BATTERY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR SUSTAINED PROVISION OF POWER
FROM A SOLAR PLANT IN A MILITARY STATION
Srinivasa Reddy A Scientist ‘D’,Capt. Vikram Bohra
College of Military Engineering
Abstract - Battery storage is increasingly finding its use in
many military applications like comn nodes, solar
plants,ops rooms, data storage system etc. A battery mgmt.
system is an indispensable part of all types of energy
storage system. It ensures optimum usage of the energy
inside the battery that is essential for powering the system
thereby reducing the risk of damage inflicted upon the
batteries and enhancing the system run time reliability
increasing the overall efficiency of the system due to their
cheaper cost, high efficiency and property of high energy
density , lead acid batteries are being used for most of the
battery storage applications till now. They are getting used
for various applications such as small mobility
vehicles(electric motorcycles, golf carts etc.),for Home
Energy Management system and industrial machinery. In
order to use the high efficient lead acid batteries safely and
effectively a battery management system (BMS) is needed.
The more common technologies of battery capacity
estimation and the malfunction detection are important in a
BMS.
The BMS plays the role of detecting
malfunctions such as overcharge, excessive rise of
temperature and electric leak, and estimating state of
charge at different temperatures and in the
charging/discharging environment. The BMS estimates the
state of charge(SOC) of the lead acid battery. The
Electrical control unit (ECU) controls a power supply
amount (discharged amount to the power supply) and a
regeneration amount(charging amount to the power
supply) to/from the motor based on the estimated value and
battery temperature information. The charging control
ECU also controls a charging amount. Those collaborative
controls can prevent overcharge of lead acid battery so that
the battery can be charged and discharged safely. A BMS
protect the batteries by preventing it from operating
outside its safe operating area, such as:-
 Over–current (may be different in charging and
discharging modes)
 Over-voltage(during charging)
 Under–voltage(during discharging),especially
important for lead acid batteries.
 Over temperature
 Under temperature.
With the advent of micro grids in the military stations the
BMS has become much more important. It can provide a
continuos and uninterrupted source of energy. The power
quality is improved.
I. INTRODUCTION
A battery bank composed of individual cells play a key role in
the fields of military applications like micro grid forming
network(solar plant), signal and communication networks,
transportation and for future weaponry. With advancements in
technologies batteries are coming in various forms. Still
mostly used cells are Lead acid type in the military
installations. This paper encompasses a developed prototype of
Battery management system (BMS) on high energy density
lead acid batteries. The management of lead acid batteries is
must for a micro grid in a military station.
An energy storage system using stack of cells require an active
battery management system to monitor and protect the entire
storage system. A Battery management system is a centralised
monitoring and control based system which monitors and
controls battery critical parameters, estimate its state, balancing
and ensures that they operate in the predefined limits. The
Battery Management System can be implemented by different
methods like centralized, distributed and modular topologies.
However the work in this paper is based on centralised
topology.
Today different types of batteries are available in market with
different chemistries and designs satisfying a wide range of
applications[1]. Batteries are generally divided into two types-
primary cells and secondary cells. Primary cells are non-
rechargeable batteries which can be used once and after that
they are disposed. Secondary cells are rechargeable batteries
which can be used several times by charging and discharging.
Various types of rechargeable batteries are available like Lead
acid, Ni-Cd, Li-ion etc. which are used in different
applications. Amongst them lead acid battery and Li-ion
batteries are widely used in several applications due to their
versatility and robustness.
II. DESIGN METHODOLOGY
2.1 The designed BMS as shown in Fig 1 is implemented by
using professional protection IC BM3451 for cell balancing
and protection. A PIC 18F25K20[2] microcontroller for
monitoring and detection. MAX 485 is used as transceiver by
acquiring data from PIC controller. The following block
diagram illustrates the BMS architecture
Fig. 1 The designed BMS Architecture
2.2 BM3451 Professional Grade Protection IC
BM3451 provides protection for 3/4/5 cells rechargeable
battery pack. It is highly integrated and generally used in
power tools, electric bicycles and UPS applications . BM3451
works constantly to monitor each cell’s voltage ,the current of
charge or discharge,and the temperature of the environment to
provide overcharge,over-discharge ,discharge over-current,
short circuit,charge over-current and over-temperature
protections . It can also change the protection delay time of
overcharge, over-discharge and discharge overcurrent by
setting the external capacitors. The BM3451 provides external
bleeding [3]. for cell-capacity balance function to avoid
unbalanced capacity between each cell. Thus the batteries can
work longer. Extended function module embedded in the
BM3451 ICs can make them work for more battery packs with
multiple chips ,and they can protect 6-cell batteries or more
than 6-cell batteries.

Fig. 3. BMS circuit for cell temperature and current

protection
Fig. 2 Active cell balancing circuit
2.3 Cell Balancing
The active cell balancing method used in this design as shown
in Figure 2 is based on an inductor based buck-boost converter
where the charge is shuffled through inductors [4]from one cell
to another cell through MOSFET (80NF06) switching. This
can be applied to any number of cells. This cell balancing
circuit performs charge re-distribution in bi-directional way
from bottom cell to top cell and from top cell to bottom cell.
The state of charge of each cell is continuously monitored and
if the difference of their voltage exceeds the threshold value,
the controller switches on the corresponding MOSFET. If
charge has to be distributed from top cell to bottom cell then
MOSFET is switched on. During this period then charge
passes through MOSFET into inductor and inductor current
increases linearly and it gets charged. When MOSFET is
switched off the inductor stops charging and as diode is
forward biased and negative voltage is applied at the inductor it
starts discharging which goes into bottom cell. If bottom cell
has high capacity than top cell and needs to shuttle its energy
then MOSFET is switched on first then inductor gets charged.
When MOSFET is switched off then inductor discharges and
charge passes through diode to top cell. Generally MOSFET
switching voltage is minimum 3.3V. But for proper switching Fig. 4. BM3451 microcontroller pin configuration
operation of MOSFET 12V is needed. So a gate driver circuit
is needed which will amplify the3.3V/5Vcoming from IC

Fig. 5. BM3451micocontroller with cell balancing
In the figure 4 pins 4,5,6,7 are connected to capacitors for
setting the external delay time, pins 8 and 9 detect the cell
temperature and provide protection against temperature rise,
pin 14 gives charge and discharge overcurrent protection and
pins 18,20,22,24,26 perform the task of cell balancing by
external bleeding.
2.4 PIC18F25K20 Microcontroller
An 8 bit ,64 MHz microcontroller unit is used to monitor the
parameters like cell voltage, total battery voltage, overcurrent
by using various shunts and voltage divider circuits. The
temperature of the cell is also monitored and controlled
indirectly by regulating the charging and discharging cycles
through BM 3451[9].The complete real time data is transferred
using Max 485 by differential signalling through serial
communication to the user interface.
Fig. 6. PIC18F25K20 dual microcontroller with the biasing
circuit
III. HARDWARE SET UP AND
DISPLAYING REAL TIME OUTPUT
PCB layout was fabricated for the cell balancing circuit using
(Express PCB software). There are mainly two PCBs one
housing the cell balancing circuit(BM 3451) and the other PCB
housing(PIC18F25K20) for monitoring the parameters as
shown in the figure 5. 100 Ah , 2 V deep cycle lead acid
batteries were connected in series to form a single battery of 12
volts . The wiring harness is connected to the leads of the
individual cells. A temperature sensor(NTC type) is attached to
one of the cells to monitor the fluctuations in temperature. The
entire hardware setup is shown in Figure 8.
The state of charge estimation. There is approximately a linear
relationship between the SOC of the lead-acid battery and its
open circuit voltage (OCV) given by
𝑉OC (𝑡) = 𝑎1 × SOC (𝑡) + 𝑎0
Where SOC(𝑡) is the SOC of the battery at 𝑡, 𝑎0 is the battery
Terminal voltage when SOC = 0%, and 𝑎1 is obtained from
Knowing the value of 𝑎0 and 𝑉OC(𝑡) at SOC = 100%. By (2),
the estimation of the SOC is equivalent to the estimation of
itsOCV .The OCV method based on theOCV of batteriesis
proportional to the SOC when they are disconnected from
the loads for a period longer than two hours.However, such a
long disconnection time may be too long to be implemented
for battery [9]. the lead-acid battery, the Li-ion battery have a
linear relationship between the OCV and SOC [10].
The terminal voltage method is followed in this paper to
estimate the state of charge its is based on the terminal voltage
drops because of the internal impedances when the battery is
discharging, so the electromotive force (EMF) of battery is
proportional to the terminal voltage. Since the EMF of battery
is approximately linearly proportional to the SOC, the terminal
voltage of battery is also approximately linear proportional to
the SOC. The terminal voltage method has been employed at
different discharge currents and temperatures [10]. But at the
end of battery discharge, the estimated error of terminal voltage
method is large, because the terminal voltage of battery
suddenly drops at the end of discharge[11]; however this has
been compensated by taking appropriate battery model
estimate with time integration.
Fig. 7. BMS circuit with protection module
 Fig.8. BMS circuit connections with six cells individually
connected.

Fig.10 Temperature Vs Time graph

IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

Fig.11 Charging current Vs Time graph

Fig. 9 Total voltage Vs Time graph

The fig9. Provides the total battery voltage over the time period
BMS was able to monitor and control the cell voltages, battery
voltage and temperature. In Fig 9 the total voltage has been
reduced from 12.5 V to 12 V as a result the individual cell
voltages as seen from figures 13 to18 has also been adjusted.
Charging current a seen in figure 11 remains constant.
Discharging current (Fig 12) varies with the application of load
on the circuit. Under testing the cell voltages found to be
equalised as the set-up is operating for more than 24 hours. The
cell temperature over the observation period appeared constant
at 32 degrees centigrade. The protection of charging and
discharging of the battery is linked with cell temperature and
gets activated for temperatures above 55 degrees centigrade.

Fig.12 Discharging current Vs Time grap


Fig.13 Cell 1 voltage Vs Time graph
Fig.14 Cell 2 voltage Vs Time graph
Fig.15 Cell 3 voltage Vs Time graph
Fig.16 Cell 4 voltage Vs Time graph
Fig.17 Cell 5voltage Vs Time graph
Fig.18 Cell 6 voltage Vs Time graph
,To simulate the difference in cell voltage and shuffling of
energy between the cells the disturbance has been created
intentionally and the same has been recorded and displayed in
the figures 9 to 18.To understand and validate the protection
mechanism and working the battery is attempted to undergo
overcharge as shown in the graph however due to the activation
of BMS controller through MOSFET(80NF06) the battery is
protected and isolated. The Power MOSFET is a switch for low
on resistance,rugged avalanche characteristics hence quite
suitable for the protection of battery both during over charge
and over current drawn from battery.The state of charge of the
battery can be further estimated through voltage quantisation
over hundred samples.
 V. APPLICATIONS
Battery management system can be used for military as well as
civilan purposes
5.1 Military uses
Signal exchanges which are using lead acid battery storage can
utilise BMS. Battery packs with inbuilt BMS are required for
various purposes like radio sets. Recent emergence of micro
grids in military installations require energy storage systems.
Usage of battery management system for such storage system
will significantly improve the life and efficiency of the storage
system .Submarine battery monitoring and surveillance system
can utilise BMS. Ultra low weight batteries required for drone
will have embedded BMS controller circuit[12]. Future Hybrid
power systems for laser weapon requires bursts of electrical
energy which are being supplied by battery packs with BMS .
Off grid solar trailer powers the mobile loads using BMS.
UAV utilises various battery packs also require the battery
management system
5.2 Civilian uses:
Battery Management Systems serve two main industrial
segments:
Electric Vehicles
Electric Vehicles, which includes electric cars, trucks, and non-
road type vehicles such as golf carts, as well as electric-
powered machinery such as fork lifts. Typically, battery banks
within the forklift, car and bus, communicate with the Battery
Control Module using CAN.
Grid Power Infrastructure
Grid Power infrastructure where battery banks are used for
backup power or to protect from power fluctuations on the
grid. Applications include cell phone towers, A/C power
substations, Internet infrastructure equipment, aviation ground
support systems, tower communications and weather stations,
plus Distributed Energy Resources. The latter application is a
sizeable industry itself, encompassing solar and wind-
generating plants.
The power inverters in domestic applications use wide variety
of storage with BMS
VI. CONCLUSION
Design and validation of the battery management system has
been successfully accomplished. Several important tasks like
cell voltage, total voltage and temperature of battery pack have
been monitored, displayed and the cell balancing circuit design
has been successfully tested. This work can be further
developed to design more advanced balancing circuits using
magnetic coupled inductors for many applications for example
an electric Vehicle. BMS can also be further extended to
monitor other parameters like run lifetime, pressure inside
Battery, etc. it is observed that the state of charge method can
be developed by coulomb counter techniques for accurate
measurement of state of charge.
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