Battery Innovation Centre MOBI - Redelijk eigenzinnig · The Battery Innovation Centre (BIC) is the Belgian expertise centre for research and development of energy storage systems

Battery Innovation Centre

Strategic PartnershipsBIC is regularly placed at the disposal of organisations and private companies for the purposes testing, simulation, prototyping and proof-of-concept. With its hub located in the centre of Brussels, BIC fosters important opportunities for synergies and partnerships, while creating a positive environment for collaboration with the industry.

MOBI’s facilities and innovative models have been implemented in projects with key actors such as BMW, Scania, Continental (ex Siemens), CRF (Fiat), Bosch, AVL List, Volvo trucks, Volvo cars, Toyota Motor Europe, Van Hool, Bombardier, Umicore, Laborelec, Emrol, 4Esys, Siemens, PEC, Enersys, ON Semiconductor, JSR micro, CTS, VITO, FMTC, Flanders Drive, MIVB and De Lijn.

MOBIPleinlaan 2 | 1050 Brussels | Belgium

Prof. Dr. Eng. Noshin Omar | Building Z

[T] +32 (0)486 997 451 | [F] +32 (0)2 629 36 20

[E] [email protected] | [W] http://mobi.vub.ac.be

MOBIMobility, Logistics and Automotive Technology

Advanced Technology DevelopmentThe Battery Innovation Centre (BIC) is the Belgian expertise centre for research and development of energy storage systems for traction and stationary applications. It offers state-of-the-art facilities and models for the rechargeable energy storage systems market.

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Cutting-Edge Energy Storage R&DRechargeable Energy Storage Systems (RESS) present key challenges for clean and energy efficient systems such as electric and hybrid propulsion systems. The Battery Innovation Centre, a division of MOBI, owns and operates the largest Belgian battery testing capacity (200+ channels, 9 climate chambers, impedance spectroscopy channels, thermal imaging equipment).

MOBI also develops dedicated battery, hybrid capacitor and supercapacitor models, battery management systems, thermal management systems and dedicated state estimation techniques (State-of-Charge, State-of-Health and State-of-Function indicators). This expertise is based on in-depth experimental analysis. As such, MOBI makes an active contribution to international standardisation, facilitating RESS benchmarking. MOBI’s extensive database of experimental results also enables more advanced modelling and benchmarking.

External Cost Calculator

Multiple ApplicationsThe tool was originally developed to assess the impact of the inland port of Brussels on the sustainability of transport flows to and from Brussels and the impact of bundling freight flows for a specific shipper (Nike). However, the External Cost Calculator has since proven its use in a wide range of other applications including specific case studies, scenario evaluations and cost-benefit analyses in general. It has been further developed through several additional projects and through an Interdisciplinary Research Program.

The result is a framework that enables more nuanced and differentiated external cost calculations based on ready-to-use or self-developed input values using techniques such as GIS (Geographic Information Systems), LCA (Life Cycle Assessment), survey methods and operations research methods such as discrete event simulation. The resulting external cost values can be integrated into existing evaluation tools such as social cost-benefit analyses in order to assess the sustainability of transport options. It is therefore very relevant for policy makers, when the evaluation of alternative policy decisions or general guidance in the decision-making process is required.

Other companies which have benefited from MOBI’s expertise in external costs calculation include Essers, Colruyt, De Lijn, GO!, Waterwegen en Zeekanaal, VIL and AB InBev.


Dr. Tom van Lier | Building B - Room B2.16

[T] +32 (0)2 629 20 67 | [F] +32 (0)2 629 21 86



Translating the External Cost of Transport into Monetary TermsThe real cost of transport goes beyond the immediate internal costs related to logistics operations. There is a wide variety of external costs such as congestion, accidents, noise, air pollution, climate change, loss of space, infrastructure damage and the impact of up and downstream processes. The External Cost Calculator (ECC) translates the external cost of transport to society into monetary terms.

The ECC is based on the most up-to-date methods and metrics. It takes the influencing parameters for each cost category into account and allows for straightforward comparability across a range of projects.

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LAMBIT Intermodal Simulator


Prof. dr. Cathy Macharis | Building B - Room B2.20

[T] +32 (0)2 629 22 86 | [F] +32 (0)2 629 36 20



Intermodal TransportThe Location Analysis Model for Belgian Intermodal Terminals (LAMBIT) is a geographical information system (GIS)-based location analysis model. It is used to make ex-ante and ex-post analyses of a variety of policy measures. This Intermodal Simulator allows companies to investigate whether intermodal transport is a profitable option for them and to make decisions on the routes to choose or the location of new intermodal terminals based on indicators such as cost, time and environmental impact.

The Intermodal Simulator has proven its success with Nike, the port of Brussels, VIL, the Flemish government and others. In 2012, the model was successfully implemented on the Flemish Brabant Provincial Development Agency (POM) website, while the INTERREG project, TWIN-HUB extends the application to eastern European countries.

Effective and Sustainable Freight TransportIntermodal transport combines different modes of transport (rail, inland waterways and road) within a single transport chain and can ensure more effective and sustainable freight transport services.

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Rail and particularly barge transport, for example, is still limited in scale, despite the increased willingness of the EU to promote intermodal transport. This is largely due to the complexity of intermodal transport chains that involve several actors, the ease and habit of using road-only transport and the limited knowledge about the performance of intermodal alternatives. In order to bridge this gap and stimulate demand for intermodal transport, MOBI has developed the Intermodal Simulator to shift more freight from trucks to railways and inland waterways, thereby helping to reduce congestion and CO2 emissions.

Life Cycle Assessment


Dr. Maarten Messagie | Building Z - Room ZE103

[T] +32 (0)2 629 28 39 | [F] +32 (0)2 629 36 20



Translating Sustainable Opportunities into Business RealitiesThe MOBI research group of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel offers comprehensive support for decision makers from a wide cross-section of the industry and plays a vital role in developing their investment strategy.

By analysing your company’s operations and supply chains, MOBI effectively bridges the knowledge gap, offering powerful insights into the economic, environmental and social impact of your products and services.

More than that, however, MOBI translates these sustainability insights into tangible opportunities that promote value creation within your company. We help create value by identifying opportunities for cost reductions in the value chain and by sharpening your competitive edge with more efficient products and services that offer better market perspectives, while improving your corporate image.

MOBI’s Unique FrameworkMOBI develops in-house its own Sustainability Evaluation Framework in order to identify and assess the opportunities available to your organisation. This framework enables robust decision-making by aggregating economic, environmental and social criteria. Quantitative key performance indicators are used to benchmark alternatives for your products and services from a full life-cycle system perspective. It enables the optimisation of processes from a different technical viewpoint, forcing one to think out of the box. Moreover, MOBI’s comprehensive and accurate database of components and processes provides key support for strategic decision making. MOBI’s expert team can intervene at different levels of your organisation from training up to the drafting of detailed studies complete with detailed actions and ready-to-implement plans to drive positive change and create value either by your own project teams or a third-party consultant. MOBI can also provide expertise at different stages of your product development in order to optimise not only the economic but also environmental and social outputs. MOBI’s benchmarking methods can open the doors to new markets for your products and services while expanding your customer base.

MOBI’s stewardship approach guarantees an offer that is fully tailored to your specific needs. A full range of methods are available within the research group designed to help companies improve their sustainability performance including: Carbon Footprinting, Water Footprinting, Life Cycle Assessment, Life Cycle Costs, Social Impact Analysis, External Costing and Cost-Benefit Analysis. MOBI’s expertise has already been actively employed in sectors such as the automotive and energy industries, railways and logistics. Belgian and international actors, including LNE, Electrabel, Laborelec, BOSCH, Umicore, Tecnalia, Valeo, IVECO, MIVB, VMM, VITO, AIT, AVL, Chalmers, CRF (Fiat) and Volvo recognise the benefits of MOBI’s LCA methodology in adding concrete value to their operations.

Climate change, photochemical oxidant formation, acidification, ozone layer depletion,human toxicity, eutrophication, mineral resource depletion, fossil fuel depletion, …

Production of the fuel/electricity(Well-to-Tank)

Maintenance

Production of the vehicle

Rawmaterials

Refining andtransport

Distribution

Rawmaterials

Production ofcomponents

Assembly anddistribution

Usage(Tank-to-Wheel)

End-of-Lifetreatment

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Awareness and Training

Learn how to capitalize on the economic benefits of life cycle thinking

Mapping Insights

Evaluate product impacts in line with a variety of methodologies and standards

Creating Opportunities

Compare alternate eco-design scenarios and define indicators, dashboards and actions

Communicating Benefits

Make results understandable and easily accessible to all stakeholders

The Multi-Actor Multi-Criteria Analysis (MAMCA)


Prof. dr. Cathy Macharis | Building B - Room 2.20

[T] +32 (0)2 629 22 86 | [F] +32 (0)2 629 36 20



Growing Demand for Stakeholder-based Evaluation FrameworksMulti-Actor Multi-Criteria Analysis (MAMCA) is a decision-making model developed by MOBI to enable the simultaneous evaluation of alternative policy measures, scenarios, technologies, etc. while explicitly including different stakeholders’ opinions at an early stage of the decision-making process. Including Stakeholders at an Early StageOrganisations use decision-making models to make faster and better decisions. However, the existing models for multi-criteria analysis do not offer the possibility of involving stakeholders during the whole decision-making process, even if they propose a collaborative platform at all. Complex Decision ContextsMAMCA is extremely well suited to complex decision-making processes such as those involved in mobility policies and transport sectors where many stakeholders from several areas and backgrounds are involved. It allows decision makers to arrive at a comprehensive and coordinated vision with regards to complex scenarios.

The MAMCA model makes the decision-making process more participatory. It makes an effective contribution to critical debates by enabling the engagement and representation of stakeholders at all stages of the process.

Multiple Applications MAMCA has already proven its effectiveness in evaluating complex sustainable mobility and transport policy decisions in many applications. It has been deployed, e.g., in the “Night Deli” project for the assessment of different night distribution scenarios and in the BELSPO project BIOSES for the evaluation of various biofuel options. It is also used as the main evaluation framework for the European FP7 project STRAIGHTSOL on sustainable urban distribution and for the INTERREG project NISTO on new integrated smart mobility options for European cities.

Strong Theoretical FoundationThe model is based on research undertaken by Prof. Dr. Cathy Macharis, developer of the Multi-Actor Multi-Criteria Analysis methodology. The state of use applications of the approach are reported in several research papers. See, e.g., MACHARIS, C., TURCKSIN, L., & LEBEAU, K. (2012). Multi-Actor Multi-Criteria Analysis (MAMCA) as a tool to support sustainable decisions: State of use. In: Decision Support Systems, vol. 54(1), pp. 610-620.

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Government• Employment• Quality of life• Etc.

Overall goal

Citizens• Pollution• Safety• Etc.

Industry• Profit• Investment risk• Etc.

Electric and Hybrid Vehicles Powertrains

Powertrain Design and OptimisationSince the early 90s, MOBI’s involvement in optimising new vehicle components and propulsion systems has resulted in the development of a highly advanced simulation platform. This platform is based on multiphysics simulation techniques and allows for the detailed analysis of new power train concepts and their dynamic behaviour (consumption, emissions, etc.). The Vehicle Simulation Tool (VSP) is especially developed to define energy-efficient and low-emission power control strategies in hybrid propulsion systems.

MOBI’s simulation tools are based on a profound knowledge of electrical components. As such, they facilitate the modelling of electric and hybrid propulsion systems in a wide variety of applications including cars, light and heavy trucks, rail and industrial machines. MOBI’s thorough knowledge of the real-life behaviour of powertrains and its simulation expertise has lead to the development of accurate real-life range estimators specific for battery electric vehicles.


Prof. dr. Thierry Coosemans | Building Z - Room ZE102

[T] +32 (0)2 629 37 67 | [F] +32 (0)2 629 36 20



Expertise in Clean and Energy-Efficient VehiclesThe assessment, design and optimisation of electric and hybrid powertrains represent a major pillar of MOBI’s expertise in the field of clean and energy-efficient vehicles. MOBI’s dedicated test infrastructure and simulation platform have proven to be essential assets in various collaborative projects with industry partners, reinforcing the group’s leading position in the field of electromobility. The group also plays an active role in several dedicated international green technology associations.

Powertrain TestingMOBI possesses state-of-the-art infrastructure for the on and off-road testing and assessment of complete electric and hybrid powertrains, as well as components such as batteries, hybrid batteries, electrical double-layer capacitors, power converters, inductive and conductive charging infrastructure.

The MOBI test laboratory has an installed power of 800kVA (up to 300kW test capacity) and is equipped with a vehicle dyno-roll bench, on-road data acquisition systems and GPS-based data loggers. Thanks to MOBI’s participation in various research projects with the industry as well as several large-scale field trials, it has built up an extensive database with real-life measurements on electric and hybrid power trains. MOBI is an active participant in the Living Labs Electric Vehicles Flanders. In this project, 200 vehicles, ranging from e-bikes to e-cars and, e-trucks are monitored on-road and on a daily basis.

MOBI has been working with various industrial partners for the development of powertrains and components including Van Hool, MIVB, Flanders Drive, Dana-Spicer, Sirris, FMTC, PSA, BMW, Scania, Continental (ex Siemens), CRF (Fiat), BOSCH, AVL List, Volvo Trucks and others. Besides collaboration through bilateral agreements, MOBI also carries out its research through national and European research projects.

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Battery Innovation Centre MOBI - Redelijk eigenzinnig · The Battery Innovation Centre (BIC) is the Belgian expertise centre for research and development of energy storage systems