What is the importance of a quality BMS in lithium batteries?

There are many benefits of using a quality BMS in Li-ion batteries, and the importance of one cannot be understated. Modern battery management systems (what BMS stands for) are designed to regulate virtually all functions of a battery, including its temperature readings and power output, and ensure safe operation, for example, by preventing overheating or overcharging. For a deeper dive into the importance of BMS in lithium-ion batteries, read on.

What are Battery Management Systems?

Before we explore the topic at hand, let’s have a quick refresher on what the main subject of today’s article first.

A battery management system, or BMS for short, is an electrical control unit overseeing, controlling, and ensuring the safety of operation of the battery’s individual components. A BMS is like an automatic control panel that reads all performance data in real time and decides on any adjustments that need to be made to prevent any potential damage to the battery.

Why are BMSs so crucial?

While operating a battery-powered device without a BMS may be possible in theory, in practice it’s very dangerous. The battery management system’s range of responsibilities is so vast and it provides the end-user with so many fail safes that removing it instantly creates a significant degree of risk for both the user and the device.

What are the main functions of a battery management system? Take a look below:

• Current measurement: The BMSs control charge and discharge current and prevent before exceeding maximum values. 
• Preventing damage: Equipped with a range of temperature and voltage sensors, the BMS detects spikes and other anomalies when they occur. Once that happens, the system intercedes, preventing overheating or overcharging and guaranteeing the device’s safe operation.
• Communication with application: The BMS continuously monitors the parameters and send information to whole system to alarm if some errors occur or send data with state of charge, state of health and state of power.
• Longer cell lifespan: By regulating charge and discharge cycles, a high-quality BMS minimizes strain on the battery, helping to extend the overall life of the cells. This reduces the need for frequent replacements and ensures reliable long-term performance.

Benefits of quality BMS in Li-Ion batteries

As with many other things, battery management systems are not created equal. Knowing how critical of a role they play in devices like electric bike battery packs, the difference between a good battery management system and a great one can speak volumes to the device’s longevity, safety, and overall performance.

First and foremost, a well-engineered BMS monitors and maintains the voltage accurately across individual cells. Proper performance in this aspect is critical, as a poorly constructed BMS might perform the wrong actions at the wrong times (to the detriment of the battery’s operational life cycle) if it’s unable to obtain correct readings. 

Another key feature that a BMS has to have down pat is temperature regulation. A faulty set of sensors and protective mechanisms may not perform its function of overheating prevention sufficiently well. That can already cause the device to malfunction by itself, and the problem can become compounded when you store the e-bike in a hot environment (a big no-no, by the way!).

Another crucial benefit of a quality BMS in Li-ion batteries is its communication system. Premium-quality systems will provide real-time diagnostics data to assess battery health. Assuming the system is equipped with a GUI, this comes with the added benefit of predictive maintenance, letting the user intervene on their own accord, too.

The takeaway

The significant differences in the functioning of an average BMS and a premium one are not to be underestimated. Of course, due to the importance of a BMS and the ubiquitous use of Li-ion batteries, any BMS is always better than no BMS. However, by opting to power your devices with products from an expert manufacturer with an excellent understanding of the technology, like EMBS, you’ll be guaranteeing faultless performance and longevity. Get in touch with us today to find out how we can power your business!