Software / AI

Auxiliary Controls - From Enabling Fast Charging in EVs to Optimising Energy Utilisation in BESS Auxiliary controls such as thermal management systems TMS maintain battery conditions essential for safe and optimal operation. Commonly, BESS with capacity below 200 kWh are air-cooled. The HVAC used for air-cooling is often developed independently and can only be integrated separately with the BMS1,2. Liquid-cooling on the other hand not only enables better thermal management of the cells, but the TMS is already integrated with the BMS controller and enables effective energy optimisation3. While predictive thermal management in the automobiles focuses on improving charging efficiency and time4, stationary energy storages also use smart thermal management algorithms to optimise energy consumption by maintaining the desired battery temperature before and during a scheduled charge/discharge cycle5. The process involves simulating different thermal management strategies using an available weather forecast and operating schedule to forecast the battery temperature and energy consumption. The control strategy that results in the least energy consumption is chosen by the BESS controller and used for the next scheduled operation5.

Fig. 5 from 5 compares BESS battery temperature resulting from possible thermal management strategies before a scheduled charge/discharge operation. By simulating several strategies, the one with the least energy consumption or optimum starting condition for the next cycle can be chosen.

Auxiliary controls continue enhancing applications in batteries that are necessary for a balanced and optimal system operation. Source:(1 Liquid Cooling becomes preferred BESS temperature control option; 2 Battery energy storage systems: thermal management and degradation optimization; 3 SunGrowPower White Paper; 4 Battery Report 2024; 5 Systems and methods for improved battery energy storage system thermal management

Extracted from the PDF; charts and images may read imperfectly.