The Battery Management System (BMS) is an intelligent system for managing and maintaining individual battery cells. It can be likened to the brain of energy storage systems and is typically used for collecting, recording thermal, electrical, and fluid-related data from battery cells, as well as controlling or managing them. It also has the function of measuring battery voltage to prevent or avoid abnormal conditions such as over-discharge, overcharging, and excessive temperature, thereby extending the service life of batteries.

Although flow battery BMS and lithium-ion battery BMS share some basic functions, due to the special working principle and structure of flow batteries, flow battery BMS has its unique features. Let's compare the differences between these two energy storage systems:

01 Composition and Working Principle of Energy Storage System

Comparing the two, lithium-ion battery energy storage systems and flow battery energy storage systems have their own characteristics and are suitable for different application scenarios and requirements. Lithium-ion battery energy storage systems, with their high energy density and relatively small size, are suitable for applications requiring high energy density, while flow battery energy storage systems, with their scalable storage capacity and inherent safety, are suitable for large-scale long-duration energy storage scenarios.

Therefore, BMS exhibits significant differences in both functionality and structure, mainly reflected in the following aspects:

02 Differences between Liquid Flow Battery BMS and Lithium-ion Battery BMS

This FBMS battery management system is designed by our company specifically for flow batteries, and it possesses independent intellectual property rights (Software Copyright Registration Number: Soft Register No. 11492755).

It is evident that the differences in functionality and structure between lithium-ion BMS and flow battery BMS mainly stem from disparities in the structural characteristics of the batteries they rely on and the varying complexities of their systems. Lithium-ion BMS primarily focuses on cell management, concentrating on monitoring and performance balancing; whereas, flow battery BMS requires more equipment and parameter control functions. Since the energy system (electrolyte) and power reaction system (stack) of flow batteries are separated, during charging and discharging, the electrolyte remains in a circulating state, with devices such as pumps, pipelines, valves, and heat exchangers within the electrolyte circulation system requiring automated control by the BMS.

The BMS for a flow battery must not only consider the stack, i.e., with monitoring functions akin to those of a lithium-ion BMS that collect voltage, current, and temperature samples, but also account for the overall system's operational status. This includes monitoring and controlling the electrolyte's flow rate and pressure, as well as managing valve switching. Additionally, in case of faults within the battery system, it needs to signal the controller, relaying information to sensors or adjusting devices such as frequency converters, pumps, etc. These differences result in distinct design priorities and functional implementations between lithium-ion and flow battery BMSs, reflecting the characteristics and application requirements of their respective battery technologies.

In energy storage systems, BMS not only improves the utilization rate of batteries and the overall performance of the system, but also significantly enhances the safety and reliability of the system through precise control and real-time monitoring. It is key to optimizing the performance of energy storage systems and a cornerstone for safety assurance.

产品系列：
全钒液流电池-储能系统/BMS
液流电池-非氟离子交换膜
LAB系列研发示范装置

储能系统度电成本计算器NeLCOS^®

更多阅读：

美国Avista Turner 1MW液流电池项目运行数据报告

全网首个+免费！储能全寿命度电成本计算器升级啦！

国内首个！《硫铁液流电池通用技术条件》团体标准发布

融中财经访谈：中和储能谢伟，打造高技术壁垒液流电池材料产品