Batteries solutions for structural health monitoring: OSMOS case study
OSMOS bridges the gap between structures and engineering companies thanks to innovative structural health monitoring solutions
Li-SOCl2 primary lithium battery technology, a solution that delivers, high energy and high pulses, in a compact format, for unwavering structure monitoring.
Key benefits for OSMOS
• Continuity of operations, even with high data flow transmitted in real-time
• A long life device, sustaining harsh conditions such as outdoor temperatures
• A reliable device that is optimizing OSMOS’s operational costs
Features of Saft’s power solutions
• A stable battery solution able to sustain high pulse requirements over time
• 30-year track record in primary lithium battery technology that has proven to offer excellent reliability under a wide range of temperatures
• Cells that offer 18+ months of continuous operations
Saft’s batteries were a true technical choice in the light of our demanding requirements. They displayed the highest performance and reliability upon testing. We are now working on the next generations of our Smart Gateway which, no doubt, will be powered by Saft batteries.
Robin Cohen Selmon R&D Manager at OSMOSThe challenge for OSMOS: How to reduce signal processing time and transmit a large amount of data almost in real time whilst preserving battery capacity?
Over the course of their life, structures such as bridges or tunnels are subject to many stresses: deformations, cracks, load bearing conditions or external stresses such as extreme temperatures. Monitoring the structural health of these constructions is of paramount importance to ensure the safety of their users.
OSMOS has developed an innovative solution to provide key information on the stability and overall behavior of structural assets so managers can make fact based decisions on the asset’s operability, availability and maintainability.
Various types of wireless optical sensors (LIRIS) are installed on the structure. When subjected to strain such as compression or tension, they form microcurvatures which are converted into deformation measurements. The data is then transmitted in quasi real time either through wired and/or wireless systems to the cloud where it is analyzed and processed to reveal valuable information. A wireless GPRS module links the device to the Cloud in order to dispatch real-time alerts (SMS or e-mails) informing the recipient of a threshold overrun, and to send automatically static data.
OSMOS invested a significant amount of time and research to make it work as there wasn’t just one technical challenge to overcome. How do you transmit a very high amount of data (as much as 50 data points per second for the first generation!) via battery power whilst offering a minimum life of 18 months to the LIRIS sensor? And for the GPRS module, how do you make sure the device can deliver a very high pulse over a short burst of time after waking up from sleep mode and before reverting once again to sleep mode?
What is the solution? LS 33600 and LSH 20 are delivering maximum energy and high-voltage over a long service life.
The devices’ usage and power requirements limited the selection of possible batteries capable of meeting the requirements of the applications: not many batteries can deliver high capacity and high energy whilst supplying very high pulse in a compact format. Tests realized over a series of primary and rechargeable batteries from Saft and other competitors confirmed the choice:
- The LS 33600 primary cell was a perfect fit for the LIRIS sensor: its bobbin construction enables maximum energy density whilst also offering long-life thanks to its exceptionally low self-discharge. Two cells connected in parallel made it possible to reach the expected device’s operating time.
- And for the GPRS use, Saft LSH 20 primary battery featured a spiral construction that delivered maximum current pulse capability, thus ensuring that the device could perform its duty without failing.
Saft’s lithium battery technology proved to be the most reliable and stable option during the tests and the batteries offered the longest operating time to the devices under the operating circumstances.