Maintaining the health of stationary battery systems

Stationary batteries constitute a vital part of our industrial and utility infrastructure. Whether the battery duty is supporting uninterruptible power at a data center, telecommunications installation, protecting a transformer at a substation, or providing emergency power at a hospital, reliable battery operation is essential, and can literally be a matter of life and death. As electrochemical devices, batteries often do not fit neatly in the knowledge base and experience of power engineers. Their operating needs may not be fully understood, and as a result their reliability may become compromised. This paper covers the essential aspects of operating stationary batteries, from correct rectifier systems for charging to maintenance and testing.