FEATURE: LITHIUM BATTERY ERA
Data centre
According to a global survey conducted by
Uptime, 10% of data centres use lithium
batteries as backup power. For data centre
operators, the optimal space utilisation
and minimum operating costs (especially
power costs of UPS cooling and battery
maintenance and replacement costs) are
what they are most concerned about.
Lithium batteries can help them meet all
these requirements.
stability as well as a low rate and amount
of heat yield
3. LFP batteries do not release oxygen in
case of overcharge and over discharge
Test conclusion: LFP batteries are more
reliable than NCM batteries.
Common test method:
• Puncture the cell with a needle to check
its stability in the case of an internal
short circuit
• Secure the fully charged battery
ACCORDING TO A GLOBAL SURVEY
CONDUCTED BY UPTIME, 10% OF DATA
CENTRES USE LITHIUM BATTERIES AS
BACKUP POWER.
Telecom base station
During the process of 5G evolution, the
total power consumption of a site rockets.
Traditional lead-acid batteries cannot
support smooth capacity expansion to
adapt to 5G evolution because of their
large size and weight, short service life and
inferior performance.
Small, lightweight lithium batteries feature
longer service life and better performance.
They can enable sites to evolve smoothly
to 5G and improve site values. Therefore,
lithium batteries have become the first
choice for 5G sites. Currently, more than 200
telecom operators use lithium batteries as
their energy store.
In data centres and telecom base stations,
LFP and lithium nickel manganese cobalt
oxide (NMC) cells are most commonly
used. LFP is, at present, the safest cathode
material of a lithium battery for it contains
no heavy metal that is harmful to humans.
Compared with NMC batteries, LFP batteries
are more reliable, which better meets high
reliability requirements of data centres and
telecom base stations.
Why are LFP batteries needed?
1. Stable Structure
2. LFP batteries feature high thermal
• Use an 8mm diameter high-temperatureresistant
steel needle to puncture through
the geometrical centre of the cell in the
direction vertical to the cell polarity plate
at a speed of 25 mm/s, keep the needle
in the cell and observe for one hour
Test conclusion:
• After an LFP battery is punctured with a
needle (internal short circuit), the heat
of reaction inside the cell is minimal. The
highest surface temperature of the cell is
only 80ºC, the cell does not catch fire or
leak electrolytes and its shell is intact.
• After an NCM battery is punctured with
a needle (internal short circuit), the cell
reacts violently internally and generates
a large amount of heat and oxygen in
a short time. The battery burns within
one second, thermal runaway occurs
within four seconds, the highest surface
temperature reaches 458ºC, and the
shell melts.
Though its technology has been improved
a lot, the lithium battery still has many
problems in practical application.
• When multiple battery cabinets are
connected in parallel, current imbalance
occurs due to inconsistent cell resistance
and capacity and power distribution
differences, especially for short-time
discharge of a large current. As a result,
overcurrent protection is triggered in each
battery cabinet.
• Partial failure is unavoidable in a
lithium battery system. New and old
battery cabinets may be connected in
parallel. If resistance and capacity are
inconsistent in this case, serious bias
current can be caused and a battery
cabinet can even be disconnected in
case of overcurrent.
• Inconsistency of cell resistance and
capacity in a battery can cause cell
charge overvoltage, so that the entire
battery system cannot be fully charged.
• If a battery module in a battery string is
faulty, the entire battery string cannot
work properly.
• If fire occurs in a lithium battery cabinet
after lithium batteries are deployed in a
modular data centre, it is hard to control
the fire inside the cabinet and prevent it
from spreading to ICT equipment nearby.
• Lithium batteries at base stations are
prone to be stolen.
In view of this, Huawei launched the
new-generation data centre lithium
battery solution SmartLi.
Characterised with high reliability, efficiency
and flexible expansion, SmartLi is aimed to
help customers reduce investment, simplify
O&M and build a stable and efficient data
centre power supply system.
1. Reliable
• Long Lifespan, cycle life can be up to
5,000 times.
• Highly stable LFP cell, no fire when
thermal runaway.
• Intelligent voltage balance control, single
module failure system can work normally.
• Three-layer BMS system ensures the
reliability of lithium batteries layer
by layer.
2. Efficient
• High power density, save 70% footprint
compared with lead-acid battery.
• Intelligent battery management system,
save 80% of daily O&M costs.
3. Simple
• Modular swappable design, easy
maintenance.
• Active current balance technology, new
and old battery strings can be connected
in parallel, simple capacity expansion.
52 INTELLIGENTCIO www.intelligentcio.com