By Jeff Donato
In battery rooms, a hydrogen detection system is critical to ensuring infrastructural safety and the wellbeing of personnel. What can go wrong with a battery room? Charging lead-acid and nickel-cadmium batteries release hydrogen, which, if the concentration is high enough, can cause an explosion or fire ignition in reaction with oxygen present in ambient air.
Battery rooms must have hazard mitigation plans that meet fire codes with regards to flammable hydrogen, but many users don’t know about the technology we provide that offers real-time, maintenance-free solutions. Instead, they:
- Use other sensor technologies that need frequent calibrations and replacement – many operators can’t keep up with these demands and let their sensors become inoperable.
- Leave their exhaust fans blowing 24/7 to vent the hydrogen. This consumes a great deal of electricity – not just due to the fans, but because it allows outside air in that impacts the HVAC.
- Put the fans on timers that intermittently turn the fans off and on. This doesn’t use as much energy but is also not precise since the fans may be off when venting is needed.
According to research firm Frost & Sullivan, the global grid battery energy storage market is tipped to grow by 23 percent by 2030. Due to this growth and the need for safety in battery rooms, hydrogen monitoring is becoming increasingly essential to a well-run battery room.
H2scan is new to solving the battery room challenge, though we have already proven our commitment to this goal. We recently launched our hydrogen sensing HY-ALERTA 5021 product, and are now taking significant steps to expand the awareness of our technical leadership so more consulting engineers and facility managers will be aware of this solution.
HY-ALERTA 5021 Measures Battery Room Hydrogen
The HY-ALERTA 5021 sensor is capable of detecting low levels of hydrogen in real-time, even in the presence of other gases that would typically be the source of false alarms. H2scan’s HY-ALERTA 5021 solid-state area hydrogen monitor is an auto-calibrating technology for data centers, utilities, telecommunications, and energy storage systems end users.
Users can deploy the HY-ALERTA 5021 maintenance-free, with no calibration or board replacements needed throughout the expected 10+ year service life which lasts the lifecycle of the battery system in vented battery applications and several battery lifecycles in VRLA applications. Â This makes the HY-ALERTA 5021 a low cost of ownership option compared to other technologies. The sensor also speaks MODBUS RTU, which makes it compatible with other monitoring, building management devices, and fire panels.
H2scan Educating Industry on Battery Room Industry
In our most recent move to establish our place in the battery room industry, H2scan officially become a member of Battery Council International (BCI). BCI is the leading trade association representing the North American battery industry. H2scan is excited to add a hydrogen safety element to their initiative to inform policymakers and other stakeholders of the importance of lead-acid batteries in our daily lives.
We’re also taking our products to where our customers are – to tradeshows and conferences. H2scan  participated in the Battcon show this month and will participate in the 7×24 Exchange conferences and  Data Center World (AFCOM), and the NiBS Battery Conference (Shropshire, England)  in the upcoming months.
At the Battcon conference we were able to speak with attendees from the data center, telecom and utility industries and learn from and network with industry experts. We also highlighted our new partnership with EnviroGuard who becomes our first value added reseller serving this market.
H2scan is a participating member of the 7×24 Exchange International’s New York Chapter, which is the nation’s largest chapter. 7×24 Exchange is the leading knowledge exchange for data center and information technology professionals. Data centers are a critical market for battery rooms and H2scan eagerly awaits the chance to engage with data center specifying engineers to educate them on the importance of hydrogen sensors.
H2scan is proud to offer essential hydrogen sensing technology to keep battery rooms safe globally. As hydrogen sensing becomes more relevant with the growth of the battery room industry, H2scan and its HY-ALERTA 5021 product will continue to make battery rooms safer and more efficient.