Safety issues have once again become a key factor in choosing battery energy storage systems. With the variety of different battery products and energy storage systems on the market, it is believed that users can make the safest choices through careful consideration and advice.
In terms of safety, it is necessary to distinguish between primary safety (measures to prevent accidents) and secondary safety (how to better control and manage hazards after accidents occur). Basic safety is directly related to the battery itself. There are different types of batteries available today, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. However, the most important thing is to consider whether the battery meets the standards.
Using a safe and standard battery is the mandatory first step to ensure the highest level of safety; however, how to use the battery is also crucial. This is why the battery management system should ensure that the battery operation does not exceed its limits. In order to provide this safety function, the battery management system must be certified according to functional safety standards for electrical, electronic, and programmable electronic safety-related systems.
The battery management system generates a large amount of data, which is read by the energy management software, saved locally, and regularly backed up to a secure cloud computing system. All of this data can be used for analysis purposes to detect possible improper battery behavior or deviations early on and optimize system operation.
Separating the battery cabinets provides a passive way to improve safety, but there are also active fire suppression methods. The goal of the fire suppression system is to prevent the fire from a battery from spreading to other batteries, potentially preventing a small incident involving a few batteries from escalating into a large-scale fire that could destroy the battery energy storage system or, worse, the entire site. Using standard fire detection and fire suppression systems composed of smoke and heat detection sensors integrated into aerosol fire suppression systems with automatic activation functions.
The personal safety of personnel is crucial. Even if the site is safe, maintenance personnel may work nearby for maintenance and routine system checks. In the event of a fire or explosion, they may be working near the battery energy storage system. To protect the personal safety of employees, explosion-proof panels can redirect the force of the explosion upwards. This ensures that personnel working in that area are protected from the impact of lateral explosions.
