If your mobile phone or laptop has ever become uncomfortably hot, you have first-hand experience with a concept called thermal runaway. It's one of the primary risks related to lithium-ion batteries, and it happens when the lithium-ion cell enters an uncontrollable, self-heating state. 

 Catherine Von Burg, CEO of SimpliPhi Power, recently returned from the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) conference.  A key observation by Catherine and her team is that fire-safety in energy storage systems was a seemingly foreign topic [at the conference] with little-to-no knowledge or expertise on energy storage chemistry, form factors, risks, and mitigation measures. There was ample opportunity to educate the attendees of the conference on this important topic but there is still much more of the story that needs to be told. In today’s Tactical Tuesday, Nico & Catherine unpack the underlying philosophy behind the testing standards and protocols associated with the oft-confusing UL 9540 & 9540a. 

Why is UL 9540A fire-safety testing so critical for the energy storage industry today?

What are the differences in Battery Chemistry, Form Factor, and Manufacturing Processes that affect how a battery behaves in thermal runaway?

How can 9540a testing be a differentiator? 

And what is at stake if the testing is avoided or the results obfuscated?

Learn why Catherine says, “This is the quintessential thing in Energy Storage that needs to be discussed before the industry gets a black eye from another explosion or recall”

You’ll come away from this Tactical Tuesday with practical insight you can apply immediately to your battery selection process!

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