Master'sElectromobility, Batteries & Hydrogen Applications open

Master’s in Battery Thermal Management and Safety Engineering

Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in battery thermal management and safety engineering: 12 modules covering cell thermal behaviour, cooling and heating systems, thermal simulation, thermal runaway, incident triggers, propagation and mitigation, abuse testing, stationary storage safety, fire response and fire and safety simulation, with an assigned technical tutor.

Duration1900 h

ModeOnline

LanguageEnglish

Start datesSet by the faculty

AwardSEIUM Institute diploma

Enrol now View syllabus Ask an advisor

Master’s in Battery Thermal Management and Safety Engineering — studying from Australia

Australia holds significant critical mineral resources, including lithium, nickel and cobalt, which supports a growing interest in battery supply chains and processing. The government's hydrogen and battery strategies aim to build domestic capability in clean energy technologies. Electric vehicle adoption is increasing, and charging infrastructure is expanding across major cities and highways. Engineers contribute to battery design, electrical systems, hydrogen production and storage, and charging networks. Employers include mining companies, energy firms, research institutions and emerging battery and hydrogen developers.

Fees for Australia: A$15,800 (AUD), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.

Relevant bodies in Australia

Clean Energy Regulator
Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA)
Standards Australia

Typical roles

Battery Engineer
Electrification Engineer
Hydrogen Systems Engineer
Charging Infrastructure Engineer

Questions from Australia

Which Australian bodies cover batteries, electromobility and hydrogen engineering?

Engineers Australia is the main professional body, and Standards Australia develops relevant technical standards. Hydrogen and battery projects also fall under state and federal energy and safety regulators. SEIUM's private qualifications are not accredited by these bodies, so recognition depends on the employer or regulator.

What careers in Australia's batteries and hydrogen sectors could this support?

Australia has growing battery manufacturing and storage projects, hydrogen developments, and electric vehicle and charging infrastructure work. Employers typically value demonstrated technical competence and project experience. A SEIUM qualification may help, but acceptance is decided by each employer.

Can I manage this online alongside a job in Australia?

Yes, the programmes are fully online and taught in English, so you can study from Australia with no student visa required. Specialist courses are 300 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 and master's 1,900, with an assigned technical tutor and final project. Fees are payable in instalments, and employer sponsorship may be possible.

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Learning outcomes

What you will be able to do

Analyse heat generation in cells and packs.

Design battery cooling and heating systems.

Understand the mechanisms of thermal runaway and propagation.

Design barriers, venting and detection for thermal incidents.

Carry out and interpret abuse and propagation tests.

Apply fire protection requirements in vehicles and energy storage.

Develop a thermal management and safety concept for a battery.

Profile

Who it's for

Battery thermal engineers designing cooling and heating for packs.
Battery safety engineers responsible for thermal runaway prevention and mitigation.
Fire protection engineers working with lithium-ion installations.
CFD engineers modelling thermal behaviour and gas dispersion.
Abuse test engineers in battery laboratories.
Energy storage risk consultants advising on BESS projects.
Engineering or science graduates aiming to join electric vehicle manufacturers.

Standards & tools

What you'll work with

IEC 62619 (safety of industrial lithium batteries)
UL 9540A (thermal runaway fire propagation test method for BESS)
NFPA 855 (installation of stationary energy storage systems)
UN 38.3 (lithium battery transport testing)
GB 38031 (Chinese EV traction battery safety requirements)
UN ECE Regulation No. 100 (electric powertrain and REESS safety)
SAE J2464 (EV battery abuse testing)
ISO 6469-1 (EV safety, on-board rechargeable energy storage)
Simcenter STAR-CCM+
ANSYS Fluent
COMSOL Multiphysics
GT-SUITE
FDS (Fire Dynamics Simulator)

Syllabus

12 modules · 1900 h

1.1Irreversible and reversible heat
1.2Reaction entropy
1.3Anisotropic thermal conductivity
1.4Internal temperature gradients
1.5Temperature and performance
1.6Temperature and ageing
1.7Heat measurement by calorimetry
1.8Cell thermal models
1.9Cell thermal parameters
1.10Case study: thermal balance during fast charging

2.1Air cooling
2.2Indirect liquid cooling
2.3Immersion cooling
2.4Direct refrigerant cooling
2.5Phase change materials
2.6Heat pipes
2.7Cold plate design
2.8Integration with the vehicle circuit
2.9Comparison of solutions
2.10Practical: sizing a cooling circuit

3.1Low-temperature performance
3.2Lithium plating in cold conditions
3.3High-voltage PTC heaters
3.4Heat pumps
3.5Self-heating by current
3.6Preconditioning before charging
3.7Control strategies
3.8Energy consumption of heating
3.9Cold-climate validation
3.10Lab: preconditioning strategy

4.1CFD of cold plates
4.2Pack models
4.3Low-order reduced models
4.4Electrochemical-thermal co-simulation
4.5Simulation of driving cycles
4.6Simulation of fast charging
4.7Channel optimisation
4.8Validation against tests
4.9Model management
4.10Workshop: CFD of a cold plate

5.1Exothermic reactions in the cell
5.2SEI decomposition
5.3Electrolyte reaction
5.4Oxygen release from the cathode
5.5Critical reaction temperatures
5.6Accelerating rate calorimetry (ARC)
5.7Composition of emitted gases
5.8Influence of chemistry
5.9Influence of state of charge
5.10Practical: interpreting an ARC test

6.1Overcharge test
6.2Overdischarge test
6.3External short-circuit test
6.4Internal short circuit in cells
6.5Mechanical damage to the battery
6.6Manufacturing defects
6.7Heat exposure
6.8BMS failures
6.9Incident statistics
6.10Case study: investigation of a fire during charging

7.1Propagation mechanisms
7.2Thermal barriers between cells
7.3Cell spacing
7.4Directed gas venting
7.5Management of flammable gases
7.6Vent detection
7.7Gas sensors
7.8System response
7.9Anti-propagation pack design
7.10Lab: propagation test on a module

8.1Penetration tests
8.2Crush tests
8.3Overcharge tests
8.4System thermal tests
8.5Short-circuit tests
8.6SAE J2464 standard
8.7GB 38031 standard
8.8UN 38.3 transport tests
8.9Test instrumentation
8.10Practical: abuse test plan

9.1BESS storage systems
9.2IEC 62619 standard
9.3UL 9540A method
9.4NFPA 855 standard
9.5Gas explosions
9.6Ventilation and deflagration
9.7Extinguishing systems
9.8Safety distances
9.9Emergency plans
9.10Workshop: risk analysis of a BESS container

10.1Extinguishing battery fires
10.2Water and special agents
10.3Risk of re-ignition
10.4Fire brigade intervention
10.5Rescue sheets
10.6Vehicles in car parks
10.7Maritime transport of vehicles
10.8Handling of damaged batteries
10.9Training for emergency services
10.10Case study: intervention protocol in a car park

11.1Thermal runaway modelling
11.2Propagation modelling
11.3Gas dispersion
11.4Fire simulation with FDS
11.5Risk assessment
11.6Quantitative risk analysis
11.7Uncertainty management
11.8Validation of results
11.9Use in design
11.10Practical: gas dispersion simulation

12.1System definition
12.2System thermal analysis
12.3Cooling design
12.4Heating strategy
12.5Thermal runaway analysis
12.6Thermal runaway anti-propagation measures
12.7Test plan
12.8Response plan
12.9Master's Thesis report
12.10Master's Thesis: defence before a panel

Methodology, software & labs

How you'll learn

100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable materials, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within the intake, so the programme can be combined with full-time work.

Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Simcenter STAR-CCM+, ANSYS Fluent, COMSOL Multiphysics, GT-SUITE and FDS (Fire Dynamics Simulator), in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures: CFD simulation of a cold plate during fast charging, a thermal runaway heating test with gas measurement, and propagation analysis in an energy storage system according to UL 9540A. Assessment is continuous for each module, plus the final Master's Thesis.

Standards covered: IEC 62619, UL 9540A, NFPA 855, UN 38.3, GB 38031, UN ECE Regulation No. 100, SAE J2464, ISO 6469-1.

Assigned technical tutor:every module ends with a deliverable that your tutor marks individually.

Standards-based learning:guided reading of IEC 62619, UL 9540A and NFPA 855 applied to real cases, not as a theoretical annex.

Industry software:Simcenter STAR-CCM+, ANSYS Fluent, COMSOL Multiphysics, GT-SUITE and FDS (Fire Dynamics Simulator), in free, academic or evaluation versions.

Master's Thesis with defence:a thermal management and safety concept for a battery system, defended before a panel.

Flexible format:100% online, no fixed timetables, compatible with full-time work.

Capstone project

Build it end to end

Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.

Analyse system thermal behaviour

Define the battery system and analyse its heat generation and thermal balance.

Design cooling and heating

Size the cooling circuit and define the heating and preconditioning strategy.

Assess thermal runaway

Analyse thermal runaway and specify anti-propagation measures for the pack.

Plan tests and response

Draw up the abuse test plan and the emergency response plan.

Master's Thesis

A thermal management and safety concept for a battery system, defended before a panel.

Career opportunities

Where this takes you

Battery thermal engineerBattery safety engineerFire protection engineerCFD engineerAbuse test engineerEnergy storage risk consultant

Admissions & scholarships

Requirements

A university degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
English sufficient to read technical standards.

Ready to start?

Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

The programme totals 1,900 hours over 12–14 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.

You work with Simcenter STAR-CCM+, ANSYS Fluent, COMSOL Multiphysics, GT-SUITE and FDS (Fire Dynamics Simulator), using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.

A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the Master's Thesis. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.

Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised in the higher programme. Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.

A university degree in engineering, science or architecture (or equivalent professional experience), a computer able to run the programme software and English sufficient to read technical standards.

Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.

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