No-maintenance battery for stationary power backup

The main advantage of the nickel-based Uptimax is that it now needs no topping up with water throughout a long service life.

Since Saft launched its Uptimax range of nickel-based pocket-plate batteries in 2008, the company claims that is has established a reputation for delivering reliability, long life and optimised TCO in stationary power applications - such as UPS, emergency and security systems and process control - in the oil and gas, utility and electricity industries, even when operating at ambient temperatures of 40C or more.

An upgrade to a new-generation high-technology design has now taken Uptimax to the next level, making it maintenance free, under recommended operating conditions, in terms of topping up with water.

Further advantages of the Uptimax include even better chargeability at elevated temperatures, so that well over 90 per cent capacity is available after a single 15-hour charge at 40C.

Performance has also been improved by up to 10 per cent, according to the relevant discharge time.

This enables customers to benefit from using a size of battery more closely optimised to suit their specific application, reducing the initial purchase cost in addition to the savings resulting from the reduced maintenance requirements throughout the life of the battery.

Saft has developed its Tel.X nickel-based batteries to provide a long service life in both wireline and wireless back-up power applications, especially for outdoor plants.

The maintenance-free, compact Tel.X design is suited for advanced telecom infrastructure such as cabinets and end terminals in fibre-optic 'triple-play' networks and cellular base stations, and switching nodes that require long periods of autonomy (from one to 10 hours).

At MEE, Saft is focusing on its new ready-to-install containerised solution that provides a complete, fully integrated energy-storage system at the megawatt scale comprising Li-ion battery modules, power-management and control interfaces, air conditioning and safety devices.

The containerised energy-storage system is targeted at medium- to large-scale grid-connected solar and wind-power schemes, where the effective implementation of Saft's Li-ion technology can smooth the intermittent generation and ramp rates inherent in renewable power sources.