ABSTRACT: This document contains the Telcordia view of generic requirements for a monitor to detect and mitigate thermal runaway in Valve Regulated Lead Acid (VRLA) batteries. VRLA batteries are deployed in confined locations, and their dense packing makes it difficult to dissipate the heat generated on charging. This excess heat can, under certain conditions, lead to thermal runaway. Two important causes of thermal runaway are high ambient temperatures and a shorted cell(s), which raise the charging voltage of the remaining cells.

The function of the monitor and controller is to detect the conditions that lead to thermal runaway and positively control the charging regime to reduce the heat build-up in the battery and, at the same time, to send alarms to the surveillance center to alert craftspersons to intervene and avoid damage to the battery and adjacent equipment.

GR-1515 replaced TA-NWT-001515.

When using GR-1515, you may need to refer to GR-63, GR-221, SR-332, GR-487, GR-1089, the NEC, and the NESC. You may also want to refer to TR-NWT-000154, TA-NWT-000406, SR-4228 (replaced TR-NWT-000766), and/or GR-1200.