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.