Evaluating the Safety of Lithium-Ion Batteries in Critical Facilities

[...]the sophisticated battery management systems (BMSs) integrated into industrial lithium-ion batteries provide users and service providers with access to battery operating data that can be used to maximize life and predict failure. While the lithium-ion batteries used with UPS systems are not subject to the same hazards as those in an EV following a crash, the design enhancements that result from these efforts are often applied to lithium-ion batteries in other industrial applications, further enhancing their safety and abuse tolerance. To date, only California has adopted the national code, and it is hoped that the pending supplemental standard will be issued before other states adopt the recent national code revisions Of particular concern to potential users is the new national code’s requirement that lithium-ion battery cabinets that have not yet passed new testing related to the potential for thermal runaway must be spaced at least three feet apart to eliminate risk.