EST-Floattech announced today that it has received the DNV type approval certificate for its Green Orca® High Energy batteries. This system is unique in that it is intrinsically safe, with a fully passive protection system based on EST-Floattech’s ‘Safe by Design’ philosophy.

The importance of the DNV-GL Type Approval

DNV-GL is one of the most important classification societies when it comes to inspecting maritime battery systems. With the certification, insurers know that ships built with the Green Orca® High Energy batteries meet the strict requirements stipulated by DNV-GL. As its name suggests, Type Approval certification is a procedure for approving certain types of products that can be installed aboard vessels.

DNV-GL Type Approval tests conducted

In order to identify the risk potential in the system, tests are conducted in accordance with e.g. IEC62619 and regulations by DNV-GL. These tests involve the cell, battery and battery system levels, and include a thermal test, external short circuit test and forced discharge test, but also environmental tests, such as vibration, dry & damp heat, and EMC.

The “Safe by Design” Philosophy and propagation protection

One of the most important tests is the internal thermal event test, also known as the ‘propagation test’. EST-Floattech is unique in its passive safety system, which guarantees safety on board.

EST-Floattech’s “Safe by Design” principle served as the foundation for the certification and the design of our battery module. Everything in the module is geared towards preventing a thermal runaway or thermal event from ever occurring in the first place, by means of hardware and software electronic safety measures.

Dealing with a thermal runaway

However, in a worst-case scenario, the battery design is so robust that it is capable of dealing with a thermal runaway of one of the cells, or even a chain reaction resulting in a thermal runaway of other cells in the battery (and it will stay safe and controlled in the module), without the use of any active system. Such as a Battery Management System, cooling system or external fire extinguisher. It is an intrinsic element of the design itself.

This makes the EST-Floattech system perhaps the safest Energy Storage System in the industry, as it provides a ‘last line of defence’ for on-board safety, without relying on an active safety system. In the end, we all share responsibility for the safety of all souls on board a vessel, because you should never compromise on safety.

What is unique about EST-Floattech’s High Energy Storage System?

• Capable of withstanding a full Thermal Runaway, which goes beyond a Thermal Event such as cell venting;
• Gas exhaust system, which eliminates hazardous inflammable gases in the battery compartment;
• During the test, extremely effective propagation countermeasures;
• safety does not rely on a cooling- or fire suppression system.