Explosion Hazards and Protection for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)
Presented by: Dr. Lorenz Boeck
Thermal runaway events in Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) can result in fires and explosions, posing risks to assets and people including emergency responders. Current safety standards such as NFPA 855 provide guidance on mitigating BESS explosion risks. Understanding and properly implementing such guidance while leveraging best practice in explosion protection engineering is paramount for the safe adoption of energy storage technology.
This presentation addresses BESS explosion safety through dual lenses: understanding the hazard and developing sound risk mitigation solutions. First, the explosion hazard is introduced based on thermal runaway mechanisms and battery vent gas characteristics, including a brief summary of the UL 9540A test methodology. Second, NFPA 855 requirements along with explosion prevention and mitigation options from NFPA 69 and 68 are discussed, providing practical examples and highlighting critical design aspects and implications on safety performance.
Attendees will gain practical understanding of BESS explosion hazard fundamentals, current regulatory requirements, and proven engineering approaches for implementing effective protection.
Sponsorship Opportunity: Consider becoming a drink sponsor for the networking session (register as part of the event).
3:00 - 4:30 PM: Board of Directors Meeting (Members Welcome)
4:30 - 5:00 PM: Registration & Cocktails
5:00 - 6:00 PM: Dinner and Program
6:00 - 7:00 PM: Cocktails and Networking
Dinner: Chef’s Choice Buffet including soup, two salads, two entrées, starch, vegetable, dessert display, coffee, and tea. Please email program@sfpe-newengland.org with any dietary restrictions.
Speaker Bio:
Dr. Lorenz Boeck is the Chief Scientific Officer at REMBE® Inc., a global leader in explosion and process safety, where he oversees the company’s scientific program. Prior to joining REMBE® Inc., he held research positions at FM Global, California Institute of Technology, Queen's University, and Technical University of Munich. Dr. Boeck is an Adjunct Professor at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute teaching Explosion Protection Engineering and serves on technical committees including NFPA, ASME, and CSA, and on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Loss Prevention in the Process Industries. His contributions to the field include over 70 peer-reviewed research publications that earned numerous accolades, including the John H.S. Lee Award, Distinguished Paper Award at the International Symposium on Combustion, William M. Carey Award, and multiple international best-paper awards. With over 15 years of research experience in academia and industry, Dr. Boeck has led programs to assess and mitigate explosion risks across various sectors including nuclear, aerospace, energy, food and beverage, wood products, and general manufacturing. His expertise spans a wide range of explosion hazards encompassing gas, dust, hybrid, energetic-material, batteries, and physical explosions. Dr. Boeck has extensive experience in large-scale and laboratory-scale testing, as well as in the testing and certification of explosion protection systems such as deflagration vents, suppression systems, and isolation systems.
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