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PhD: Piezoelectric Battery Cell Balancing and Ultrasound Monitoring for Electric Vehicles

Project 2648 · University of Sheffield · School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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Save this opportunity and prepare around its actual requirements. Confirm deadlines and eligibility at the original source.

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Country or region
United Kingdom
Application deadline
2027-01-13 (confirm the exact time with the source)
Funding
Competitive EPSRC DLA award: 3.5 years, full tuition, £21,805 2026/27 reference stipend and £4,500 total scheme research/training support. International award-holders' tuition gap is covered by the university; international selection is capped and project availability must be confirmed.

The research opportunity

A fully funded PhD opportunity to participate in the world-leading research undertaken by the EPSRC Doctoral Landscape Award at the University of Sheffield.

Supervised by Dr Jack Forrester and Prof Rob Dwyer-Joyce.The University of Sheffield is one of the leading Russell Group universities in the UK. We carry out cutting-edge research with strong links to industry. When you enrol to do a PhD with us, you will be working with world-leading academics and have access to top of the range facilities. As a PhD student you will have the opportunity to gain skills not only to conduct research, but also to take your career to the next level, whether you want to stay in academia, go into industry or the public sector, or set up your own company. You will have access to a range of training and support services to help you excel in your studies and beyond.

Project description

State of charge and state of health are important parameters to ensure a battery is fit for purpose in a specific application. Batteries are assembled from cells connected in various series and/or parallel configurations. As the battery is charged and discharged voltages of individual cells vary due to: manufacturing tolerances; the location of the cell in the battery pack (temperature, electrical imbalance) and health (age, usage). In a series connected string of cells the weakest cell limits the performance of the battery system since it is the highest voltage cell that cannot accept any further charge, or the lowest voltage cell since it cannot be further discharged without causing damage. Therefore, cell voltage imbalance (max. to min. cell voltage in a pack) is one metric used to assess availability of a battery energy storage system. To mitigate these issues, cell balancing circuits have been proposed to equalise the pack’s cell voltages by redistributing the stored energy. Passive (dissipative) approaches are commonly used but are inefficient and generate excess heat. Active approaches, where charge is redistributed across cells, is more efficient but more complex to implement and is physically large when scaled to large batteries. A promising active alternative is presented in “Bidirectional inverting piezo resonator-based (BIPR) converter for cell balancing applications” where we demonstrated how you could use a small piezoelectric resonator based converter to balance adjacent cells in a battery pack.

Cells undergo physical changes that alter the internal structures. These changes accumulate over time and lead to dendrite growths, gas build-up, and other phenomena that cause failures. Although some of these changes can be detected using electro-impedance spectroscopy techniques by injecting designed signals, other changes are more difficult to detect. Ultrasonic inspection uses reflected and transmitted ultrasound pulses to provide a non-invasive means of understanding internal structure and changes within a cell. The ultrasound signal is typically generated and received using a piezoelectric device. In our recent paper “Prediction of the internal structure of a lithium-ion battery using a single ultrasound wave response” we described a means to predict the internal structure of a lithium-ion battery using a single piezoelectric device.

The purpose of this project is to use a single piezoelectric device to combine the cell balancing and structure ultrasound microscopy functions thereby providing a battery prognostic system which will allow cell performance to be measured in situ. The first phase of the research will focus on optimising the piezoelectric device to ensure it can provide both cell balancing and microscopy functions. The second phase will optimise the electronic circuitry and measurement algorithms with the final phase being to undertake experimental validation, and build a scaled prototype for industrial engagement.

How to apply

Interested candidates are strongly encouraged to contact the project supervisors to discuss your interest in and suitability for the project prior to submitting your application. Please refer to the EPSRC DLA webpage for detailed information about the EPSRC DLA and how to apply. Applicants must ensure that they use the correct application form linked to the EPSRC DLA webpage and must submit an application for October 2027 entry. The form is unique to the EPSRC DLA. It contains the list of advertised projects from which to select, and three questions specific to the DLA. The application deadline is 17:00 GMT 13 January 2027.

The majority of our DLA studentships will be allocated to candidates who qualify for Home fee status, in accordance with EPSRC funding regulations which place strict limits on international recruitment.

Sheffield's DLA guidance describes 3.5 years of funding, full tuition, a 2026/27 reference stipend of £21,805 and £4,500 total research and training support. The university says it covers the Home/international fee difference for successful international award holders; international recruitment is capped and considered in a later selection phase. Confirm the actual 2027/28 award and project availability.

Research and application brief

Report generated: . This date does not confirm that recruitment remains open.

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Show report contents

PhD: Piezoelectric Battery Cell Balancing and Ultrasound Monitoring for Electric Vehicles

Research cut-off: 6 November 2026

Quick Decision

Promising with material uncertainties. This is a 3.5-year, October 2027 PhD hosted by the University of Sheffield's School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE), with Dr Jack Forrester and Prof Rob Dwyer-Joyce as supervisors. The central question is whether one piezoelectric device can perform both battery-cell balancing and non-invasive ultrasound-based monitoring of cell structure and status. The advertised work moves from device optimization to electronics and measurement algorithms, experimental validation, and a scaled prototype for industrial engagement. It is a strong topic match for electrical/electronic engineering, power electronics, instrumentation, signal analysis, or battery-management experience. The project lists full tuition, a current UKRI-rate stipend of £21,805 per year for 2026/27, and a research grant for 3.5 years; the 2027/28 stipend and any project-specific research-support enhancement are unconfirmed. Applications close at 17:00 GMT on 13 January 2027. International candidates may be considered, but only Home candidates are assessed in the first phase and international awards are capped, so project availability and competitiveness need early confirmation. The next useful step is to contact both supervisors about eligibility and technical scope, while preparing the competition-specific application and its AI-use disclosure. (official project directory, DLA application rules, DLA funding and training)

Research Problem and Doctoral Work

What Is Unsolved and Why It Matters

Battery packs contain multiple connected cells whose voltage and condition can diverge. Cell balancing redistributes energy among cells to reduce imbalance; monitoring aims to estimate performance and internal change while the battery remains in service. These are usually separate functions. The project proposes using a single piezoelectric device for both an active balancing function and ultrasonic inspection, with the broader aim of supporting in-situ prognostic assessment for electric-vehicle applications. The challenge is not simply to build each function separately: the same device must support distinct electrical and sensing roles, while the measurement and electronic system must yield interpretable information. The project description does not state that this integration has already been demonstrated or specify target accuracy, device performance, or validation criteria. (official project directory)

Work, Methods, and Potential Outputs

The advertised work has three connected stages:

  1. Optimize the piezoelectric device so it can support both balancing and ultrasound microscopy functions.
  2. Optimize associated electronic circuitry and measurement algorithms.
  3. Experimentally validate the system and build a scaled prototype for industrial engagement.

The team literature provides separate starting points. A 2023 study presented a piezo-resonator converter for cell balancing and compared modeled/simulated performance with passive balancing; it does not demonstrate simultaneous ultrasound sensing. A separate 2023 paper explored estimating lithium-ion cell internal structure from an ultrasound response. A 2025 study connected ultrasonic-response changes with health degradation in the cells examined, while a 2025 converter paper developed a model of a piezoelectric resonator. Together, these papers support the relevance of the component functions and the device-modelling expertise, but they do not establish that the proposed dual-function system will work across cell designs or degradation patterns. (BIPR balancing study, single-response ultrasound study, ultrasound ageing study, SUPR converter analysis)

A plausible contribution would be an integrated device and measurement approach linking energy balancing with non-invasive condition information, then testing whether the combination can support in-situ assessment. This is an interpretation of the advertised tasks, not a promised outcome. The description does not specify a named industrial partner, a placement, prototype scale, performance threshold, or fallback plan if simultaneous operation proves difficult.

School, Programme and Field Context

The University of Sheffield is the named degree-awarding institution and EEE is the advertised host school. Prof Rob Dwyer-Joyce is based in the School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering (MACE); the listing identifies him as co-supervisor but does not describe a joint degree or separate registration arrangement. Sheffield says generic full-time PhDs normally last 3–4 years, while this project-specific DLA award is 3.5 years. Generic entry requirements vary by school; Sheffield notes that some subjects require a master's degree and others a good undergraduate degree, typically a UK 2:1 or First. The project listing itself does not set a project-specific grade or prior-skill threshold. (PhD application essentials, EEE school profile, DLA scheme, MACE supervisor profile)

Sheffield's EEE page reports a joint-first UK REF 2021 research-environment position as part of a wider Engineering submission. At faculty level, Sheffield's Engineering REF 2021 submission was 8th nationally for research quality, with 96% in the top two quality categories and impact ranked 10th; it included six engineering departments, AMRC and Nuclear AMRC. These are school/faculty environment signals, not rankings of this project or its specific research group. The EEE Electrical Machines and Power theme includes power electronics, power systems and energy storage, with automotive applications; the school also lists the Centre for Research into Electrical Energy Storage and Applications (CREESA). (EEE school profile, Engineering REF 2021 summary, Electrical Machines and Power theme, EEE research centres)

The DLA provides a Doctoral Development Programme and research/transferable-skills support, milestone guidance, conferences, symposia, knowledge exchange, possible teaching development and careers advice. The project is advertised as an EEE PhD rather than a cross-institutional degree. The listing does not specify registration details beyond University of Sheffield and the EEE host school; applicants should confirm the formal registration school and cross-school supervision arrangements. (DLA training and funding, generic PhD guidance)

Supervisor and Lab Assessment

Supervisor Research Directions

Dr Jack Forrester is a Lecturer in Electrical Machines and Power in EEE; his profile and recent work align with piezoelectric devices and resonant power conversion, including cell-balancing research. Prof Rob Dwyer-Joyce is a professor in MACE with expertise in tribology and ultrasonic measurement. This pairing connects power-conversion/device work with ultrasound and metrology. EEE's research theme covers energy storage and power electronics; the Leonardo Centre describes ultrasonic-sensing research, including battery state-of-charge/state-of-health assessment. These pages document relevant expertise, but do not promise access to a particular instrument, facility, team member or shared resource. The scaled prototype is intended for industrial engagement, but no partner or placement is named. (Jack Forrester profile, Rob Dwyer-Joyce profile, Tribo-Acoustic Sensors group, EEE research centres)

Recent Important Publications

Publication Contribution and relevance Limit to the inference
Forrester, Davidson and Foster (2023), “Bidirectional inverting piezo resonator-based (BIPR) converter for cell balancing applications,” 2023 IEEE Energy Conversion Congress and Exposition. Presents a piezo-resonator converter for active cell balancing; reported evaluation is modeled/simulated. Direct predecessor for the balancing function. Does not combine balancing with ultrasound microscopy or establish integrated-system validation.
Copley and Dwyer-Joyce (2023), “Prediction of the internal structure of a lithium-ion battery using a single ultrasound wave response,” Journal of Energy Storage, 72, Part E, 108778. Explores estimating internal structure from an ultrasound response, supporting the monitoring side. A separate method study; it does not establish generalization across batteries or integrated-system performance.
Williams et al. (2025), “Battery age monitoring: ultrasonic monitoring of ageing and degradation in lithium-ion batteries,” Journal of Power Sources, 631, 236174. A small experimental study reports an association between ultrasonic-response changes and health degradation in the cells examined; Rob Dwyer-Joyce is a co-author. Does not establish performance across chemistries or degradation mechanisms; wider coverage is identified as future work.
Forrester, Davidson and Foster (2025), “Inductorless step-up piezoelectric resonator (SUPR) converter: a cyclic-mode analysis,” IEEE Open Journal of Power Electronics, 7, 239–248. Develops an analytical converter model checked against experimental and simulation references, relevant to device modelling. Not a battery-balancing or ultrasound-monitoring validation study.

The papers show recent activity in both technical strands, while integration remains the central uncertainty. They are evidence of adjacent methods and expertise, not a guarantee of access or successful outputs. (BIPR study, single-response ultrasound study, ultrasound ageing study, SUPR converter analysis)

Research Direction and Career Outlook

The project sits between power electronics, battery management, piezoelectric transducers, acoustic sensing, signal interpretation and experimental prototyping. The frontier question is whether the same device can support balancing and non-invasive monitoring while producing useful in-situ condition information. Recent studies address the component functions separately; wider generalization across cell designs, chemistries and ageing patterns remains open. The project does not specify its intended cell formats or chemistry coverage, so these should not be inferred from earlier papers. (Electrical Machines and Power theme, UK Battery Strategy, Faraday Institution 2024/25 Annual Report)

Potential transferable directions include power-electronics or converter R&D, battery-management and condition-monitoring systems, instrumentation, sensing, automotive electrification, and academic research. These are analyst-inferred pathways, not placement commitments. The UK Battery Strategy cites a Faraday Institution scenario of approximately 270,000 full-time-equivalent jobs in the domestic EV/battery ecosystem by 2040: 100,000 in battery manufacturing and supply chain, 145,000 in EV production, and 25,000 in HGV/bus production. This scenario depends on domestic demand and manufacturing assumptions; it is not a vacancy or PhD-employment forecast. The Faraday Institution reports 500+ battery researchers across 25 UK universities and 89% of its first two PhD cohorts employed in the battery sector; that is a selected programme outcome, not Sheffield DLA placement data. The UK National Careers Service gives a broad electrical-engineer salary range of £27,000 starter to £58,000 experienced, not a PhD-specific estimate. (UK Battery Strategy, Faraday Institution annual report, UK Gigafactory Outlook 2024, Electrical Engineer career profile)

Funding, Application, and Living Cost

Award Coverage and International Selection

The 2027 DLA plans to recruit up to 50 fully funded studentships. The project listing describes full tuition funding, a UKRI-rate stipend currently £21,805 per annum, a research grant and 3.5 years of funding. The DLA scheme page specifies that the current stipend is the 2026/27 rate; it also describes a £4,500 total Research Training and Support Grant over the award and a Doctoral Development Programme. The project page does not state its own grant amount. Since entry is planned for October 2027, £21,805 should be treated as the current 2026/27 rate rather than a confirmed 2027/28 rate; UKRI says award letters govern exact stipend and fee levels. The DLA says visa and relocation costs, including the NHS surcharge, are not covered. (official project directory, DLA scheme, UKRI studentship guidance)

The opportunity is advertised as worldwide and fully funded, but selection is constrained by the DLA international cap. EPSRC limits international awards to 30% of available studentships; Sheffield anticipates a maximum of 10 international places, considers Home candidates in the first phase, and may then consider international applicants subject to remaining places and the 30% cap. Sheffield says it will fund the Home/International tuition-fee difference for successful international candidates. This programme-level coverage rule is not assurance of selection for this project. Home interviews are expected in mid-February 2027 and international interviews in late March 2027. (DLA application rules)

For EEE PhD study, the University fee lookup lists Home tuition at £5,238–£10,238 for 2026/27, with 2027/28 Home fees to be confirmed; Overseas fees are £30,790–£35,790 for 2026/27 and £31,870–£36,870 for 2027/28. Department-specific Research & Support Element enhancements may apply. Awardees should confirm the exact fee band and any enhancement for this project under DLA terms. (EEE fee lookup, UKRI studentship guidance)

Application Requirements

Applications must use the dedicated EPSRC DLA online form; standard PhD applications or applications made under other schemes are not eligible for this competition. The form asks three questions, each with a 300-word maximum, about motivation and fit with the DLA, how the applicant's knowledge and skills support doctoral research, and an example of using skills to address a research question. Applicants may select up to two projects in order of preference; Sheffield encourages selecting two only when both match the applicant's interests and background. The start date should be 1 October 2027, and the deadline is 5pm UK time on Wednesday 13 January 2027 (17:00 GMT). Applicants are strongly encouraged to discuss fit with supervisors. The current DLA recruitment statement requires applicants to disclose and explain any AI use in the application; failure to do so could lead to rejection or withdrawal of an offer. (DLA application rules, official project directory)

Sheffield Budget Context

Sheffield's international-student guidance gives average student accommodation rent of £500–£800 per month and groceries of about £30–£45 per week. The University's 2026/27 postgraduate city listings show 51-week en-suite rents of £179.97–£208.95 per week, or £9,178.47–£10,656.45 per year; listed rent includes utilities, contents insurance and internet. The University also reproduces selected monthly averages of £155 for groceries, £73 for transport, £60 for going out, £45 for takeaways/eating out, £33 for clothes/shopping, £15 for a mobile phone and £14 for subscriptions. These selected non-rent categories total £395 per month, excluding accommodation and other personal or study costs. 2027/28 accommodation prices are not yet listed on that page. (international student cost guidance, postgraduate accommodation rents, University living-cost categories)

For visa evidence, GOV.UK currently requires £1,171 per month for up to 9 months for a Student visa applicant studying outside London, plus course fees where applicable. This is a financial-evidence threshold, not a local living-cost estimate. International applicants should budget separately for visa, relocation and NHS surcharge costs because the DLA says these are not covered. (Student visa financial evidence, DLA scheme)

Applicant Fit and Preparation

Required Background and Skills

The project advertisement does not identify a mandatory degree subject, minimum grade, or project-specific skills list. Sheffield's general PhD guidance says requirements vary by school; some subjects ask for a master's degree and others for a good undergraduate degree, typically a UK 2:1 or First. Applicants should obtain EEE's exact eligibility requirements rather than assume that the generic examples are the criteria for this DLA place. (official project directory, PhD application essentials)

Preferred Experience and Suggested Preparation

The work suggests a strong match for applicants with electrical/electronic or electromechanical engineering, power electronics, piezoelectric devices, acoustic or ultrasound measurement, instrumentation, signal processing, battery-management research, or experimental system integration. These are suggested match areas inferred from the work and supervisory profiles, not stated admission requirements. The public DLA page asks applicants to explain relevant knowledge, skills, prior experience and an example of addressing a research question; it does not present a technical-skills checklist. An application could connect prior examples to device modelling, circuit or sensor integration, measurement/data interpretation, or experimental validation, while acknowledging where cross-disciplinary training would be needed. (official project directory, DLA application rules, Jack Forrester profile, Rob Dwyer-Joyce profile)

A preference for theory-only or battery-materials chemistry-only work may be less aligned if it excludes devices, electronics, measurement and validation. This is an interpretation of the advertised phases, not an admissions rule. Ask the supervisors how the work is divided across modelling, electronics, ultrasound analysis, validation and prototype development.

Next Actions and Questions to Verify

Before Applying

  • Confirm Home/International fee-status eligibility and whether this project is expected to remain open to international candidates after the first selection phase.
  • Ask which prior degree subjects or grades, if any, are formally required; separate eligibility from preferred experience.
  • Confirm the 2027/28 stipend, tuition coverage, any Research & Support Element enhancement, and the research support allocated to this project.
  • Read the current DLA Use of AI in Recruitment Statement and follow the disclosure instructions; complete the dedicated form, select up to two genuinely relevant projects if appropriate, use the 1 October 2027 start date, and submit before 17:00 GMT on 13 January 2027.

At Interview

  • Ask what facilities, sensors, electronics support and measurement expertise are specifically allocated to the project; public school and centre pages establish related activity but not guaranteed student access.
  • Clarify milestones and success criteria for device dual-functionality, circuitry/algorithms, validation and scaled prototype, including a fallback path if integration proves infeasible.
  • Ask whether a named industrial partner is involved and what engagement is expected; the project advertises industrial engagement but does not name a partner or placement.

Before Accepting an Offer

  • Obtain written award terms, registration school, duration, 2027/28 stipend and fee schedule, any enhancements, and confirmation of international fee-difference coverage if relevant.
  • Recheck 2027/28 accommodation availability and prices, and budget separately for visa, relocation and NHS surcharge costs.

Evidence and Sources

Core project, application and training

School, research environment and supervisors

Recent publications

Field, employment and living costs

Sources

The listing may come from a university or recruitment platform. Check the notice and official sources in the report for current application requirements. View the recruitment source

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