Saft Li-ion batteries move into telecom market in outdoor BTS

N° 17-10
Saft Li-ion batteries move into telecom market in outdoor BTS
cabinets for Latin American Tetrapol network
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b+w Electronic Systems selected Saft’s Intensium 3 as the optimum battery
technology capable of performing in the high temperatures, reaching up to +50°C ,
encountered in its advanced outdoor cabinet
EADS Defence & Security is deploying outdoor cabinets fitted with Saft Intensium 3
battery systems to extend the Tetrapol communications network for customers in
Latin America
Paris, May 5, 2010 – Saft, the world specialist in the design and manufacture of advanced
industrial batteries, is now supplying its Intensium 3 high performance, maintenance free lithiumion (Li-ion) batteries for a telecom BTS (Base Transceiver Station) power backup application. b+w
Electronic Systems, the German system integrator, has used Saft’s high energy Intensium 3 rackmount Li-ion battery system to create a new generation, passively-cooled, outdoor cabinet that
delivers increased reliability and substantial power savings in even the most demanding
operational conditions. EADS Defence & Security is currently deploying the b+w outdoor cabinets
in a project to expand the Tetrapol digital radio communication network used by security forces in
Latin America.
“We developed the new outdoor cabinets to meet the needs of our customer, EADS Defence &
Security, that sees more energy-efficient, passively-cooled, cabinets as the future for BTS
installations, says Dirk Weniger, Business Unit Manager for Telecom Products at b+w Electronic
Systems. “The elevated temperatures inside the cabinet, combined with daily cycling, are a real
challenge for battery life, especially in Latin America where they can reach +50°C. We found Saft’s
Li-ion batteries to be capable of delivering a long service life in these conditions, with the added
benefit of high energy density and being maintenance free ” so they are vital to the success of the
project.”
Innovative design with passive cooling
The b+w advanced outdoor cabinet includes a number of important innovations including: the use
of a solar panel to supply additional power that reduces the site’s overall power consumption; Liion batteries that allow higher operating temperatures combined with high cycling capability;
sophisticated adaptive power management; passive cooling that eliminates the need for air
conditioning or heat exchangers. These all result in a container that requires up to 85 percent less
power than a conventional container design.
Role of backup battery
The BTS cabinet incorporates a rectifier to convert the AC power from the mains supply to the DC
power required for the operation of the base station and other embedded equipment. Should the
AC supply be interrupted, the 48 V battery provides backup power to maintain continuity of
operation for a few hours – sufficient to allow bridging to an alternative supply or for controlled
shutdown.
Intensium 3 Li-ion battery system
Saft is supplying its Intensium 3, high energy 3U rack-mount Li-ion battery system for the b+w
outdoor cabinets. This compact battery system is designed specifically to provide power backup for
remote or outside telecom plant. It is maintenance free and offers fast recharging and high energy
efficiency as well as a long service life at elevated temperatures – 10 years at a constant +40°C (in
this application the normal internal cabinet temperature will range from +30°C to +45°C, with peaks
of +50°C).
The 48 V Intensium 3 battery systems have a typical capacity of 45 Ah and provide 2,300 Wh
energy in a 19” plug-in module that weighs 24 kg. Saft supplied a number of trial battery systems to
b+w in 2008 and is now making volume shipments as EADS Defence & Security rolls the new
outdoor cabinets out through Latin America.
About Saft
Saft (Euronext: Saft) is a world specialist in the design and manufacture of high-tech batteries for industry.
Saft batteries are used in high performance applications, such as industrial infrastructure and processes,
transportation, space and defence. Saft is the world’s leading manufacturer of nickel batteries for industrial
applications and of primary lithium batteries for a wide range of end markets. The group is also the European
leader for specialised advanced technologies for the defence and space industries and world leader in
lithium-ion satellite batteries. Saft is also delivering its lithium-ion technology to the emerging applications of
clean vehicles and renewable energy storage. With approximately 4,000 employees worldwide, Saft is
present in 18 countries. Its 15 manufacturing sites and extensive sales network enable the group to serve its
customers worldwide. Saft is listed in the SBF 120 index on the Paris Stock Market.
For more information, visit Saft at www.saftbatteries.com
Press contacts
Jill Ledger, Saft Communications Director, Tel: + 33 1 49 93 17 77
e-mail: [email protected]
Marie-Christine Guihéneuf, Saft IBG Communication Manager, Tel: + 33 1 49 93 17 16
e-mail : [email protected]
Andrew Bartlett, Six Degrees, Tel: + 44 (0) 1628 480280
e-mail: [email protected]