How to Customize Intelligent Batteries for Floor Scrubbers?
Date: 2025-10-14 Categories: Solutions
Excerpt:
This article, written by a senior lithium battery engineer, outlines the key process for customizing an intelligent battery pack for floor scrubbers. Success hinges on a systematic approach that balances performance, safety, and longevity.
Core Requirements: The process begins with a thorough understanding of the scrubber's operational needs, including its motor's power specifications, physical battery compartment dimensions, and required communication protocol (e.g., CAN Bus).
As a senior lithium battery engineer with experience in hundreds of battery packs customization projects, today I'm sharing a project about customizing a smart battery pack for a floor scrubber. The client wanted a smart floor scrubber, so the battery pack needed to be smart as well.
First, we must understand the operational characteristics of the floor scrubber and its specific power requirements.
The client needs to provide us with key parameters, including: the battery pack compartment dimensions, motor rated voltage, rated power, maximum power, inrush current during startup, positive/negative terminal interfaces, communication interface terminals, and typical operational duration per cycle. Furthermore, providing the floor scrubber's communication protocol is essential. With these parameters, we can commence the battery design.
Key Technical Elements in Intelligent Battery Customization
1. Cell Selection: LiFePO4 vs. NMC
The cell is the core of the battery system, and selection requires multi-dimensional consideration:
LiFePO4 (Lithium Iron Phosphate) Cells:Offer excellent thermal stability, long cycle life (typically exceeding 2000 cycles), and high safety. Their drawbacks include relatively lower energy density and inferior low-temperature performance, although this can be mitigated by integrating a heating module.
NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) Cells:Provide high energy density and superior low-temperature performance. However, they exhibit relatively poorer thermal stability and demand more stringent requirements on the Battery Management System (BMS).
For commercial floor scrubbers used in fixed locations, we highly recommend the LiFePO4 solution, as safety and cycle life are paramount.
2. Intelligent Battery Management System (BMS) Design
The BMS acts as the "brain" of the battery. For the intelligent floor scrubber battery, our BMS design incorporates the following functionalities:
Precision Monitoring:Real-time monitoring of voltage, current, and temperature parameters, with voltage measurement accuracy within ±1mV.
Cell Balancing Technology:Ensures consistency among individual cells, extending the overall battery service life. Our proprietary BMS design supports up to 95% Depth of Discharge (DoD) without compromising cycle life, achieved through advanced balancing algorithms.
Multi-level Protection Mechanisms:Comprehensive protection against overcharge, over-discharge, overcurrent, short circuit, and high/low-temperature extremes.
Communication & Data Logging:Supports communication protocols such as CAN Bus and RS485. Records historical operational data to facilitate fault analysis and performance optimization.
3. Structural Design and Environmental Adaptability
The structural design of the battery must account for the actual operating environment:
Ingress Protection (IP) Rating:A minimum rating of IP65 is recommended to prevent moisture intrusion during cleaning operations.
Thermal Management Design:Selection of an appropriate cooling strategy (e.g., passive cooling, phase-change materials, or forced air cooling) based on the discharge rate (C-rate) requirements.
Mechanical Structure:Incorporates vibration resistance and a modular design for ease of maintenance and replacement.
4. Customization of Electrical Parameters
Electrical parameters must be precisely calculated according to the scrubber's specific power demands:
Voltage & Capacity:Our standard design features a nominal voltage of 25.6V and a capacity of 150Ah.
Discharge Capability:The battery delivers a maximum continuous discharge current of 150A, with a peak discharge current capability of 300A, fully meeting the demanding requirements of the floor scrubber.
Common Pitfalls and Key Considerations
Based on our engineering experience, common misconceptions in floor scrubber battery customization include:
Overemphasis on High Capacity:Neglecting the associated increases in size and weight, which can adversely affect the scrubber's maneuverability and ease of operation.
Neglecting Charger Compatibility:Lithium batteries require dedicated chargers. Mismatched charging voltages can pose significant failure risks.
Excessive Cost-Driven Approach:Selecting inferior quality cells and simplifying BMS functionalities may reduce initial costs but often leads to shorter lifespan and higher long-term maintenance expenses.
If you need a custom battery pack for your product, please contact us.
andy@leadnewenergy.com
