Context and challenges of fire and thermal safety in emerging energy technologies (BESS, SMR)
ELIT develops dedicated fire safety and thermal insulation solutions, BESS SMR, to meet the new challenges of energy technologies.
The energy transition is accelerating the emergence of storage and decentralized production technologies with unprecedented requirements. Stationary batteries (BESS), microgrids, modular reactors (SMR)... These compact, powerful and often containerized systems are transforming infrastructures, but also introducing new constraints, particularly in terms of fire safety, thermal resistance and certification.
These constraints are not just regulatory: they also affect the reliability, availability and longevity of installations. The industry is faced with a simple technical reality: conventional insulation solutions are no longer sufficient. Protection must now be seen as a structural component of the system.
New technical challenges for BESS and SMR systems
Heat, compactness and thermal runaway management
Modern energy storage and production systems, such as BESS or SMR, concentrate high levels of energy in small volumes. This densification calls for fine-tuned heat management, with materials capable of withstanding sudden rises in temperature, while retaining their mechanical and insulating properties.
Regulatory constraints: focus on the UL9540A standard
Added to this is the issue of thermal runaway, which can trigger a destructive chain reaction, as well as strict standards requirements, notably UL9540A, which imposes a high level of fire safety for battery systems, including in residential and commercial applications.
Limits of conventional isolation approaches
In the face of these risks, conventional approaches (metal enclosures + basic insulation) are showing their limitations. Compact systems require high-performance fireproofing and thermal insulation solutions, with minimal thickness. Sector players are therefore looking for partners capable of combining engineering, advanced materials and customization capabilities.
ELIT 's answer to fire safety and thermal insulation BESS SMR
Over 90 years' expertise in industrial insulation
For over 90 years, ELIT has been designing, manufacturing and integrating thermal insulation and fire protection solutions for the most demanding industrial environments. This know-how, historically applied to boilers, steam systems, motors and cryogenic equipment, has now found a natural extension to emerging technologies in the energy sector.
Advanced technical materials (calcium silicate, composites, thermal textiles)
We master a wide range of technical materials: calcium silicates, composites , technical textiles, multilayers, intumescent barriers and microporous solutions. All are selected and dimensioned according to precise criteria: thermal range, mechanical strength, dimensional stability, fire behavior and regulatory compliance.
Customized solutions for fire safety and thermal insulation BESS SMR
Over and above the catalog approach, ELIT favors a made-to-measure approach. Our teams are involved right from the design phase, adapting solutions to the technical requirements of the project: limited thickness, integration in containers, absence of toxic emissions, ease of assembly/disassembly, etc.
Supporting innovation: ELIT's approach to emerging technologies
These new markets - battery storage, modular nuclear power, on-board generation - are still in their infancy, sometimes lacking in standardization, and constantly evolving. Many manufacturers are reluctant to enter these markets without guarantees. At ELIT, we have made the opposite choice: we are already supporting start-ups, engineering laboratories and pilot projects in these areas.
We know that in these upstream phases, needs evolve rapidly: we need to be able to test, adjust and prototype without losing time. That's why we have structured our organization to meet these challenges:
- reactivity of technical teams,
- capacity to prototype and pre-machine by the unit,
- materials available in stock or short sourcing,
- dedicated contacts for co-design.
Supporting innovative projects is not an extra for us: it's a logical extension of our business as a field industrialist, serving new critical applications.
Use cases: compact, critical and standardized environments
Fireproof insulation for containerized BESS systems
Today's technologies demand insulation solutions capable of reconciling thermal performance, fire resistance, small footprint and regulatory compliance. This is precisely what market players are looking for when tackling the integration of systems such as BESS, SMR or mobile energy production units.
In BESS (Battery Energy Storage Systems) systems, often integrated into standard containers, solutions must simultaneously contain a fire for several hours, limit thermal propagation between racks, and maximize the space available for cells. The right choice of material can provide up to 20% extra battery capacity (source: https: //www.promat.com/en-us/industry/markets/sustainable-energy/battery-storage/ ) at constant volume. The UL9540A standard imposes very high levels of fire performance, with full-scale testing.
Compact thermal solutions for Small Modular Reactors
On the nuclear side, Small Modular Reactors are often deployed in containerized formats or in transportable modules. Here, thermal shock, long-term material resistance and compactness are decisive criteria. High-density calcium silicates, machined rigid composites and heat-resistant textile materials find their place in enclosures, cooling circuits or compartmentalization barriers.
Applications in offshore environments and extreme climates
Finally, in offshore environments or harsh environments (isolated stations, extreme climates), expectations also include resistance to humidity, corrosion and chemical aggression, all requirements that our materials and processes are already capable of meeting.
Conclusion: securing energy innovation with ELIT
The rise of decentralized energy production and storage technologies is overturning industry standards. These systems impose unprecedented thermal and fire constraints, often in more compact, more sensitive and more exposed formats.
In this context, the ability to design high-performance, adaptable and regulated insulation solutions becomes a differentiating factor. This is precisely where ELIT is positioned: by placing its expertise, materials and industrial roots at the service of emerging technologies.
Whether it's a prototype, pilot or roll-out project, we know that the right technical choices are made upstream. And that an experienced, responsive and field-oriented partner can make all the difference.
Are you working on a battery system, an SMR module or an innovative energy project?
Call on an expert partner for your BESS SMR fire safety and thermal insulation projects, and secure your innovative systems.
