solutions for next-generation Battery Management Systems to enable and achieve optimal use of the battery system by extending the operating and lifetime window and reducing costs through more efficient and appropriate use of materials. Achieving optimal utilisation of battery systems benefits not only the environment but also the increasing number of end-users.
What was your original motivation to become a researcher/project manager?
“I have always been interested in science and technology and I like finding solutions to problems. As a researcher and project manager, I can contribute to the increasing environmental awareness of today’s society and the systemic changes currently taking place in the search for environmentally friendly mobility solutions.”
What is your (main) research area today?
“My field of work includes modelling, simulation and control of electric drives and electric vehicles (including energy storages and electric machines, HVAC systems and other sub-components) as well as the coordination of international and national research projects. Currently I am also managing AIT’s commercial simulation libraries developed at the Competence Unit Electric Vehicle Technologies.”
What is the main focus of your team in NEXTBMS?
“In addition to the project coordination and the technical coordination of the NEXTBMS project, AIT, along with other project partners, is responsible for the electrical and aging characterisation tests of the selected Li-Ion cells to be used for the NEXTBMS battery module prototypes. AIT will assemble the battery module prototypes including the battery cells, sensors, and the developed BMS. Our team will further test the battery module prototypes and the innovative sensor concept at different operating conditions and test the implemented safety features and features to detect dysfunctional cells within the module.”
Could you describe your favourite moment/satisfaction when working for the project and – more in general – for your organisation?
“Our main satisfaction is to innovate today’s battery management systems to extend the operating and lifetime window of electric energy storages to meet the needs of drivers, e.g., to maximize the satisfaction and experience of electric vehicle end-users. AIT will gain more insight into equivalent circuit modelling to extend its existing equivalent circuit models and aims to provide innovative solutions for the transport- and the stationary storage sectors.”
How do you expect NEXTBMS results will affect your organisation and the energy storage sector?
“The NEXTBMS project will help AIT to increase their knowledge in the field of multi-physical battery modelling and battery management systems, and hence to strengthen its competitiveness. Scientific publications will increase the visibility of AIT and helps to raise the attractiveness of AIT as research partner in the field of electric mobility. With NEXTBMS, AIT contributes to the NEXT generation of Battery Management Systems to make all this possible: higher performance, safety and longer service life of battery cells for an overall optimal use of battery systems in the energy storage sector.”
