What Is a Static ESS Battery Management System?
A static ESS battery management system is a type of Battery Management System (BMS) specifically designed for Energy Storage System (ESS) applications.
An Energy Storage System (ESS) primarily consists of secondary batteries, such as rechargeable batteries, and is designed to store and release electrical energy as needed. Renewable energy sources like solar and wind power are subject to fluctuations due to weather conditions, making it challenging to maintain stable output. To address this, a battery storage system is integrated with renewable energy systems. When sufficient power generation is available, excess energy is stored in the battery system from the generation system, and when power generation is insufficient, the battery system supplements the power, ensuring a stable output supply.
To safely and efficiently manage secondary batteries for energy storage, a Battery Management System (BMS) is utilized. The BMS oversees and controls various aspects of the secondary battery, including protection, charging/discharging, cell balancing, power optimization, and health assessment, ensuring the overall safe and efficient operation of the batteries.
Applications of Static ESS Battery Management Systems
The static ESS battery management system is employed to monitor and control the secondary batteries used in ESS, ensuring the safe and efficient operation of energy storage systems. Proper battery usage also leads to extended battery life.
Common secondary batteries used in ESS include lithium-ion batteries, flow batteries, advanced lead-acid batteries, nickel batteries, among others. Specifically, lithium-ion batteries offer high efficiency and energy density but require precise control due to the risk of hazards such as fire or smoke.
Usage Scenarios
ESS technology is being widely adopted across various sectors, including:
- Residential (single-family homes, multi-unit residences)
- Commercial and Industrial (commercial facilities, public facilities, industrial facilities)
- Backup power for communication base stations, etc.
- System stability and frequency regulation in power systems
- Integration with renewable energy power plants
Especially in corporate settings, ESS is utilized as part of efforts to reduce CO2 emissions, promote decarbonization, cut electricity costs, and ensure power resilience during emergencies. Its adoption in residential settings is rapidly growing. Alongside ESS, battery management systems play a crucial role in these applications.
Principle of Static ESS Battery Management Systems
The battery management system used in static ESS comprises dedicated ICs and microcontrollers (for system control and communication assistance) to monitor and control battery status. Specific functions include:
- Battery protection
- Charging and discharging control
- Prevention of overcharging and over-discharging
- Cell voltage balancing (cell balancing)
- Power optimization
- Protection against overvoltage, undervoltage, surge current, reverse current, short circuits, etc.
- Health assessment
The battery management system can monitor real-time voltage, current, and temperature of cells (individual battery cells within battery modules). If parameters exceed safe limits, it disconnects output terminals to protect against hazards. It also measures battery capacity and uses algorithms to evaluate the state of charge (SOC) and state of health (SOH) of each cell.
Types of Static ESS Battery Management Systems
Various manufacturers offer multiple products of static ESS battery management systems tailored for different battery types used in ESS. It’s common to combine battery protection modules with battery monitoring modules for integrated management systems. Battery protection modules are categorized based on battery voltage, typically ranging from 12-24V, 40-60V, 60-100V, 100-150V, 150-400V, and even up to 1500V for high-voltage applications. Selection depends on equipment and application requirements to ensure compatibility and optimal performance.