Climate change and global warming have made it clear that we need to find cleaner, more renewable sources of energy. More than a century of heavy industry has filled the atmosphere with greenhouse gases and disrupted the planet’s natural heating and cooling cycle.
With several countries across the world declaring their intent to replace fossil fuels with renewables such as solar and wind, the need for stationary power storage facilities has risen.
Unlike fossil fuels, which can produce energy when needed, solar and wind are limited to weather conditions and time. You can generate a lot of solar energy during the day, but energy use usually peaks at night when most people are home and there’s no sun. Furthermore, wind energy is only viable if wind speeds are fast enough to generate energy. Battery energy storage systems (“BESS”) ensure that the excess renewable energy generated during off-peak hours is stored and released back into the grid during peak-use hours.
Unfortunately, these systems, which primarily use lithium-ion cells, are susceptible to overheating and fires. If the multiple cells across the BESS undergo thermal runaway and catch fire, the entire facility could potentially end up in flames.
Threat detection features are the first line of defense against BESS fires. These include power quality sensors that monitor electrical abuse, battery management systems that monitor the voltage, temperature, and impedance of individual battery cells and thermal imaging IR sensors that can monitor surface temperatures on the batteries. BESS systems can also be equipped with refrigerant gas sensors to detect leaks from a faulty cooling system. Additionally, shock and vibration sensors can also be used to monitor vibrations and detect mechanical abuse.
Once these threat detection features spot a threat to the BESS, the battery energy storage system powers down and automatically triggers a suppression system. Water should not be used in the early stages of threat detection because it could damage mechanical and electric systems. Furthermore, water may not be able to reach obscure or hidden fires. After a threat to the BESS system is detected, a fire-suppression system will kick in. The system pulls oxygen from the room in question, significantly reducing the fuel for the fire and extracts heat from the fire.
Fire suppression can either be targeted at a singular threat or as a complete flooding application where a cooling agent is used to fill an entire room or container. Argon is one of the best extinguishing agents because it doesn’t react with any element.
The fire risks and other shortcomings of li-ion batteries have prompted other innovative firms such as StorEn Technologies Inc. to specialize in alternative chemistries, such as vanadium redox flow batteries whose safety profile and capacity is better suited to utility-scale operations.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to StorEn Technologies Inc. are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/StorEn
About MiningNewsWire
MiningNewsWire (MNW) is a specialized communications platform focused on developments and opportunities in the global resources sector. The company provides (1) access to a network of wire services via NetworkWire to reach all target markets, industries and demographics in the most effective manner possible, (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ news outlets (3), enhanced press release services to ensure maximum impact, (4) social media distribution via the Investor Brand Network (IBN) to nearly 2 million followers, and (5) a full array of corporate communications solutions. As a multifaceted organization with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, MNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, MNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. MNW is where news, content and information converge.
To receive SMS text alerts from MiningNewsWire, text “BigHole” to 21000 (U.S. Mobile Phones Only)
For more information, please visit https://www.miningnewswire.com
Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the MiningNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by MNW, wherever published or re-published: https://www.miningnewswire.com/Disclaimer
MiningNewsWire
Los Angeles, California
www.miningnewswire.com
310.299.1717 Office
Editor@MiningNewsWire.com
MiningNewsWire is part of the InvestorBrandNetwork.
