Acrel ARTM-8 Temperature Inspection Device in DC Busbar Monitoring

Energy storage containers are key equipment in power transmission and distribution systems. They mainly undertake the task of peak regulation by storing electricity during low-demand periods of the power grid and releasing electricity during peak-demand periods, which can effectively balance the power grid load and reduce electricity costs.
During operation, the DC busbar inside the equipment remains under continuous current-carrying conditions for a long time, which is prone to heat accumulation. At the same time, it also faces the risk of short-term current overload conditions, which may easily lead to abnormal temperature rise. If temperature changes cannot be monitored in real time and potential hazards cannot be warned in advance, electrical safety accidents such as short circuits and insulation aging may occur, seriously threatening the stable operation of the energy storage system.
Based on an energy storage container project in Hangzhou, this article focuses on the application limitations of existing temperature measurement solutions and optimizes the design of a stable and reliable temperature monitoring solution, providing technical support for the safe operation and maintenance of energy storage containers.

1. Project Overview

This project is a DC busbar temperature monitoring upgrade project for an energy storage container in Hangzhou.
The energy storage container has both grid peak regulation and emergency backup power supply functions. It is a key piece of equipment for improving the stability of power transmission and distribution systems and reducing enterprise electricity consumption costs.
As the core component of power transmission, the internal DC busbar operates under continuous current-carrying conditions for a long time. Heat continuously accumulates, and combined with the influence of short-term overcurrent, problems such as local high temperature and sudden temperature rise may occur.
Due to the lack of long-term and accurate temperature monitoring methods, high-temperature risks of the busbar cannot be detected and investigated in time, which may lead to various electrical faults.
Therefore, establishing a temperature monitoring system suitable for the high-temperature and DC operating conditions of energy storage containers is a necessary measure to ensure the long-term safe and stable operation of the equipment.

2. Product Requirements and Configuration

Considering the special operating conditions of the DC busbar in the energy storage container, the mainstream temperature measurement solutions on the market, including inductive power supply temperature sensors and battery-powered temperature sensors, have obvious application limitations and cannot meet the requirements of long-term monitoring.
Among them, inductive power supply temperature sensors rely on the electromagnetic induction principle to obtain power. They require dynamic current changes to generate induced electrical energy. However, the DC-side current of energy storage systems does not fluctuate frequently, resulting in such sensors being unable to start normally and perform temperature measurement.
Although battery-powered wireless sensors have the advantage of convenient installation, the long-term high-temperature operating environment of the busbar accelerates battery aging and consumption, greatly shortening the overall service life of the sensor. The later maintenance and replacement costs are high, and equipment stability is poor, making them unsuitable for long-term continuous monitoring applications.
Based on the above operating challenges and limitations of existing solutions, this project adopts a wired temperature monitoring solution consisting of the temperature inspection device and PT100 wired temperature probes.
This wired temperature measurement configuration can adapt to the complex conditions of stable DC operation and long-term high-temperature environments. It can collect the real-time temperature of the busbar accurately. Through the digital display of the device, real-time temperature values can be displayed. At the same time, it provides over-temperature warning and fault linkage signal output functions, enabling early prediction of potential hazards and timely handling, meeting the requirements of long-term, stable, and reliable temperature monitoring on the DC side of energy storage containers.
The requirements for the temperature inspection device are as follows:
1.Supports 8 channels of PT100/PT1000 temperature signals; 
2.At least two normally open DO outputs; 
3.Temperature measurement range: -200℃ to 600℃; 
4.Temperature measurement accuracy: Class 0.5; 
5.RS485 interface, MODBUS communication protocol; 

For this project, the ARTM-8 temperature inspection device combined with PT100 temperature measurement solution was selected.
The temperature inspection device displays the real-time temperature of the DC busbar inside the energy storage container through its digital display screen. The device panel is equipped with alarm indicator lights, and the device provides two DO outputs, which can realize alarm warning and signal output functions, thereby achieving monitoring of the DC busbar temperature in the energy storage container.

PT100 Wiring Method:
Terminals 11–13 are the wiring terminals for the first channel of PT100, and terminals 13–15 are the wiring terminals for the second channel of PT100, and so on.
For three-wire connection:
The A wire of the first PT100 is connected to terminal 11, and the B and C wires are respectively connected to terminals 12 and 13.
The A wire of the second PT100 is connected to terminal 15, and the B and C wires are respectively connected to terminals 14 and 13.
The same wiring method applies to subsequent channels.

4. On-site Installation Photos

The PT100 temperature sensors in this project are mainly installed on the nuts of the positive and negative copper busbars inside the energy storage container.
They are installed on the copper busbars inside the cabinet through bolt fixing.
The following pictures show the DC energy storage container and the installation of the ARTM-8 temperature inspection device.

6. Conclusion

This solution has the advantages of high temperature measurement accuracy and a wide measurement range. It supports 8-channel synchronous temperature acquisition, two-channel DO alarm output, and RS485 communication functions, effectively solving the problems that traditional sensors cannot adapt to DC operating conditions and that battery life decreases under high-temperature environments.
The system can monitor busbar temperature rise changes in real time. When abnormal temperature increases occur due to heat accumulation or current overload, it can provide timely alarms and linkage protection, effectively avoiding electrical safety risks.
This solution provides strong support for the safe and reliable operation of energy storage containers.