The role of fire hydrants in energy storage containers

Where should a fire hydrant be located?

An external fire hydrant should be in close proximity of the BESS containers. The water supply should be able to provide a minimum of 1,900 l/min for at least 120 minutes (2 hours). Further hydrants should be strategically located across the development. These should be tested and serviced at regular intervals by the operator.

Are lithium-ion battery storage containers fire prone?

As lithium-ion battery energy storage gains popularity and application at high altitudes, the evolution of fire risk in storage containers remains uncertain. In this study, numerical simulation is employed to investigate the fire characteristics of lithium-ion battery storage container under varying ambient pressures.

How should a Bess fire hydrant be located?

Ensure that sufficient water is available for manual firefighting. An external fire hydrant should be in close proximity of the BESS containers. The water supply should be able to provide a minimum of 1,900 l/min for at least 120 minutes (2 hours). Further hydrants should be strategically located across the development.

What happens if a storage container catches fire?

In the case of energy storage at the container level, if one experiences TR, it can propagate to the entire energy storage container, causing violent fires and explosions. In recent years, there have been frequent fire accidents in LIB storage containers, causing significant economic losses and even casualties (Lai et al., 2022).

How much water does a Bess fire hydrant need?

Sufficient water availability for manual firefighting: an external fire hydrant should be in close proximity to the BESS containers and the water supply should be able to provide a minimum of 1,900 l/min for at least two hours. Further hydrants should be strategically located across the development and tested and serviced at regular intervals.

Do I need NFPA 855 for a stationary energy storage system?

For this reason, we strongly recommend applying the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 855 Standard for the Installation of Stationary Energy Storage Systems along with guidance from the NFCC Grid Scale Battery Energy Storage System Planning. Further information can be found in the NFCC BESS Planning Guidance Document.