For battery packs with high voltage and large capacity, simple battery management systems (BMS) are inadequate for proper monitoring and management. In electric vehicles, managing the battery pack alone is insufficient. The BMS must also communicate with the vehicle controller and charger. A smart battery management system is designed to enable self-protection of the battery pack while simultaneously integrating it with the charger and vehicle controller. For high-voltage, high-current systems like energy storage or electric vehicle applications where a basic BMS cannot meet the requirements, a smart BMS provides a comprehensive solution.
What is a Smart Battery Management System?
Fundamentally, smart BMS is a smart electronic system that can monitor and control the performance of lithium-ion batteries. Consider it the super ‘battery whisperer’ who is able to maintain the batteries functioning at their best, prolong the battery lifetime, and increase safety by regulating voltage, current, temperature, and state of charge (SOC). Building upon the hardware foundation, smart BMS incorporates a Microcontroller Unit (MCU), a central control IC, and communication functions (Bluetooth, RS485, RS232, UART, CANBUS). Users can access, modify, and set BMS and battery parameters, adding a layer of intelligence to the system. Nevertheless, a smart BMS is more than just a passive guardian – it is an active battery coach that uses various kinds of algorithms to optimize the battery performance and prevent the development of potential problems in due time.
Applications of Smart Battery Management Systems
The multifunctionality of the smart BMS technology has spilled into different industries, with each sector looking to deploy smart solutions as they reimagine the way energy storage should work. Let’s take a closer look:
Industrial
Ranging from powering big machines to making sure that back up power is available, smart BMS occupies a major role in the industrial environment, helping uninterrupted operations and increasing efficiency.
Automotive
EVs and hybrid vehicles are seen as the leaders of the smart BMS revolution as they help in fuel saving, reduced carbon footprint and improved air quality. They are the unsung ones, who ensure that the high voltage battery pack that powers our no emission rides will serve for long time, and that all the energy is utilized effectively.
Marine
Out on the open water, good and reliable BMS systems are the key to battery management for marine applications, which assures that the vessels can navigate, communicate, and use onboard systems without a problem – because the last thing you want is to be stranded at sea without a charged battery.
Light EVs
Today light EVs such as e-bikes and e-scooters are in fashion and intelligent BMS solution accompanies them on the way being responsible for battery management, which means longer operational routes and less worries.
Energy Storage Systems
The renewable energy resources such as solar and wind are forging ahead to a greener future, and there are no better companions than BMS systems which are in charge of optimizing the energy storage and distribution from battery banks, and seize every bit of energy to its maximum potential.
Benefits of Smart BMS for Lithium Batteries
Including smart BMS in your lithium battery system is the same as giving superpowers to your energy storage. Here are just a few of the superpowers you’ll unleash:
- Enhanced Battery Life: Smart BMS systems can prolong the life of your lithium-ion batteries by closely monitoring and regulating various battery parameters precisely, giving them the ability to endure as much as the Energizer Bunny.
- Improved Safety: Introduced advanced protection features like overcurrent protection, overcharge/underdischarge prevention and temperature monitoring that prevent thermal runaway and other dangers and give you the peace of mind you deserve and thus save you from a ticking time bomb.
- Efficient Energy Management: In the same manner, intelligent BMS systems are energy efficiency gurus who implement intelligent charge/discharge algorithms to ensure that the available energy efficiency is fully utilized and there is no waste but maximum performance.
- Remote Monitoring and Control: Many advanced BMS systems offer a remote monitoring and control solutions, this will allow you to keep the battery in check irrespective of where you are, whether you are in the city or on the other side of the globe.
- Data Logging and Analysis: Data logging and analysis at a detailed level offer great insights into the behavior of your battery; this in turn empowers predictive maintenance as well as optimization strategies, keeping you ahead of the game and ensuring your battery runs smoothly all the time.
- Integration with Smart Grids and IoT: Smart BMS systems have been developed to offer the seamless integration of intelligent grids and Internet of Things (IoT) networks, hence, enhancing the automated and smart energy management capabilities in order to make your home or business smarter than the Jeopardy!
How to Add a Smart BMS to Your Lithium Batteries
Here’s a general overview of how to integrate a smart BMS into your lithium battery:
- Pick the suitable smart BMS solution that satisfies your needs, considering the type of batteries, voltage range, and the features you want. Don’t just choose the first one you see – make it as if you are selecting a tailored suit, and do not compromise with the quality to find the best one among the options.
- Meticulously install the BMS as per the maker’s guide and do not forget to connect and wire the battery pack appropriately. This is not a mere DIY project based on trial-and-error, in which a single wrong step may bring about devastating consequences.
- You may want to set up BMS settings depending on the specifications of your battery and your desired operation parameters. Think of it as this the control, center where you make the system work to your exact preference.
- Set up the communication between the BMS and your monitoring/control system (if that’s applicable) for remote control and data logging. The Dashboard is the only window into the world of the battery that lets you understand what is going on moment by moment.
- Regularly check and repair the BMS at required intervals to improve the performance of this system and to increase its lifespan.
About MOKOEnergy’s Smart BMS
MOKOENERGY’s smart Battery Management System (BMS) is an intelligent and multi-functional protection solution that was developed for 4 series battery packs used in various start-up batteries and electrical energy storage devices. This BMS is a cutting-edge device that is adaptable to diverse lithium battery chemistries like lithium-ion, lithium-polymer, and lithium iron phosphate and offers optimal performance and safety across a wide spectrum of applications.
One of the main features of MOKOENERGY smart BMS is the load-carrying capacity, which is very high and the maximum continuous discharge current could be as much as 120A. This superior performance allows for reliable operation under arduous circumstances, thus, the module is suitable for high-power applications.
Besides making use of top-notch hardware, MOKOENERGY’s smart BMS is equipped with intelligence and programmability features. It provides a Bluetooth interface that works with both Android and iPhone mobile applications. The interface is designed to control and monitor the battery status remotely from your smartphone or tablet.
Whether it is used in electric vehicles, home energy storage systems, or other applications, with its versatility, high efficiency and smart features, MOKOENERGY’s smart BMS provides a powerful and detailed solution for managing and protecting 4 series lithium battery packs.
By partnering with MOKOEnergy, you’re not just investing in a smart BMS – you’re investing in a future where efficient and reliable energy storage is the norm, not the exception.
