Fire detection with energy storage systems (ESS) is a growing issue. As reliance on renewable energy sources continues to increase, investments in ESS solutions continue to grow. Fires involving the batteries of the ESS can be catastrophic to facilities, and present severe risks to personnel.
Then comes the question of suppression. If you choose to suppress, what agent do you use? Water and lithium do not mix, and other traditional suppression agents are not entirely effective. As a result, may facility operators place detection and notification equipment outside the enclosures. When the life safety system identifies a fire, the most common reaction is to evacuate personnel and isolate the impacted cells to contain the fire.
A growing number of facility operators are investigating the placement of detection instruments inside the enclosure. This placement option has not been pursued in the past, primarily due to size constraints. Attitudes and designs are evolving, making internal placement a greater possibility. As part of the decision process, operators need to determine when in the development cycle of a fire they want notification. During unusual off-gassing, sensing of smoke, or detection of an actual fire?
Compounding the challenge is the fact that there are no approved standards for fire safety as of this writing. Several are under development, but nothing has reached the stage of acceptance and implementation. Three standards under development are listed below.
