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The lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery is a leap forward in compact energy storage which has opened the road to electric vehicles with a commercially attractive range. Currently offering the best density of energy storage, Li-ion technology is also increasingly used for static battery energy storage, for example to capture solar energy for use at night, or for the purpose of guaranteeing uninterrupted power supply (UPS). However, Li-ion batteries pose a serious fire safety risk due to their immense energy density and the savage intensity with which they burn.
A Li-ion battery fire releases the stored chemical energy in the battery, causing a rapid increase in temperature known as “thermal runaway”. This then progresses to an explosive combustion of the battery electrolyte vapor, with intense heat and highly toxic smoke. Such battery fires are not only intense and dangerous, they are also particularly difficult to put out – so much so, that in many cases firefighters prefer to leave them to burn out.
From a fire detection point of view, fire safety consultants are faced with two distinct challenges and subsequent design solutions, depending on whether the batteries are static – such as battery energy storage systems (BESS) and UPS sites – or mobile, in the case of EVs.
Fires at static Li-ion batteries, although often concentrating far larger quantities of energy than EVs, have generally received less publicity than those involving cars. However, a number of significant blazes at lithium-ion battery energy storage systems (BESS) have been reported. The release of toxic chemicals associated with these fires has made BESS sites which use Li-ion technology controversial in some countries and has been accompanied by calls for the highest level of fire safety at the sites.
Fire detection for lithium-ion batteries is therefore a critical safety concern, especially given their prevalence in various applications as varied as consumer electronics, electric vehicles, and energy storage systems.
As for the Data Centre application, the area of interest will be focused on the stationary backup power ie the Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS). Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) batteries were traditionally lead acid batteries but increasingly, Li-ion technology is replacing these.
This Case Study looks at the use of Aspirated Smoke Detection and Linear Heat Detection methods to independently protect these areas by providing early warning of a developing fire and helping to pinpoint its source.
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