Design and Experimental Validation of an Active Cell-Balancing Battery Management System for Lithium-Ion Energy Storage Applications
F.J. Asensio(1), E. Vázquez(1), M. González-Pérez(1), J. Rodríguez-Góngora(1), A. Ordoño(1), G. García-Ramos(2) 1. Department of Electrical Engineering, Engineering School of Gipuzkoa – University of the Basque Country - UPV/EHU, Eibar (Spain) 2. MC3 Mondragon Components Competence Center, Aretxabaleta (Spain) 2026-06-27

Abstract

Lithium-ion battery–based energy storage systems are a key enabler for renewable energy integration, electric mobility, and portable electronic applications. Their performance and lifetime critically depend on the proper management of individual cells within the battery pack. Battery Management Systems (BMS) are therefore essential to ensure reliable operation and mitigate cell imbalance effects. This paper presents the design, development, and experimental validation of a Battery Management System focused on individual lithium-ion cell voltage monitoring and active cell balancing. The proposed BMS implements a switched-capacitor active balancing strategy combined with a simple rule-based control algorithm, enabling energy redistribution between cells during normal battery operation. Experimental validation is carried out on a two-cell lithium-ion battery module supplying an external load, demonstrating effective reduction of voltage imbalance and stable operation under discharge conditions. The results confirm the suitability of the proposed approach for low-complexity and scalable battery management solutions in both stationary and mobile energy storage applications.

Key words: Battery Management System, Lithium-ion batteries, Energy storage systems, Cell balancing.

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