New directive: store your batteries safely 

Fire protection on a new level: ION-LINE ULTRA

According to the new directive PGS-37-2, batteries must be stored and charged safely and under supervision. With fire protection from both outside and inside, active smoke gas management, pressure relief and a comprehensive alarm system, the ION-LINE ULTRA fire safety storage cabinet from Asecos is the way for warehousing professionals to safely store lithium-ion batteries.

Collectively, we use lithium-ion batteries more and more. Think of scanners, tablets and laptops, but also in trackers, for example. And in the coming years, the use of these batteries will only increase further. Henk Niewenhuis, director of Asecos, sees that the use of lithium-ion batteries also brings new challenges. "You have to see batteries as a hazardous substance, all the elements of the fire triangle are present. So think about it: how do you store these things and how do you make sure charging is done safely?"

According to the recently published directive PGS-37-2, companies must now store and charge their batteries safely and under supervision. Insurers are expected to start incorporating these requirements into their insurance terms as well.

In Asecos' secure active storage cabinets, you charge batteries safely and under supervision outside working hours. How does that work? With the ION-LINE ULTRA, Asecos' flagship product. "The ION-LINE ULTRA is the first fire safety cabinet in Europe that has been tested and approved according to the strict GS test principle EK5/AK4."

Five pillars 

All ION cabinets from Asecos comply with five pillars. For example, they are fire-resistant for 90 minutes from the inside to the outside and vice versa. As soon as one of the sensors inside the cabinet detects a problem with smoke development or rising temperatures, the cabinet transmits a signal via the potential-free alarm contact to a connected fire alarm center or cell phone so that action can be taken. "By receiving this alarm signal and responding immediately you create time to prevent worse," says Henk.

That alarm detection has several stages. If the inside of the cabinet reaches a temperature of 50 degrees, a pre-alarm is triggered and the power automatically shuts off. "You can then take a moment as a user to see what's going on," he says. The second step is smoke detection. "Then, as a user, you have to stop opening the cabinet. Let people with expertise, such as a specialized FAFS team or the fire department, fight the emergency." You can then still transport the cabinet outside, thanks to the integrated transport pedestal.

At a temperature of 70 degrees, the highest alarm is issued. At the same time, the cabinet activates an aerosol fire suppression unit. That suppresses the fire for at least half an hour. "Add that up to 90 minutes of fire resistance, and you have two hours as a user to fight the calamity," he said.

Showpiece

The ULTRA cabinets also feature two new elements. One is that the cabinets are smokeproof. "There are about 5,000 types of lithium-ion batteries and they all burn differently. But most lithium-ion fires cause a lot of smoke and toxic gases. You want to keep those in the cabinet," Henk says. "That's how you protect people working in the same room."

In addition, the cabinet is equipped with a pressure relief valve. "When smoke is detected, the pressure relief valve folds shut to keep the smoke inside the cabinet. It opens electronically if necessary to relieve the pressure buildup in the cabinet."

Additional safety 

With the ION cabinets, Asecos spared no expense to optimize fire resistance. If the power fails, the system also transmits a notification. The cabinet doors close and lock automatically after 10 seconds, and people nearby are alerted visually and acoustically that something is wrong. The closet's alarm system can be connected to a fire alarm center, a control room or send alerts via cell phones. But most importantly, according to Henk? "That the alert gets to people who know what to do with it."