Vertiv unveils high-density lithium battery cabinets for installation in HPC data centers

Vertiv has introduced Vertiv EnergyCore battery cabinets. Factory assembled with LFP (Lithium-Iron-Phosphate) battery modules and Vertiv’s internally-powered battery management system, Vertiv EnergyCore cabinets are available globally and are qualified for use with most current and legacy three-phase Vertiv uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems, including the recently launched Vertiv Trinergy and Vertiv Liebert APM2.

 

Vertiv EnergyCore cabinets are optimized for five minutes’ end-of-life runtime at 263kWb per each compact, 24” wide (600mm) cabinet, and operate across a wide temperature range, making them suitable for high-density environments. Lithium batteries are more compact and lighter than VRLA alternatives, allowing users to deploy fewer battery cabinets in most applications. An internal two-hole lug eliminates the need for a conduit box, and the cabinets require no on-site external control wiring, reducing deployment time and cost compared to traditional on-site assembly. The cabinets are equipped with Vertiv’s intuitive interactive touch screen HMI display to provide visibility and control of the cabinet, operating system, and the installed batteries. 

The integrated battery management system is powered by the Vertiv EnergyCore batteries, removing the requirement for an external power source and simplifying installation. It provides lifetime onboard data storage, tracking performance over battery charge-discharge cycles, service events, and enabling accurate state-of-health reports that can be used for warranty support and predictive analytics.  

“The proliferation of artificial intelligence and other high-performance computing applications is putting a premium on the ability to deliver more power in smaller, hotter spaces,” said Milind Paranjape, Vice President of energy storage at Vertiv. “With our Vertiv EnergyCore battery cabinets, we are delivering exactly what our customers and our industry need – compact, high-density energy storage capable of operating safely and optimally. Simply put, these battery cabinets are designed for the emerging mission-critical needs of high-density computing environments.”

 

“The data center industry in India is experiencing rapid growth, pushing the limits of high-density computing and driving an unprecedented demand for energy-efficient, scalable solutions. Vertiv™ EnergyCore battery cabinets are designed to meet this need with a compact, space-saving design that simplifies deployment and maintenance. This innovation not only aligns with the evolving landscape of high-performance computing but also sets a new standard for energy efficiency in high-demand environments", said AS Prasad, Vice President - Product Management, Vertiv India. "At Vertiv, we’re committed to delivering cutting-edge IT infrastructure that adapts to our clients’ changing requirements and supports their continued growth.”

 

The modular design of Vertiv Trinergy allows each UPS core to be paired with dedicated Vertiv EnergyCore battery cabinets in a distributed architecture, enabling uninterrupted service for critical applications. Due to the density of the Vertiv EnergyCore design, only two lithium-ion battery cabinets are needed to support each 500kW Trinergy UPS core, versus the three cabinets that are required by most suppliers. The 250kW Vertiv Liebert APM2 requires just a single Vertiv EnergyCore cabinet, while the 500kW Liebert APM2 can be supported by two Vertiv EnergyCore battery cabinets at five minutes’ end of life. 

Vertiv EnergyCore is UL 1973 listed and has been successfully tested for compliance to UL 9540A standard for protection against thermal runaway fire propagation in battery energy storage systems, which, according to NFPA 855 ESS installation standards, means the three feet (92cm) spacing requirements between racks can be waived by the Authorities Having Jurisdiction. This can save space and speed deployment.