Wärtsilä has completed a landmark series of full-scale tests for its proprietary Active Ignition Mitigation System (AIMS), marking a major advancement in battery energy storage system (BESS) safety.
Designed to prevent flammable gas build-up during thermal runaway events, AIMS positions Wärtsilä among the first BESS integrators to validate an integrated explosion control system under extreme conditions.
In July, three rigorous tests were conducted in the United States using Wärtsilä’s Quantum2 containerised BESS enclosure. Each test simulated worst-case thermal runaway scenarios, releasing a flammable gas blend – based on UL 9540A CATL 306Ah cell-level testing – at multiple internal points over two minutes. Witnessed by a major utility, a fire alarm vendor, and a third-party consultant, the tests confirmed AIMS’ ability to prevent uncontrolled deflagrations and maintain enclosure integrity.
“AIMS is more than just a technical upgrade – it represents a paradigm shift in energy storage safety,” said Mishaal SyedNaveed, product manager, Fire Protection at Wärtsilä Energy Storage. “We believe true safety starts well before gases build up as a result of thermal runaway.”
Unlike traditional containment systems, AIMS takes a proactive approach by safely igniting flammable gases before they accumulate. Using sparker systems and door-mounted deflagration panels, the system neutralises threats early, reducing the risk of panel activation and structural damage.
“This test is a first-of-its-kind in the industry,” added Tamara De Gruyter, president of Wärtsilä Energy Storage.
Wärtsilä gathered extensive data – visual, temperature, pressure and UV/IR – to further its commitment to innovation and safety.
