Lead-acid battery pack in the communication room

What is a lead-acid battery?

The lead-acid battery is the predominant choice for uninterruptible power supply (UPS) energy storage. Over 10 million UPSs are presently installed utilizing flooded, valve regulated lead acid (VRLA), and modular battery cartridge (MBC) systems. This paper discusses the advantages and disadvantages of these three lead-acid battery technologies.

Do data center and network room UPS systems use lead-acid batteries?

Although alternative energy storage technologies such as fuel cells, flywheels, lithium ion, and nickel cadmium batteries are being explored (see White Paper 65, Comparing Data Center Batteries, Flywheels, and Ultracapacitors for more details) data center and network room UPS systems almost exclu-sively utilize lead-acid batteries.

Why do data centers need lead-acid battery systems?

Lead-acid cell battery systems also take up a lot of room, which equates to more money for the data center operators. The data center industry continues to look for better and more efficient ways to replace the current battery systems. The first innovation is Lithium-Ion battery technology.

What are the different types of lead-acid batteries?

Lead-acid batteries come in several varieties, including wet batteries, sealed or SLA batteries, gel batteries, and AGM batteries. All of these batteries use electron transfer to store power, but what medium allows for electron transfer varies.

What standards are used in a battery room?

Common standards in the battery room include those from American Society of Testing Materials (ASTM) and Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE). Model codes are standards developed by committees with the intent to be adopted by states and local jurisdictions.

Are SLA batteries better than lead-acid batteries?

SLA batteries are a bit more durable than standard lead-acid batteries since they are completely sealed in the case. The technology is the same, but the maintenance requirements are much lower, making them a better long-term option for many telecom systems.