Identifying Trends In Lithium-Ion Battery Performance Through Relational Databases And Power BI

Lithium-ion batteries are critical to modern energy storage systems, yet optimising their performance remains a challenge due to the complexity of their manufacturing processes. Current research, conducted at QUT’s Advanced Battery Facility under the supervision of Dr Michael Horn and Ms Janhavi Malagalu Prakash Babu, is part of the Electrochemical Testing of Lithium-Ion Batteries Project within the Future Battery Industries Cooperative Research Centre. This “ECT” project leverages relational databases and data visualisation tools to analyse the performance of lithium-ion battery cells and associated materials and components. The VRES project aims to demonstrate the value of structured data management in evaluating key performance indicators and improving process efficiency.

The research focuses on developing interactive dashboards using Power BI to visualise large datasets generated during the manufacturing and testing of battery cells. By organising data through a relational database, the project identifies meaningful trends, such as cell efficiency, cycle life, and charge-discharge characteristics, while detecting outliers and inefficiencies in production. These dashboards provide actionable insights, enabling data driven decisions by chemists and physicists.

The outcome of this VRES project includes a workshop I will conduct with my co-supervisor, Janhavi. The dashboards developed during the project will be used to demonstrate how relational databases can effectively manage complex datasets, leading to significant improvements in data accessibility and interpretability. Key metrics such as specific capacity, coulombic efficiency, and retention capacity are systematically captured and analysed within Power BI, enabling performance benchmarking and guiding targeted improvements in the battery manufacturing process. This research underscores the necessity of advanced data management systems for enhancing the development and optimisation of lithium-ion battery technology.