High energy Li-ion battery system targets all telecom applications
The innovative battery concept offers new possibilities for the creation of compact, safe and reliable backup systems for a wide variety of telecom installations including: outdoor on-grid sites; off-grid hybrid power systems and DPCO (Distributed Power for Central Office).
The Evolion battery system builds on Saft’s extensive practical experience in the telecoms industry with its well proven Li-ion technology to create a concept that offers a combination of float charging capability and high cycling performance. The system is designed to be totally maintenance free.
The 48 V battery is designed to be compatible with existing telecom equipment. Evolion will be manufactured in Saft’s new Jacksonville facility in Florida, USA, a high-volume manufacturing plant building advanced Li-ion cells and batteries.
A key advantage of the Evolion battery technology is the system’s energy density in terms of both volume and weight In practical terms, this means that the Li-ion battery is half the size of a conventional VRLA telecom battery so it can free up more space in the cabinet for revenue-generating equipment. The Li-ion battery is around one quarter of the weight, making it much easier to transport, handle and install.
Evolion offers a high calendar life on float charge as well as a long cycle life (3000 cycles) in line with usual duration of telecom equipment. The new battery system is also tolerant to a wide range of temperatures and can operate from -40 to +75°C
Saft has designed Evolion to ensure maximum safety in operation, with built in redundant safety mechanisms at both the electronic system level and individual cell level. It also has a low environmental impact and is RoHS compliant.
Outdoor on-grid sites such as Base Transceiver Stations (BTS), Wireline Outside Plant (WOP), Optical Node Units (ONU) require a battery system for backup in the event of an interruption to their commercial power supply. The compact Evolion design offers an advantage in locations where space is at a premium, as it requires only half the space needed by a conventional VRLA battery.
Another benefit of Li-ion technology for remote installations is that the zero maintenance design eliminates the need for routine site visits.
In off-grid telecom sites the main power source is normally a generator set, PV (photovoltaic) system or wind turbine, or some combination of the three. The role of the battery in this type of hybrid installation is to enable efficient energy storage that ensures reliability and availability of power, while also saving fuel and reducing CO2 emissions by minimizing the generator run time.
Saft’s lightweight Li-ion technology enables equipment specifiers to address the challenges of maximum floor loading requirements in Central Offices. This makes it feasible to install the battery racks in the same room as the telecom equipment, even on raised floors. Their long calendar life and compact design means that colocation of Evolion batteries with active equipment in the DPCO translates into a significantly lower TCO, while reliably protecting the transmission, processing and storage of critical data.
Visit Saft at www.saftbatteries.com
