Modular Power Systems

A smart battery module for a modular power system, the smart battery module comprising:

• a hot pluggable interface for connecting to a corresponding interface of the modular power system;
• a plurality of battery cells;
• a decoupling unit configured to electrically connect or disconnect the battery cells from the hot pluggable interface, and
• a battery module monitoring and control system, wherein the battery module monitoring and control system is configured to:
• determine a terminal voltage of the plurality of battery cells;
• detect a presence of other smart battery modules connected to the modular power system;
• detect a presence, and magnitude, of DC power on a bus of the modular power system, and
• control the decoupling unit to either disconnect, or connect, the battery cells in order to allow the supply of power to, or receiving of power from, the DC bus through the hot pluggable interface.

A monitoring and control system for a modular power system, the monitoring and control system comprising:

• a hot pluggable interface configured for connection with a corresponding interface of the modular power system, wherein the monitoring and control system is configured to:
• monitor a voltage of a DC bus of the modular power system;
• determine whether any mains converters are installed in the modular power system and whether mains power is being supplied to those converters;
• determine a presence, and individual terminal voltage of each of a plurality of smart battery modules connected to the modular power system;
• provide a DC level control signal to one or more mains converters installed in the modular power system;
• provide a control signal to the smart battery modules present instructing each of the smart battery modules to either connect to the DC bus or disconnect from the DC bus, and
• measure a current load on the DC bus.