The Runaway Review

From the Lab to the Rack: The Safety-Driven Design of Samsung SDI’s Lithium-ion Batteries

By combining Lithium Manganese Oxide (LMO) and Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (NMC) chemistries, Samsung SDI delivered a game-changing solution—one that redefined fast charging, high-current discharging, and robust energy capacity for the future of reliable backup power.

C&D Pure Lead Max Battery

When compared to most VRLA counterparts, this pure lead battery chemistry delivers proven reliability, faster recharge times, and superior performance in demanding environments. It is also a standout choice for areas that do not allow lithium-ion.

Sodium-Ion

Sodium-ion development was overshadowed by the commercial promise of Lithium-ion in the 1990s. Sodium-ion batteries experienced a newfound interest in the 2010s. Let’s discuss which Sodium-ion chemistries could impact the UPS industry.

AI’s Influence on UPS Battery Technology

Sizing a UPS battery to accommodate the new AI load demands will become increasingly more challenging. Here we discuss the industry’s path ahead.

Exploring the Five Main Lithium-Ion Battery Chemistries for UPS Use Cases

It is extremely important to select the right lithium-ion battery chemistry for your UPS use case. Let’s dive into the five main chemistries and discuss their primary use cases.

How to Select the Best Battery Chemistry for UPS Battery Backup Applications

Determining the best UPS battery for your application can feel like a daunting task. Let’s take a simple approach to a few complicated metrics: Safety, Sustainability, Purchase Price, and TCO. 

Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (NMC)

As technology and the needs in the market changed to require an increase in energy density and cobalt-reduced NMC batteries, new variants of NMC were designed. Many of the variants had increased Nickel content and decreased Cobalt and Manganese content. 

Nickel Zinc

NiZn batteries have been around since the early 1900s, but the use of nickel hydroxide anode and zinc oxide cathode with a proprietary brand electrolyte has advanced the use of Nickel-Zinc batteries in many designs, including Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) systems.

Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP)

LFP or Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFEPO₄) is a battery that typically uses a graphite or carbon electrode with a metallic backing as an anode. The cathode material, as the name implies, is typically some chemical make-up or mix of Lithium Iron Phosphate.