Battery Management System

Optimizing battery safety in military vehicles, or any vehicle, is a primary objective through usage and maintenance. As well, battery safety is a significant factor when selecting batteries for use in military vehicles.

The biggest hurdle facing lithium-ion batteries is safety – an important concern for any battery user — but even more important for military applications. Lithium batteries can be considered volatile if not handled properly. Most of the more publicized lithium battery fires in recent years were due to improper charging, which caused cell overheating.

Preventing Overcharging

Charge control is addressed by the Battery Management System (BMS). A well-designed BMS will reduce or eliminate the chance of a battery reaching the point of overheating while being charged. A typical lithium-ion battery system will have cells, solid-state switches (FETs), and venting. The BMS will monitor the cell’s temperature, control the FETs, and report to the vehicle via the CAN bus.