Safe battery storage – facts you need to know!
As battery storage becomes more common worldwide, people are understandably concerned about safety. While batteries are housed securely and spaced out in residential areas, their power and energy levels still raise questions. What kind of safety considerations must be made when constructing a BESS? And what should never be ignored? Melker Lang, the safety specialist at CEBON GROUP, helped us to raise awareness for safe and secure battery storage.
“Already at the beginning of the design-process safety comes to play a huge role. Engineers carefully consider spacing between cells and choose materials that won’t catch fire easily to prevent dangerous overheating. Monitoring individual cell temperatures is tricky but essential”, says Melker.
“To prevent pressure buildup inside containers, engineers install a special pressure relieve valve to release pressure if it gets too high. In addition, the container will be equipped with fire isolation and a robust extinguishing system that will be activated in the event of a fire”. Melker emphasizes the importance of taking into account the entire picture of a potential scenario when designing the safest system.
In case of an accident in a BESS
It’s unthinkable, yet possible. What happens in case of a fire in a container?
“BESS fires are both dramatic and dangerous, of course. Consequently, choosing a safe battery storage system that comes fully equipped with the best extinguishing system is crucial.
A quality-assured container will be loaded with aerosols that will activate in the event of a fire by releasing a cloud of condensed aerosol to remove heat and hinder combustion. As a safety specialist, I often propose GreenEx, a potassium-based aerosol with zero environmental impact”.
Melker claims that such an extinguisher offers the maximum possible extinguishing effect compared to similar systems.
Investing in safety – a costly issue?
Required equipment or expensive supplementary features. Knowing what they are paying for may be difficult for individuals considering investing in a BESS. How should you think as an investor?
“It may be more expensive to invest in a BESS that meets all relevant safety regulations and is equipped with additional safety features. However, the question remains if it is worthwhile to examine other choices. I believe the answer is quite obvious”, says Melker.
“A lot of investors are concerned about the system’s continuous maintenance. However, with a correctly functioning BMS (battery management system), you have complete control over your hardware. You will receive exact information about the health of your container, allowing you to determine whether anything is wrong with it. But, of course, it’s always a good idea to do an annual examination of a battery storage system, thoroughly inspecting every component,” Melker concludes.
Safety features in BESS from Sparq
When discussing security with our engineers, the customer typically hears that safety is not an option. All of our systems are built on LFP batteries (the most suited and safe battery technology for energy storage) and a three-level BMS system. Sparq containers will always include the following additional features:
🌟Cooling system – air cooled or water cooled.
🌟Aerosol fire system.
🌟Pressure relieve valve – in case of temperature pressure inside the container.
🌟Temperature, smoke, and gas sensors.
🌟Humidity sensors.
🌟Water-alarm sensor. Which reacts in case of water leakage on the bottom of the container.