What Is a Battery Management System?
A battery management system monitors and ensures the safe operation of batteries, crucial for preventing accidents like ignitions, electric shocks, and explosions.
Also known as a battery management unit (BMU), this technology is gaining prominence with the rise of smartphones and the shift towards electric vehicles (EVs). It is essential for managing battery modules composed of multiple batteries connected in series, with individual cells managed through cell management.
Uses of Battery Management Systems
Battery management systems are integral in monitoring automotive batteries and lithium-ion battery modules in smartphones. Lithium-ion batteries, known for their efficiency, require careful management to prevent accidents and optimize performance. Their application extends to automotive batteries, particularly with the growing demand for EVs.
Principle of Battery Management Systems
The core function of a battery management system involves a battery protection integrated circuit (IC) that detects battery characteristics and shuts down circuitry during abnormalities. This contributes to enhanced battery performance and longevity by addressing cell imbalance.
Battery protection ICs, comprised of four circuit blocks, detect and address issues like overcharging, over-discharging, and current extremes. This detection and intervention process, primarily facilitated by comparators, ensures voltage, discharge, and charge currents remain within safe limits. Additionally, cell balancing functions equalize individual battery voltages to prevent capacity decrease due to voltage variations.
Other Information on Battery Management Systems
1. Battery Protection Format Types
Traditionally, battery protection ICs operated in a stand-alone format. However, with lithium-ion batteries now common in multi-cell electronic and industrial equipment, such as cordless vacuums, drones, electric bikes, and power tools, microcontroller-based ICs offer tailored protection through fine-tuned analog control.
2. Battery Management Systems for EVs
EV advancements necessitate more sophisticated battery management systems. Beyond managing the conventional 12V lead-acid batteries, EVs use high-voltage lithium-ion batteries for engine operation. These systems must accommodate diverse cell connection methods across manufacturers, with data accuracy and analysis impacting vehicle range and battery lifespan. Innovations in wireless control and AI-based data analysis are key competitive areas among manufacturers and startups.