Stationary Batteries Compartment Ventilation 2

[abeltio]

Posted this questions in Battery Engineering but did not get any takers... hope somebody can shed some light...

Q1.Are there any code requirements for the ventilation of the battery compartment of Lead/Calcium flat plate Batteries, 120VDC (60 cells)?

If the answer to Q1 is YES:
Q2. Which code/article?
Q3. In layman's words, what are those requirements?

If the answer to Q1 is NO:
Q4. What would be an acceptable ventilation?

Thank you all!!!

 

[cuky2000]

One of the most popular reference used for battery storage room design is the IEEE Std 1187-2002, Recommended Practice for Installation Design and Installation of Valve-Regulated Lead-Acid Storage Batteries for Stationary Applications.

This standard includes "recommended design practices and procedures for the storage, location, mounting, ventilation, instrumentation, preassembly, assembly and charging of VRLA storage batteries in stationary use.”

The National Electrical Safety Code (NESC), section 14 article 142 and the NEC (NFPA 70) article 480-8 (a) require that “the battery area shall be ventilated, either by a natural or powered ventilation system to limit hydrogen accumulation to less than the explosive mixture….” In addition, OSHA and the local building inspector may have jurisdiction over this issue.

Compliance with the ventilation requirement is necessary to prevent classification of the battery area as a hazardous location.

Additional information regarding standard and application guide could be find in the following site:

http://grouper.ieee.org/groups/scc29/committees.html#Selection and Sizing Subcommittee

 

[wbd]

IEEE 1187 is for VRLA batteries. If yours are flooded cell lead acid batteries, the standard you need to look at is IEEE Std. 484, "Recommended Practice for Installation Design and Installation of Large Lead Storage Batteries for Generating Stations and Substations".
IEEE 484 States that the battery area shall be ventilated to limit hydrogen accumalation to less than 2% of the total volume of the battery area.
The worst case hydrogen evolution rate is 0.000269 cubic feet per minute per charging ampere per cell at 77 deg. F, one atmosphere.

wbd