UK-Singapore Collaborative R&D - 2022

Improving the monitoring, fire safety and control features of ALP's MBRIC energy storage system

Battery fire is a major risk to all battery related applications. Misplaced batteries are responsible for 48% of waste fires in the UK, costing £158 million each year. MBRIC uses predictive maintenance AI to disconnect malfunctioning units prior to overheating. We continuously improve the sensing and response to abnormal battery behaviour.

However, in a rare situation of external stress, e.g. earthquake, fire or explosion, blocks of batteries can start fires. Firefighting tools are the last line of defence to contain such situations.

A micro-fire extinguisher, developed by a Singaporean company Anzene, can reside in the gaps between cylindrical battery cells, and automatically release fire retardant fumes in the case of battery fire.

In this joint R&D project, we partner with Anzene to integrate the micro-extinguisher system to MBRIC. The aim is to produce a MBRIC system that could contain battery fire at modular level. This feature will substantially reduce incidental fire risks, and most importantly, enable continuous operation of the battery system. The product should have a market niche, such as in emergency services, military and the chemical industry.