Electrochemical energy storage fire protection acceptance

Can water spray be used on high-voltage fire suppression systems?

Water spray has been deemed safe as an agent for use on high-voltage systems. Water mist fire suppression systems need to be designed specifically for use with the size and configuration of the specific ESS installation or enclosure being protected. Currently there is no generic design method recognized for water mist systems.

What is the NFPA 855 standard for stationary energy storage systems?

Setting up minimum separation from walls, openings, and other structural elements. The National Fire Protection Association NFPA 855 Standard for the Installation of Stationary Energy Storage Systems provides the minimum requirements for mitigating hazards associated with ESS of diferent battery types.

How does battery cell technology affect fire risk?

At the most fundamental level, the battery cell technology plays the key role in determining the fire risks involved : Some cell chemistries may go into thermal runaway at lower temperatures than others, and some chemistries will inherently produce less heat.

What are the NFPA 855 fire-fighting considerations for lithium-ion batteries?

For example, an extract of Annex C Fire-Fighting Considerations (Operations) in NFPA 855 states the following in C.5.1 Lithium-Ion (Li-ion) Batteries: Water is considered the preferred agent for suppressing lithium-ion battery fires.

How do you protect a battery module from a fire?

The most practical protection option is usually an external, fixed firefighting system. A fixed firefighting system does not stop an already occurring thermal runaway sequence within a battery module, but it can prevent fire spread from module to module, or from pack to pack, or to adjacent combustibles within the space.

Can an ESS have a dedicated discharge mechanism?

Still, it is a major efort to incorporate a dedicated discharge mechanism into every single module in an ESS with hundreds of modules – but it is possible. The most practical protection option is usually an external, fixed firefighting system.