AP9920X

Battery Management System

APC Global Services
Dan Lambert, Technical Liaison
AEG Design Team

AGENDA

Safety
Documentation
Battery Management System (BMS Theory of
Operation)
Lab
Battery Management System (BMS Installation)
Battery Management System (BMS Software)
Technical Scope of Work
Summary

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics

approximately 500 workers are killed each year by
electricity in the U.S. (about two each work day!!)

DONT BECOME A
STATISTIC !!

SAFETY
Storage batteries present various hazards to personnel who are
required to install and maintain them. The primary hazards are:
Sulfuric Acid
Electric Shock
Explosive Gases

Never work on a battery system alone

No food or drink in the presence of flooded batteries
Appropriate personal protective equipment must be used
Egress from the battery room must be kept clear at all times
Never attempt to move batteries without the proper equipment

SAFETY
Sulfuric Acid Burn Safety

Lead Acid type Storage Batteries contain concentrations of

sulfuric acid (electrolyte) that can cause severe burns
When handling electrolyte, face shields, chemical goggles,
rubber aprons and rubber gloves must be worn
In the event that sulfuric acid comes in contact with skin,
immediately flush thoroughly with water. Do not use baking soda
solutions directly on skin. Get medical attention immediately
If Sulfuric acid comes in contact with the eyes, flush with water
for at least 15 minutes and get medical attention immediately
If Sulfuric acid is ingested get medical attention immediately
Spilled electrolyte should be neutralized with a solution of one
pound of baking soda per one gallon of water

SAFETY
Electrical Shock and Burns:
Batteries may contain large amounts of stored electrical energy. Due to
the nature of batteries the source cannot be completely isolated or
tagged out. Electrical shock and burns can result from coming in
contact with battery terminals or from short circuits from metal tools

Always use insulated tools

When working with batteries, properly insulated tools MUST be used

Gloves must be worn when handling batteries or making connections

All metal jewelry must be removed

Never place tools or metallic objects on batteries

One person at a time in a battery cabinet or rack

SAFETY
Electrical shock and burns

When working on batteries, the charging source and all parallel

strings must be disconnected
When working on a grounded battery string, always disconnect
the ground cable first and reconnect the ground cable last
When removing/replacing cells, open the string in several
places to reduce the voltage potential, preferably to 48 VDC or
less
When cables are removed from one terminal while remaining
attached to another terminal, the cable lugs must be insulated
completely with electrical tape or appropriate insulating material

SAFETY
Valve Regulated Lead Acid
A cell that is closed under normal conditions by a non-return
(control) valve that allows the escape of gas if the internal
pressure exceeds a predetermined value. The valve shall not
allow gas or air to enter the cell. The maximum pressure
reached inside the cell under any circumstances can be
requested from the manufacturer.
The cell cannot receive additions to the electrolyte (topping up).

DOCUMENTATION

User Manual
Installation Manual
Battery Management System Retrofit Kit
Product Specification
Technical Scope of Work

Battery Management System

Theory of Operation:
APCs Battery Management
products are the standard for
operations which rely on an
uninterrupted and reliable
supply of battery power.
Our Unique Technology combines
battery monitoring and testing
with Automated-Single-CellCharging (ASCC) for true
Battery Management.

Batteries are like people

Batteries are like people

Electrochemical energy machines

Latent defects (inherited, congenital)
Subject to abuse, stress & disease
Have individual needs & characteristics
Have individual rates of deterioration
Dont always work well together
Have a physical death (sooner or later)

Sealed Battery Reliability

A Study of 25,000 Sealed

Batteries Indicated that After
Two Years They Could Not be
Considered Reliable
Source: D.O. Feder, PhD,
Electrochemical Energy Systems, Inc.

VRLA Failure History

VRLA Failures
80
70
60
50
% 40
30
20
10
0

Years
Source: D.O. Feder, PhD, Electrochemical Energy Systems, Inc.

Battery Reliability & Life Factors

Latent Defects
Number of discharges
Depth of each discharge
Operating Temperature
Charge time (continuous or intermittent)
Charge voltage (polarization)
Charge accuracy (high or low)

Battery Failure Modes

Shorted Cells
Open Cells

Sulfation
Weld Fractures
Corrosion Internal & External
Dry out
Plate Warp/Separator Compression

Ruptures & Leaks

Thermal Runaway
Wear out

Normal Battery Life

Failure Modes of Lead-Acid
Batteries
Grown Shorts

We
Can
Preve
nt
These
Latent
Defects--->
We can
detect
and
alarm
on

7%

Needed

Top Mossing
10%

Recharge
Only
31%

Plates Worn Out

21%

Manufacturing
Errors
31%

Source: BCI,
107th
Convention

<-Normal
Life
Limiter

Thermal Runaway

Cell Circuit
Charge
Cp

RxcConnection
Corrosion
Torque
Surfaces

Rp- Plate

Re

Rp+

Electrolyte

+Plate
Age

Acid
Concentration

Sulfation

Temperature

Compression

Impurities

Dry out

Rxc+
+Connection

Mixing New & Old Cells

Newer cells have lower resistance

Forces older cell voltage too high
Newer cell voltage is too low
Traditional Equalization Ineffective
Individual Cell Charging Integrates the
new with the old
Cell Replacement is now successful

Charging Multiple Cells

CAPACITY
WATER
LOSS
LOSS
2.1 Volts
-6%
Low Charge

LIFE &

2.2 Volts
-2%

2.3 Volts
+2%

Charger
9.0 Volts
Total

Single Cell
Charger

2.25 Volts
Average
Per Cell

2.4 Volts
+6%
Gassing

Individual Recharge vs Time

V
O
L
T
S

Time >

Why Automate?

Increased Battery Life

Improved Battery Integrity
Reduced Operating Costs
Proactive Maintenance
Accurate & Complete Records
Full Time Battery Status

APCs Approach

Work Continuously-Monitor/Test/Compare
Indicate if voltage is outside limits
Correct undercharged cells
Save measured data and discharge events
Test each cell with charge current
Recognize problems
Inform user of availability during discharge

Modes of Operation

System Self-test/Calibration-Continuous
Cell/Jar Voltage Scanning- Continuous
Cell/Jar Voltage Equalization- Continuous
Temperature Measurement-Continuous
Resistance Stability Test - Scheduled
Charge State Stability Test Scheduled
Temperature Stability Test

Alarms
Alarm conditions cover:

Individual Battery Voltage

Overall String Voltage
Ambient & Pilot Temperature
Individual Resistance
State of Charge
Individual Temperature
System Self-test & Calibration
Knee Detection

Knee Detection
Knee

Management System Block

Diagram
Isolate
d
Charg
er

Cell/Jar

Monito
r

Selecto
rs

CPU

Curren
t

Voltag
e
Com/Displ
ay

Monit
or

4
264
Cells

Management System Block

Diagram

CPU

The CPU executes the

firmware instructions and
selects individual batteries,
closes the boost and alarm
relays, operates the analog
to digital converters and
communications ports.
The CPU compares the
actual measured values
with the alarm set points
and the previously learned
benchmark data.

Management System Block

Diagram
Isolate
d
Charg
er

The isolated charger is a transformer

isolated DC supply that is set to a higher
voltage than found on an individual
battery.
When the output is connected to one of
the individual batteries, current will flow
from the isolated charger into the
selected battery.
Since there is no reference to the other
batteries, all of the current is directed
into only the one selected.

Management System Block

Diagram

Curren
t
Monito
r

The current monitor senses the

amount of current that is accepted by
the individual battery from the boost
supply.

The voltage drop across a 1 ohm

resistor that is in series with the output
of the boost supply is proportional to
the amount of current delivered.

The proportional voltage signal is sent

to the processor for comparison with
earlier current measurements of the
same individual battery.

Differences in current indicate instability

in temperature, charge state or circuit
resistance.

Management System Block

Diagram

2
The voltage monitor
converts the analog battery
voltage signal to a digital
format.
The digital output is sent to
the processor for comparison
against the voltage alarm
limits and evaluation of the
individual battery deviation in
actual voltage compared to
the ideal average voltage.

3
Voltag
e
Monit
or

Management System Block

Diagram
Cell/Jar

Selecto
rs

The cell/jar selector uses relay contacts to

connect the battery management system to
one of the batteries.
When the associated relay is pulled in, the
system can monitor the voltage or route charge
current to that individual battery.
The selector is like a multi-plexer with multiple
inputs and only one output.

4
264
Cells

Experiment:
Float vs Individual Charge
New VRLA Cells, Same Lot
24 Float Charged & 24 ASCC
Same Environment
16 Discharges
Equivalent of 8 Years-January 2000
Teardowns in April 99 & January 2000
Conducted by Battery Technology Center

Amp-Hours

Charge Energy Comparison

3500
88% Wasted Energy
& 2.5 X Deterioration

420
APC

Float

Individual Recharge Energy

Self Discharge Distribution

Amp-Hours

25
20
15
10
5
0

Cells 1-24

Grid Corrosion Depth

Float = > .5 mm
APC = < .2 mm
.5/.2 = 2.5 x Less

Float Charged Cells vs Individual

2.5 x Grid Growth at 8 Years

Grown >
3/16

Grown <
1/16

Float Charged Plates at 8 Years

Soft Active
Material & Severe
Spalling

5/16

Warping

APC Hard Active Material with

Minimal Spalling & Warping
< 1/16
Warping

Discharge APC at 10 Years

16th Discharge at 1 Hour Rate
Float 0 of 24 Cells
APC 22 of 24

All 24 Float
Cells Are
Below 80%
Capacity at
10 Years

2.2

Cells

2.1
2
1.9
1.8
1.7
1.6
1.5
0

5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60

Features & Benefits

Individual Cell/Jar Charging

A Charger for Every Cell/Jar

Permits Individual Replacements
Increases Battery Life
Full Time Equalization
Prevents Thermal Runaway

Features & Benefits

Active Current Testing

Tracks Electrochemical Stability

Cell/Jar & Connection Resistance

Cell/Jar State of Charge
Internal Cell/Jar Temperature

Automatic Trending of Results

Early Identification of Problems
Knee Detection backup

Features & Benefits

Remote Access
Web Browser, Telnet, & FTP via TCP/IP over
Ethernet
RS232 or RS485 Serial (ModBus via RS-485)
Alarm Control/Analysis

Automatic Trending
Computer Crunches Data
No External Computer Required
Early Warning of Problems

Features & Benefits

Self Contained System

Solid State Disk

Stores History
Stores Data
External Computer Unnecessary

Automatic Trending

Learns initial resistance

Compares values with file values
Alarms if < or > Set point

Summary

Battery Reliability & Life is a Problem

APC Improves Battery Reliability & Life
Voltage, Current & Resistance are Essential
Test Current Reveals the Electrochemical Status
Monitoring & Individual Charging=Management
Low Cost of Ownership
Increased Battery Life
Decreased Operating Costs

BMS Installation
Standard Practices
Cabinet Accessibility / Preparation
DIP Switch Configuration
Cabinet Door Replacement
Mounting the BMS

BMS Configuration
Software Details