Online monitoring system for lead-acid batteries: Building the “last line of defense” for critical power systems.

I. Industry Background: The Hidden Dangers of Battery Failure and the Necessity of Monitoring

In the critical infrastructure of modern society, the importance of uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), emergency power supplies (EPS), and high-voltage direct current systems (HVDC) is self-evident. Battery banks, as the core energy storage units of these systems, are the "last line of defense" for power supply security. Battery failure can lead to data loss, system paralysis, or even major safety accidents. Therefore, real-time and accurate online monitoring of batteries has become an essential choice to ensure the stable operation of power systems.

During long-term use, lead-acid batteries experience performance degradation due to plate aging, corrosion, acid drying, abnormal temperature, overcharging, and over-discharging. Research shows that almost all battery faults can be detected by an increase in internal resistance. According to the IEEE 1188-1996 standard, when the battery's internal resistance rises to 125%~130% of the benchmark value, its capacity has often dropped below 80%, reaching the industry-recognized failure threshold.

Many domestic and international standards, such as GB50174-2017, ANSI/TIA-942, and IEEE 1491, have put forward clear requirements for battery monitoring, especially for the automated monitoring of the voltage, temperature, and internal resistance of individual cells, in order to ensure the power supply reliability of critical locations such as data centers, communication base stations, and rail transit.

II. Acrel ABAT100 Series: A Comprehensive Battery Health Management Solution

Acrel Electric's ABAT100 series lead-acid battery online monitoring system is an intelligent monitoring product that conforms to international standards, boasts comprehensive functions, and is easy to install.

The system consists of the following core components:

ABAT100-S Single Cell Monitoring Module

Equipped with one module per battery cell, it monitors voltage, internal resistance, and negative electrode temperature in real time. It supports 2V/6V/12V battery types, is easy to install, and requires no professional training.

ABAT100-C Group Monitoring Module

One module is provided for each battery group. It monitors charging and discharging current and ambient temperature, supports the MODBUS protocol, and is easy to connect to third-party systems.

ABAT100-HS Data Acquisition Unit

Each system is equipped with one unit, which can manage up to 120 batteries and has data processing, alarm generation, and remote upload functions.

ATP010KT Touchscreen

Provides an intuitive data display and interactive interface, supporting various chart displays and parameter settings.

III. Typical Application Scenarios: From Data Centers to Rail Transit

The ABAT100 system has been widely applied in several industries with extremely high power reliability requirements:

Data Centers

Ensuring the reliability of UPS backup power and preventing downtime due to battery failure.

Transportation Towers and Base Stations

Achieving remote monitoring and early warning of base station batteries, improving operational efficiency.

Oil & Petrochemical Industry

Ensuring the safe and stable operation of backup power systems in critical areas such as refining, tank farms, and control rooms.

Rail Transit

Monitoring battery status in high-speed rail, subway, and other vehicles to ensure basic power needs in emergencies.

IV. Conclusion: Intelligent Monitoring, Prevention is Better than Cure

Online battery monitoring is not only a technical means, but also a management philosophy. By collecting and analyzing key parameters such as battery voltage, internal resistance, and temperature in real time, the Acrel ABAT100 system can detect problems such as battery aging, poor consistency, and abnormal charging in advance, issuing timely warnings, effectively extending battery life, reducing maintenance costs, and building a reliable digital defense for users.

In today's increasingly digital and networked world, online battery monitoring systems have become an indispensable intelligent guardian in critical power systems.

Aaron Shi

Electrical Engineer Expert, Providing Service, consultant, product expert, professional manufacturer of energy efficiency management systemic solutions, and energy meters.