NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 40
In Compliance
NFPA 13
Water-based fire
protection systems
NFPA 855 and sprinkler
protection for energy
storage systems
By Brian O'Connor
A
n important set of questions right now among
sprinkler designers
revolves around ways to
protect energy storage
40 | NFPA JOURNAL * J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 0
systems (ESS)-but a new NFPA standard
can help them answer those questions.
An ESS in its simplest sense is any
system that stores electrical energy for
use at a later time. ESS is a technology that is here to stay because of its
wide range of beneficial applications,
its increasing efficiency, and its ability to help users decrease energy-related
costs. Some of these applications include
supplementing renewable energy
sources, such as solar panels and wind
turbines, or storing and discharging
energy when electrical prices fluctuate.
There are many different applications
and types of ESS, but battery ESS-in
particular, lithium-ion battery ESS-has
become the most common.
Lithium-ion battery technology,
while highly beneficial, also comes with
some unique hazards when considering
fire protection, including a tendency to
generate a lot of heat and emit toxic/
flammable gasses when damaged. This
can have a cascading effect throughout
the battery cells, a process referred to
as thermal runaway, potentially causing
a fire or explosion. This is very difficult
to control once an ESS is fully involved
in a fire. ESS can also store large
amounts of energy and burn for long
periods of time, often many hours, and
can reignite after being extinguished.
A new standard, NFPA 855, Standard
for the Installation of Stationary Energy
Storage Systems, provides requirements
GETT Y IMAGES
POWER SURGE
A new NFPA standard provides grouping and spacing requirements
for energy storage system (ESS) installations, including large arrays
used by utilities and industrial operations.
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NFPA Journal - January/February 2020
Contents
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - Cover1
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - Cover2
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 1
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 2
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 3
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - Contents
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 5
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 6
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 7
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 8
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 9
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 10
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 11
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 12
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 13
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 14
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 15
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 16
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 17
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 18
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 19
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 20
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 21
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 22
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 23
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 24
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 25
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 26
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 27
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 28
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 29
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 30
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 31
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 32
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 33
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 34
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 35
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 36
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 37
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 38
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 39
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 40
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 41
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 42
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 43
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 44
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 45
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 46
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 47
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 48
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 49
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 50
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 51
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 52
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 53
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 54
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 55
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 56
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 57
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 58
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 59
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 60
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 61
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 62
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 63
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 64
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 65
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 66
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 67
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 68
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 69
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 70
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 71
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 72
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 73
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 74
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 75
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 76
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 77
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 78
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 79
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 80
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - Cover3
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - Cover4
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