Hithium has achieved a significant milestone in energy storage safety by conducting the world’s first open-door fire test for its ∞Block 5MWh liquid-cooled battery storage system. This unprecedented trial, overseen by UL and witnessed by industry representatives, aimed to challenge safety standards by simulating extreme fire conditions while adhering to rigorous codes, namely UL 9540A and NFPA 855. Notably, the test featured an entirely open cabinet environment that allowed for heightened oxygen exposure and was designed to evaluate the system’s thermal resilience under strain. Despite being subjected to temperatures of up to 1,300°C and remaining continuously burning for 15 hours, the cabinet’s structural integrity was maintained, and no thermal propagation occurred to adjacent units, validating the effectiveness of Hithium’s thermal isolation design.
Experts have lauded this trial as a transformative step in establishing safety standards for energy storage systems, marking a qualitative leap in fire safety testing. Hithium attributes its success to its innovative three-tier protective architecture across cell, module, and system levels, which is central to advancing safety from a cell-focused design to a comprehensive system resilience approach. With an increasing global presence, Hithium has emerged as the fourth largest global supplier of energy storage batteries, delivering over 35.1 GWh as of 2024, indicating its growing influence in the rapidly evolving grid-scale battery market.