Redflow's Battery Management System (BMS) creates 'smart batteries'
The key to Redflow’s “smart batteries” is the Redflow Battery Management System (BMS) which:
- Simplifies Redflow battery deployment and configuration
- Remotely monitors and manages Redflow batteries
- Ensures Redflow batteries always contain the latest software updates.
Control via a web browser
The BMS is a small DIN Rail-mounted device that connects one or more Redflow batteries with the inverter-charger that your installer provides for your energy storage system. The BMS lets you set up, monitor, and control your Redflow battery using a web browser. It also provides battery status and operational information to your AC inverter-charger so that it can optimise its use of the electrical energy stored in your battery.
Embedded know-how
The Redflow BMS is a device that embeds more than a decade of know-how in the efficient and effective real-world operation of Redflow’s unique zinc-bromine flow battery. The BMS enables rapid on-site commissioning using just a smartphone or laptop. The BMS also provides secure remote access via any Internet path, using its built-in Ethernet or WiFi ports, to the Redflow battery management cloud service.
Cloud-enabled remote monitoring and management
The Redflow BMS leverages modern cloud infrastructure to enable easy and effective remote access to installations of Redflow’s zinc-bromine flow batteries. The BMS supports remote system performance monitoring, alarm monitoring, diagnostics, performance optimisation and software updates. The BMS also gives integrators a “fleet-wide” view of their customer sites and enables Redflow to cooperatively optimise sites with integrators.
Real-time display and system control
The Redflow BMS ‘knows’ how to efficiently run ZBM2 and ZCell batteries including:
- Seamlessly managing battery maintenance cycles
- Optimising energy efficiency by sequencing batteries in charge and discharge to suit the application requirements
- Real-time status display and system control
- Continuous logging performance data to the secure Redflow cloud, and
- Remote battery fault detection and management.
Industry standard
The Redflow BMS uses industry-standard protocols to interface ZCell or ZBM2 clusters to energy storage systems. The primary protocols supported for energy system interfaces are CANBus BMS protocols, MODBUS-TCP, and URL-based data retrieval using JSON or plain text.
Interfaces
- Isolated Power Supply input (9-65V DC)
- Ethernet and WiFi Internet access ports
- Opto-Isolated CANBus port for energy system interfacing
- RS485 MODBUS port for ZCell/ZBM2 connection
- Dry-contact relay for external device control using built-in event-based rules engine
- Also supports external device control via MODBUS-TCP write commands and using USB-attached relays, and
- USB ports for future expansion.
Click here to learn more about the benefits of Redflow’s ZBM2 zinc-bromine flow battery.