Battery management systems for extreme environments

unrivaled expertise in lithium-ion battery management for extreme environments

Pressure-tolerant battery module
as used in *Deepsea Challenger*

No other organisation can match our experience with lithium-ion battery management systems for extreme environments. Our Juicebox BMS was designed to withstand the marine atmosphere and high-vibration of electric boats. Then we developed pressure-tolerant systems which have been repeatedly dived to the deepest parts of the world ocean, and low-temperature designs that have performed reliably for years at the coldest sites on the planet. If you have a seemingly-impossible requirement, let us know, so that we can design a BMS for it.

Reviewing *Deepsea Challenger* battery
condition after the maiden expedition

Ambient-pressure electronics are commonplace in the subsea industry, but few have been designed for the greatest depths. In 2011, UUTech engineers developed a first-of-a-kind 11,000m pressure-tolerant lithium-ion battery for the Deepsea Challenger submersible. This modular system of 96 individually-connectorized man-portable 1kWh modules is divided into six redundant power buses, and incorporates water-cooled fast charging to enable the rapid turnaround required between dives. The entire battery and power distribution system was extensively pressure-tested, and ultimately supported James Cameron's historic dive to the Marianas Trench.

Installing retrofit BMS
switchgear at Ridge A

Other, wildly different programs have equally demanding requirements. When several remotely-operated telescopes at the high domes of the Antarctic plateau went dark - after their generators could no longer support failed battery systems through a sunless winter - UUTech engineers designed, tested, and deployed retrofit switchgear to replace the failed components. Average winter temperatures of -70°C (-94°F) are cold enough to corrupt many types of programmable memory, so discrete circuitry was developed to maintain basic functionality in case of unplanned freezing of the BMS. The batteries that were previously being replaced every year have been operating continuously for many years since this equipment was installed.

Pressure-tolerant 16-cell uuBMS
for ROV and AUV applications

Available technologies include a pressure-tolerant lithium-ion BMS for AUVs. Due to rapidly-changing technology and regulatory requirements, we don't build or sell complete battery packs. Instead, we maintain a library of previously-qualified designs that we can leverage to deliver a tightly-integrated BMS to meet your specific requirements. We can also work with you or your battery manufacturer to advise on packaging, enclosure design, connector selection, and pressure compensation systems. Common features of the BMS we offer include web-based monitoring, battery charger control, remote reprogramming, two-stage switching of capacitive loads, and control of power distribution systems.

Juicebox BMS system with web interface,
battery charging and remote monitoring

We routinely implement fallback and failsafe techniques as required by the application - from redundant controller arbitration, to defensive programming of software routines, to multiply-redundant communications networks and isolated power buses. Previous systems have used Ethernet, CANbus, and RS-485, and other interfaces are also possible. Our designs incorporate all necessary features for battery packs to be certified under UN 38.3, IATA, UL, and many country-specific regulations.

Click the e-mail envelope at the top-right to send us a message. We can answer any questions you have, or set up a call to discuss your application today.