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Advanced Battery Monitoring for Lead Acid Batteries
From battery measurement to actionable insights
PowerShield uses a modular approach to optimise accuracy, safety, and ease of installation. With options for VRLA, VLA, NiCad and Li-ion batteries, an enterprise level software platform and a range of communication and integration options, PowerShield can provide solutions tailored to the exact needs of each battery installation and use case.
PowerShield8 Lead Acid/NiCad System Diagram
Measure, Analyse, Present.
The PowerShield8 Advanced Battery Monitoring system is best understood in the three layers shown in the systems diagram above.
Measure Layer
At the battery level, smart mSensors measure block-level data, effectively turning VRLA, VLA and NiCad batteries into smart batteries. mSensors measure battery voltage, ripple voltage, and temperature every 4 seconds, and impedance (ohmic value) daily.
At the battery string level, Hubs measure string current (DC and ripple), ambient temperature and ambient humidity data.
Analyse Layer
Controllers collect the data from the mSensors and Hubs, analyses and stores it ready for sending to the presentation layer. Value is added by calculating key battery management metrics. Smart logging facilitates improved event based and trend analysis. The Controller understands battery behaviour and raises alarms specific to string state. The alarm limits are user configurable and can be adjusted to suit any battery application.
Presentation and User Interface layer
The presentation layer is where battery monitoring switches to battery management. PowerShield provides a range of user interface tools to view, report and analyse your batteries. Whether as a field service tool (Controller UI), on-premise software (Link) or cloud platform (Assure). PowerShield gives you full visibility from battery commissioning to end of life. Integration with third party systems also allows you to provide battery status within existing system.
Hardware components that make any standby battery installation smarter and safer.
mSensors
Making batteries smarter
mSensors are smart devices with high-quality sensing and advanced circuits for fast, accurate and repeatable battery measurements. mSensors measure battery voltage, ripple voltage, temperature and impedance - all your key battery parameters. With a specific model for each battery voltage for best accuracy, self-calibration for accurate impedance and measuring battery temperature at the negative terminal as per IEEE guidelines, mSensors set the standard.
With safety as a focus, 750Vdc optical isolation inside mSensors keeps dangerous voltages away from operators, while ensuring that battery data collection is passed through to the Controller as required.
Designed for use with batteries in racks or cabinets, mSensors come with pre-terminated harnesses to ensure ease and quality of installation. LED indicators show when mSensors are online and operating correctly, assisting fault finding and installation efficiency. Today there are over a million mSensors making batteries smarter.
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Hubs
Smarter, tidier battery strings
Hubs are smart devices with high-quality sensing and advanced circuits for fast, accurate and repeatable string-level measurements. Hubs measure string current, ripple current (true-RMS), ambient temperature and humidity - all your key string parameters.
Like mSensors, LED indicators show when Hubs are online and operating correctly assisting and fault finding installation efficiency.
Consistent with PowerShield8's modular approach, Hubs enable string level visibility and thermal runaway protection (TRP). Digital inputs can provide visibility of external equipment status.
Controllers
The brains of the battery monitoring system
Controllers are smart devices that collect, analyse and store the battery measurements retrieved from mSensors and Hubs. Continuous, fast data sampling in all string states (float, charge, discharge and idle) allows the Controller to understand battery behaviour and make real time decisions - initiating the event logging, raising alarm and thermal runaway protection.
Advanced data logging (7 log types) makes fault finding, assessing performance under discharge and life trend analysis easier. Value is added by calculating key battery management metrics. Every Controller has sufficient onboard storage capacity for the life of your batteries. The alarm limits are user configurable and can be adjusted to suit any battery application. The Controller raises alarms specific to string state, with two threshold levels (warning and critical). Alarms are output via Link and Assure, and relay contacts when required. Thermal runaway detection and protection is managed by the Controller, with protection options defined by the user.
The Controller has a browser based UI for configuring the system and to visualise real time battery measurements. In the battery room, a dedicated service port, USB, SD card and LCD give simple visibility and data transfer options. Designed with two network ports, it allows the customer network to remain secure and uninterrupted during service visits.
- Open data architecture for ease of integration with BMS and DCIM systems - published Modbus map and SNMP MIB
- CSV log file output
- Independently security tested. Ships security hardened
- Consistently monitor and manage any number of battery assets across multiple locations
The MX Controller is designed for medium-sized battery installations, up to 200 blocks. The LX and LX+ models can monitor up to 512 blocks. The LX models also provide more input, output and user interface options, including an LCD screen and key pad. All Controller models are designed to fit into standard 19 inch computer racks and cabinets. Both Controllers have the same functionality and browser interface. There is a Controller option to suit any battery installation.
Delivered ready to install
PowerShield systems are tailored and configured to meet the exact requirements of each stationary battery installation and customer use case. This includes all sensors, mounting brackets and pre-terminated wiring ensuring a fast, high-quality installation.
