Research on energy converters for second-life electric vehicle batteries

In step with the global green transition, Assoc. Prof. Vu Hoang Phuong—Director of the Control Engineering and Automation program (EE2) at the School of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST)—has launched in-depth research on electrical energy storage systems from renewable sources. A key focus of this research is to give each battery a new life cycle for storing energy that can be used by households at night.

Utilizing second-life electric vehicle batteries

Assoc. Prof. Vu Hoang Phuong pursues specialized research in power conversion systems, including solar power conversion systems, energy storage systems, and systems related to ensuring power quality.
  Recently, Assoc. Prof. Phuong has been leading a university-level research project on household energy storage systems. Today, households have many renewable energy options, such as solar, wind, and hydropower. The HUST scientist aims to store solar energy in batteries so that households can use it during the night. This helps consumers save energy costs and ensures the stability of the electrical current.

To achieve this, Assoc. Prof. Hoang Phuong's research involves using the second life cycle of electric vehicle (EV) batteries. When a battery's capacity is no longer sufficient for use in an EV, it can be repurposed for household energy storage. With this optimal solution, the scientist from the School of Electrical and Electronics Engineering can develop a power conversion system that integrates the battery with home energy storage.

This major project, conducted from 2022 to 2024, was successfully completed and reviewed in 2024, with ongoing further development. The biggest challenge for Assoc. Prof. Vu Hoang Phuong is solving problems related to the limitations of EV batteries that have completed their first life cycle. Therefore, during the research process, Assoc. Prof. Phuong and his team had to use sources that simulate battery characteristics while focusing on designing the energy storage system itself.

Furthermore, EV batteries come in many different types and sizes. The challenge for the researchers was to create a power converter that is compatible with a wide variety of batteries.

To address these challenges, Assoc. Prof. Phuong's team designed a wide-range power converter compatible with many types of batteries available in the EV market. In the Power Electronics Laboratory, the scientists also built a standard power source with the precise characteristics of a second-life battery. This research serves as a foundation for future scientific ideas and has the potential for practical implementation.

Opportunities for control engineering and automation students

As the Director of the Control Engineering and Automation program, Assoc. Prof. Vu Hoang Phuong is well-positioned to listen to feedback from students and businesses to improve training quality and contribute to curriculum development. In addition to teaching specialized subjects, Assoc. Prof. Phuong also teaches the introductory course, helping new students better understand the current and future career paths in Control Engineering and Automation.

Assoc. Prof. Phuong notes that Control Engineering and Automation is a very promising field because its curriculum is designed to be practical, industry-oriented, and applicable across many sectors. "For many consecutive years, the program's enrollment has been stable, and the employment rate of our graduates is consistently among the highest in the entire university," says Assoc. Prof. Phuong.
  Moreover, the quality of the graduates is excellent, contributing to the strong brand of HUST engineers. "Companies that hire our talent provide very positive feedback," states the program director. Many HUST graduates hold key positions at companies like Viettel and Vinfast. Job opportunities for HUST students are abundant, with domestic and international companies such as Samsung, LG, and Siemens highly valuing HUST talent. For students who wish to pursue postgraduate studies, they can choose to continue their education in Vietnam or receive recommendations from professors to study abroad in countries like South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan.

According to Assoc. Prof. Vu Hoang Phuong, HUST in general, and the Control Engineering and Automation program in particular, provide an excellent environment that facilitates learning and working for both students and faculty. The well-equipped and modern research rooms and laboratories also serve to encourage students' passion for learning and research.

Notably, the strong policies and directives from the Politburo's Resolution 57-NQ/TW on breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation will create significant momentum and opportunities. When implemented through the Government's action plan and the plans of various ministries, sectors, and localities, this will strengthen the link between scientific research and the training of high-quality human resources, especially in fields that serve the nation's strategic technology sectors, such as Control Engineering and Automation.
 

Control Engineering and Automation is a field that involves the research, design, and operation of automated systems and automated technological and production processes in factories (electronics, semiconductors, cement, iron and steel, beverages, pharmaceuticals, etc.); the design, control, supervision, and manufacturing of power conversion systems and robotic systems; and product management at companies that trade in automated electronic devices. This is a suitable field for individuals with a passion and aptitude for Mathematics and Physics, strong problem-solving skills, a high regard for precision and detail, a love for technology, a passion for innovation, and a collaborative spirit.