Master’s in Battery Thermal Management and Safety
Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in battery thermal management and safety — thermal CFD, thermal runaway propagation and intumescent materials. 12 modules covering cell thermal behaviour, thermal modelling, cooling and heating systems, pack CFD, thermal runaway, propagation and mitigation, abuse testing, functional safety and BMS, regulations and type approval, and life-cycle safety, with an assigned technical tutor.
Master’s in Battery Thermal Management and Safety — studying from Ireland
Ireland's electromobility and energy storage sector is growing, supported by national climate and transport policy, public charging infrastructure programmes and renewable electricity generation. Research institutions and companies in Ireland work on battery systems, power electronics, hydrogen technologies and grid integration. Engineers in this area contribute to charging network design, battery management, energy storage projects and the decarbonisation of transport and industry. Policy and regulation are coordinated by government departments and the national energy regulator, alongside European rules on batteries and emissions.
Fees for Ireland: €6,920 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Ireland
Typical roles
Questions from Ireland
Which Irish bodies regulate or recognise electromobility, battery and hydrogen engineering?
Sustainable energy and related policy in Ireland involves the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland and the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. Engineers Ireland sets professional standards for engineers. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not accredited by any national body, so recognition depends on employers or the relevant body, and you should verify it before enrolling.
Do Irish employers in batteries and hydrogen value private online qualifications?
Ireland has growing interest in electrification, energy storage and hydrogen, with employers in energy, transport and manufacturing. They typically prioritise experience, technical competence and relevant degrees. A private online qualification may support an application, but how it is judged is for each employer. No career outcome can be guaranteed.
Can I combine this with a job, and does the workload suit part-time study?
The programme is fully online and taught in English, so you can study from anywhere in Ireland without travel or a student visa. Master's programmes total 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 and specialist courses 300. You will have an assigned technical tutor, fees can be paid in instalments, and employer sponsorship may be possible if your employer supports energy-transition training.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Analyse heat generation and transfer in cells.
Model the electrothermal behaviour of cells and packs.
Design battery cooling and heating systems.
Understand the mechanisms of thermal runaway.
Design measures to mitigate propagation.
Plan abuse and safety tests.
Apply battery safety regulations.
Who it's for
- Battery thermal management engineers.
- Battery safety engineers.
- CFD engineers.
- Abuse testing engineers.
- Functional safety engineers.
- Battery type-approval engineers.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to move into electric automotive.
What you'll work with
- UNECE Regulation No. 100 (electric powertrain safety)
- UN GTR No. 20 (electric vehicle safety)
- UN 38.3 (lithium battery transport testing)
- IEC 62619 (safety of industrial lithium batteries)
- UL 9540A (thermal runaway fire propagation testing)
- Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 (EU Batteries Regulation)
- ISO 6469-1 (on-board rechargeable energy storage safety)
- ISO 26262 (road vehicle functional safety)
- Ansys Fluent
- Simcenter STAR-CCM+
- COMSOL Multiphysics
- MATLAB Simulink
- GT-SUITE
12 modules
1.1Reversible and irreversible heat generation1.2Entropy and heat of reaction1.3Anisotropic thermal conductivity1.4Specific heat of cells1.5Optimal operating temperatures1.6Effect of temperature on service life1.7Thermal gradients within the cell1.8Cell calorimetry1.9Comparison by format1.10Case study: thermal balance of a cell under fast charging
2.1Lumped-parameter models2.2Coupled electrothermal models2.33D finite element models2.4Electrochemical-thermal models2.5Thermal resistance networks2.6Parameter identification2.7Reduced-order models for the BMS2.8Validation with thermocouples2.9Simulation tools2.10Lab: electrothermal model in Simulink
3.1Air cooling3.2Liquid cooling with cold plates3.3Immersion cooling3.4Phase change materials3.5Thermal interface materials (TIM)3.6Cooling channel design3.7Pressure drop and pumping3.8Integration with the vehicle circuit3.9Comparison of solutions3.10Practical: cold plate design
4.1Low-temperature performance4.2Lithium plating during cold charging4.3PTC heaters4.4Integrated heat pumps4.5Cell self-heating4.6Preconditioning4.7Operation in hot climates4.8Management while parked4.9Thermal energy consumption4.10Lab: preheating strategy
5.1Pack meshing5.2Flow in plates and manifolds5.3Conjugate heat transfer5.4Temperature uniformity5.5Fast-charging simulation5.6Drive cycles5.7Design optimisation5.8Reduced-order models5.9Correlation with tests5.10Practical: CFD of a liquid-cooled module
6.1Thermal runaway mechanisms6.2Temperature-driven exothermic reactions6.3SEI and electrolyte decomposition6.4Internal short circuit6.5Vent gases and their composition6.6ARC calorimetry6.7Influence of chemistry6.8Abuse test data6.9Thermal runaway modelling6.10Lab: interpretation of ARC tests
7.1Cell-to-cell propagation7.2Thermal barriers and materials7.3Spacing and module design7.4Vent gas management7.5Valves and exhaust channels7.6Early detection7.7Escape time requirements7.8Propagation tests7.9Design for safety7.10Practical: design of barriers between cells
8.1Overcharge and overdischarge8.2External short circuit8.3Nail penetration8.4Crush8.5Fire exposure8.6Water immersion8.7Vibration and mechanical shock8.8Thermal cycling8.9Laboratories and protocols8.10Case study: abuse test plan
9.1BMS safety functions9.2Temperature monitoring9.3Sensor placement9.4Thermal anomaly detection9.5Disconnection and contactors9.6ISO 26262 applied to batteries9.7HARA analysis9.8Fault diagnosis9.9Safety during charging9.10Lab: thermal diagnostic strategy
10.1UNECE Regulation 10010.2GTR 20 on EV safety10.3UN 38.3 for transport10.4IEC 62619 for stationary batteries10.5UL 9540A10.6Regulation (EU) 2023/154210.7China's GB 38031 requirements10.8Technical documentation10.9Testing bodies10.10Workshop: regulatory compliance matrix
11.1Manufacturing and quality control11.2Battery transport11.3Safe storage11.4Fire brigade response11.5Rescue in accidents11.6Second life and safety11.7Recycling and dismantling11.8Fires in car parks11.9Lessons from incidents11.10Case study: EV fire response protocol
12.1Thermal and safety requirements12.2Cell thermal model12.3Cooling concept12.4Pack simulation12.5Thermal runaway analysis12.6Mitigation measures12.7Test plan12.8Regulatory compliance12.9Master's Thesis report12.10Master's Thesis: defence before a panel
How you'll learn
100% online learning on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within the intake, so you can combine it with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Ansys Fluent, Simcenter STAR-CCM+, COMSOL Multiphysics, MATLAB Simulink and GT-SUITE, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures: ARC calorimetry of cells, thermal runaway propagation tests and thermal testing of packs in a climatic chamber. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final Master's Thesis.
Standards covered: UNECE Regulation No. 100, UN GTR No. 20, UN 38.3, IEC 62619, UL 9540A, Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 (batteries), ISO 6469-1, ISO 26262.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- University degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
- Internet connection and a computer able to run 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.
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 Ansys Fluent, Simcenter STAR-CCM+, COMSOL Multiphysics, MATLAB Simulink and GT-SUITE, 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 degree in engineering, science or architecture (or equivalent professional experience), a computer able to run the 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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