Project description and overview:

A battery energy storage system, stores energy to be used at a later time, usually using a bank of connected batteries called ‘battery packs’ that are set up to ensure that there is a steady flow of power.

To provide critical safeguards to protect the batteries from damage, battery monitoring systems (BMS) have been developed to manage the output, charging and discharging of battery packs. Megatronic has identified that the BMS currently available are not fully meeting customers’ needs which can result in significant battery failures, which then impact operation, revenue and reputation. More reliable and affordable battery monitoring systems are needed to avoid such failures and to provide energy efficiency solutions to industry and residential markets.

To address some of these issues, Megatronic has already developed a first-stage industrial BMS prototype designed to reduce battery failures which offers system protection, reliability, risk reduction, efficiency and safety benefits, providing economic advantages to users.

Megatronic’s first stage BMS, which has been trialled successfully on mine sites in Western Australia, is battery agnostic and suitable for any type of rechargeable battery. However, whilst Megatronic’s initial BMS prototype is proving valuable, its customers would now like additional features that will allow automated, remote monitoring and testing of their battery systems.

Megatronic now seeks to develop an industrial IoT-based BMS that includes the following features:

• A user interface platform and a sensor-based power usage and testing measurement device which will enable the remote monitoring and management
• Further development of the hardware to integrate with the new IoT platform and improve performance