A battery cell burn and abuse test facility has been installed at the Battery and Energy Storage Technology (BEST) Test and Commercialization Center in the USA, which is owned by the New York Battery and Energy Storage Technology Consortium (NY-BEST) and managed by classification society DNV.
It has been given an ISO17025 accreditation for the expanded test capability per the ANSI/CAN/UL 9540A – Test Method for Evaluating Thermal Runaway Fire Propagation in Battery Energy Storage Systems.
Experts at the lab can now test thermal runaway behavior of battery cells by replicating extreme conditions that could lead to battery fires, in a safe and controlled environment. These simulated tests include overheating, nail penetration and electrical abuse and will enhance understanding about cell safety, as well as the flammability and composition of the gases released during such events.
“The wide deployment of battery storage systems is a lynchpin of the energy transition; DNV’s energy transition outlook expects that storage capacity will increase by 160% over the next 30 years as we transition to an all-electric economy. Ensuring battery safety will become even more important as they become more prevalent in our homes, businesses and cars. The BTCC’s new facility will enhance the ability of battery manufacturers and project owners to ensure the safety of their products and projects,” said Richard S Barnes, regional president, energy systems North America at DNV.
Arizona Public Services Company (APS) was one of the first clients to use the services to conduct thermal runaway testing and gas and flammability analysis on large battery cells, which it plans to use in 663MWh battery energy storage system installations.
Daniel Clark, energy innovation advisor for APS, commented, “The excellent test capabilities and the quality of the personnel at DNV provided us with high confidence in the results. These tests serve as important input to ensure the safety of our BESS installations. It has been great working with DNV, not just the BEST Test Center folk conducting the testing, but also with the DNV advisory staff who have supported us in developing our safety standards and executing reviews of safety design, explosion and flammability studies.”