Fire is to blame for a small however substantial variety of data-center outages consisting of a March 28 fire that caused severe damage to an information center in France, and an analysis of worldwide events highlights continuous concerns about the safety of lithium-ion batteries and their threat of combustion.The usage of lithium ion
(Li-ion )batteries in information centers is growing. Now typically utilized in uninterruptible power supplies, they are anticipated to account for 38.5%of the data-center battery market by 2025, up from 15%in 2020, according to seeking advice from company Frost & Sullivan.Adoption is driven by Li-ion batteries ‘smaller sized footprint, simpler upkeep, and longer life-span compared to lead-acid batteries. In addition, Li-ion energy storage is a crucial element in renewable resource circulation,
according to Uptime Institute, which offers resiliency services, guidance on structure and running information centers, and accreditation services.However, Li-ion batteries present a higher fire threat than valve-regulated lead-acid batteries, Uptime warns.The firm discovered in its yearly analysis of data-center reliability that 7%of outages were caused by fires.( Connectivity problems– that include problems with fiber, network software application, and setup– are the biggest cause, responsible for 29%of publicly reported interruptions.
)”We find, each time we do these studies, fire doesn’t disappear,”said Andy Lawrence, executive director of research at Uptime, in a conference call to go over the company’s brand-new blackout research study. Fire security has always been a difficulty when it concerns batteries and thermal runaway, when heat builds up in a battery quicker than it can be dissipated. Over time, the market has actually gotten a better understanding of what triggers thermal runaway in lead-acid batteries and developed smart charging circuits that enhance detection and prevent issues, stated Chris Brown, chief technical officer at Uptime. “We discovered a lot through the years with lead-acid batteries. Now, lithium ion comes onto the scene, and it’s an entire different animal,”Brown said. Weigh the benefits and drawbacks of deploying Li-ion batteries.Li-ion batteries burn hotter than lead-acid batteries, and if the battery-containment system is harmed, it does not respond well with oxygen or water, Brown said.
“We’re finding that we do not completely, really comprehend all the failure modes of lithium-ion batteries at the moment, and the charging circuits are not able to handle
them all,” he said.As with any battery, as soon as a Li-ion battery
starts to burn, it’s difficult to put out.”It’s going to burn till it uses up all of its energy, and simply disposing water on it doesn’t actually assist. It keeps it from spreading, maybe, but it does not assist,”Brown said.”And the truth that it burns much hotter than lead-acid batteries [methods] it’s going to do a lot
more damage. It’s going to burn a lot longer because it keeps a lot more energy. Therefore that’s the problem we’re seeing with lithium-ion everywhere. “In action, regional authorities and regulative firms are enacting requirements associated with the storage of Li-ion batteries.Brown suggests data-center operators pay close attention to facility design if Li-ion batteries are part of the plan. “If you are looking at using lithium-ion batteries, then certainly take a look at segregating them into their own battery space,” he stated. A battery room should have at least a number of fire-rated
walls and ceilings, and operators must consider utilizing a foam fire-suppression system “because at least foam will smother the fire and help to extinguish it, whereas … Source
