Vertiv introduces high-power EnergyCore battery cabinets

Vertiv has announced the introduction of its Vertiv EnergyCore battery cabinets, aiming to provide high power lithium battery solutions for high-performance computing (HPC) data centres.

The Vertiv EnergyCore battery cabinets are designed for efficient space usage and seamless integration with Vertiv large and medium uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems. These cabinets come factory-assembled with Lithium-Iron-Phosphate (LFP) battery modules and an internally-powered battery management system, and are compatible with most current and legacy three-phase Vertiv UPS systems, including the Vertiv Trinergy.

Optimised to deliver a five-minute end-of-life runtime at 263kW per compact, 24-inch wide cabinet, the Vertiv EnergyCore cabinets can operate across a wide temperature range. This feature makes them particularly suitable for high-density environments. The use of lithium batteries, which are both more compact and lighter than VRLA alternatives, enables users to require fewer battery cabinets in most configurations.

Installation is simplified with the internal two-hole lug feature, eliminating the need for a conduit box and avoiding the requirement for on-site external control wiring. This reduction in components potentially offers savings in both deployment time and costs as compared to traditional on-site assembly methods. In addition, the cabinets are equipped with an interactive touch screen human-machine interface (HMI) display, allowing users to control and monitor the cabinet, operating system, and installed batteries.

The integrated battery management system within each Vertiv EnergyCore cabinet is powered by the batteries themselves, doing away with the need for an external power source and further simplifying the installation process. It includes lifetime onboard data storage for monitoring performance across battery charge-discharge cycles and service events. This feature facilitates the creation of accurate state-of-health reports, helpful for warranty support and predictive analytics. Remote monitoring capabilities are enabled via the Vertiv Alber Battery Xplorer Enterprise.

Milind Paranjape, Vice President of Energy Storage at Vertiv, elaborated on the demand driving this development: "The proliferation of artificial intelligence and other high-performance computing applications is putting a premium on the ability to deliver more power in smaller, hotter spaces. With our Vertiv EnergyCore battery cabinets, we are delivering exactly what our customers and our industry need – compact, high power energy storage capable of operating safely and optimally. Simply put, these battery cabinets are designed for the emerging mission-critical needs of high-density computing environments."

The modular and distributed architecture of the Vertiv Trinergy allows each UPS core to be outfitted with dedicated Vertiv EnergyCore battery cabinets, ensuring uninterrupted service for critical applications. Due to the high power density of the Vertiv EnergyCore design, just two lithium-ion battery cabinets are needed to support each 500kW Trinergy UPS core, compared to the usual three cabinets required by other suppliers.

The UL 1973 listed Vertiv EnergyCore has also met the compliance standards of the UL 9540A for protection against thermal runaway fire propagation in battery storage systems. This compliance potentially allows for spacing requirements between racks to be reduced, as per NFPA 855 ESS installation standards, subject to approval by relevant authorities, thereby enhancing space efficiency and hastening deployment.