Difficulties in explosion prevention in energy storage positions

Can lithium-ion battery energy system thermal runaways cause explosion hazards?

Explosion hazards can develop when gases evolved during lithium-ion battery energy system thermal runaways accumulate within the confined space of an energy storage system installation. Tests were conducted at the cell, module, unit, and installation scale to characterize these hazards.

Does energy storage industry need a policy guidance?

Sungrow Power Supply Co., Ltd.: energy storage industry needs the policy guidance urgently. Machinery & Electronics Business; 2015-6-22: A06. Policy and innovation are key factors for the development of energy storage technology. China Electric Power News; 2016-4-28: 008. Lin Boqiang.

How does ESS design affect fire and explosion safety?

Several competing design objectives for ESS can detrimentally affect fire and explosion safety, including the hot aisle/cold aisle layout for cooling efficiency, protection against water and dust ingress into the enclosure, and the use of larger cells with increased energy density.

Why are explosion hazards a concern for ESS batteries?

For grid-scale and residential applications of ESS, explosion hazards are a significant concern due to the propensity of lithium-ion batteries to undergo thermal runaway, which causes a release of flammable gases composed of hydrogen, hydrocarbons (e.g. methane, ethylene, etc.), carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide.

Should deflagration venting be used as passive explosion protection?

In general, using deflagration venting as passive explosion protection in addition to an active system has multiple benefits due to the nature of the battery failure event, which involves a rapid release of flammable gases.

What are the different types of explosion control options for ESS?

The two types of explosion control options for ESS, NFPA 68 deflagration venting and NFPA 69 exhaust ventilation, are based on a design basis determined from UL 9540A test data. This testing is meant to provide baseline data for the analysis and is generally extrapolated to a sufficiently conservative hazard scenario for the ESS installation.