The BMS (Battery Management System) is a key enabling technology for hybrid-electric aircraft. Its function is to control the battery charge/discharge cycles, while also providing battery self-protection functionality by preventing over-voltage, under-voltage and over temperature events. The design of the BMS has proven itself to have sustained the selected airborne qualification tests. During the design of the BMS concept several risk and protections were identified, so that the safety mechanisms and protection functions were analysed following the initial risk analysis so that they were correctly implemented in the design. The system was designed to be compliant to selected chapters of DO-160 standard to further improve the safety and reliability of system operation. On the software part, a dedicated SOC and SOH algorithms were developed to predict battery state of charge and health as well as cell aging and failure prediction as precise as possible with the purpose of increasing safety, reliability and longevity of the battery system.
