Batteries in an Energy-Conscious World: How Can Batteries Help You Save?

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  Orlando, Florida, April 27 to 29, 2009
International Stationary Battery Conference 
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Schedule

Here are all the papers, presentations, panels, workshops, and activities scheduled for Battcon 2009. We post at the last minute so presenters can report on the absolute latest data. You may download the official 2009 Program Guide in April.

All conference and trade show events are at the Gaylord Palms Resort in Kissimmee, Florida, just outside Orlando.

The conference runs Monday through Wednesday, April 27 to 29. Extra activities are on Sunday, April 26.

The schedule below is subject to change.

 

 

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Special Activities

Click the links for full descriptions.

Special Activities
Sunday, 26 April 2009

7:00AM Golf Note new time
Bus departs outside the transportation lobby entrance.


1:30PM to 5:30PM Battery Basics Seminar
(0.4 CEU's awarded)
Instructors: Garth Corey, Rick Tressler

Do I use the same charge voltage for all my different batteries? What is the impact of using the wrong charge voltage? When is a battery operating in a cycling environment? A standby/float environment? What are the management differences? What are some of the more predominant battery failure mechanisms? What can be done to avoid and control them? How can I get the most life out of my batteries? This session can help. Our two instructors spend the afternoon discussing fundamentals of the lead-acid battery.

This $99 seminar helps you better understand batteries and the material presented at the conference. Click the Education button for more.
Daytona, Sanibel or Tallahassee Room


1:30PM to 5:30 PM
Beyond the Fundamentals Seminar:
Advanced Topics in Lead-Acid Batteries
(0.4 CEU's awarded)
Instructors: Curtis Ashton, Steve Clark

This seminar provides additional, in-depth information for attendees who need a more intense understanding of their battery systems. Beyond the Fundamentals explores five key topic areas that will assist in understanding more about what goes on inside as well as outside a battery. These topics include discussions on the following:

  • Advanced lead acid fundamentals.
  • Application, selection, and considerations for both conventional flooded and VRLA types.
  • Data collection, record keeping, IEEE recommendations, warranty, and trending health.
  • Failure modes, the aging process, warranty issues, and end of life determination.
  • Periodic visual inspection criteria, where problems arise, and causes of troubles throughout the service life of a battery.

This $99 seminar helps you better understand batteries and the material presented at the conference. Click the Education button for more.
Daytona, Sanibel or Tallahassee Room


1:30PM to 5:30PM
Focus On: Advanced Technologies
(
0.4 CEU's awarded)
Instructors: Jim McDowall, Mike Nispel

This tutorial seminar focuses on
one specific topic. The topic changes year by year.

Should you consider an advanced battery technology for your application? What about non-battery technologies such as flywheels or EDLC's? Or a fuel cell? What is the difference between a supercapacitor and an ultracapacitor? The first half of this session provides an understanding of emerging electricity storage technologies and their advantages and disadvantages compared to traditional battery types.

The second session half addresses lithium-ion batteries in the stationary market. Why are lithium-ion batteries described as being the ultimate battery? What makes them different from lead acid? Are there downsides? This session will inform you of the pros and cons of lithium-ion batteries in regards to performance, maintenance and safety for stationary applications.

This $99 seminar helps you better understand batteries and the material presented at the conference. Click the Education button for more.
Daytona, Sanibel or Tallahassee Room


4:00PM to 8:00PM Conference Check-In
Registration 1, Near Sun Ballroom A


4:00PM to 10:00PM Trade Show Exhibitor Setup

Exhibit Hall D


Special Activities

Monday, 27 April 2009

10:30AM to 1:00PM Trade Show Exhibitor Setup
Exhibit Hall D


Proposed 2009 Papers and Schedule

Below is the tentative schedule for papers, panels and workshops for Battcon 2009. Times and presentations are subject to change.

Conference Day 1, Monday

Monday, 27 April 2009

7:00AM Conference Check-In
Registration 1, Near Sun Ballroom A

7:00AM to 5:00PM Internet Café
Sponsored by EnerSys

Sun 1

7:00AM Speaker Ready Room
Breakfast for today’s presenters of papers.
Sun 3

7:00AM Continental Breakfast
Sun Lobby, Outside Sun Ballroom A

8:00AM Opening Ceremonies
Sun Ballrooms A and B

8:30AM Presentations 1, 2, 3

Batteries as part of an energy efficient infrastructure.
Dan Lambert
Product Line Manager
APC by Schneider Electric

Paper description not available.

Energy-saving batteries: Green or greenwash?
Jim McDowall
Business Development Manager, North America
SAFT America, Inc.

Are some batteries as “green” as their manufacturers claim, or is this an attempt at greenwash? This paper puts such claims in perspective while discussing various ways in which batteries can generate significant energy savings.

How automotive battery developments will influence future stationary batteries.
Dan Cox
Technical Support Manager
Midtronics, Inc.

This paper discusses the changes that are coming as world demand for batteries continues to evolve.

Presenter Panel Discussion and Q&A

10:00AM Break

10:30AM Presentations 4, 5, 6

Hurricane restoration: Tales from the field.
Mike O'Brien
Technical Services Manager
Nolan Power Group, LLC

You survived the hurricane, but did your batteries?  This paper describes the unseen damage that hurricanes and other natural disasters can inflict on battery systems and how to mitigate the damage.  Also addressed are what you will face and need to prepare for during hurricane/disaster recovery.

Tips and tricks for battery service technicians.
Rick Tressler
Senior Training Engineer
Albér

Battery field service technicians are faced with decisions on a daily basis that affect continued operational status of this vitally important subsystem. This paper discusses several popular “nuts and bolts” topics and related questions the author routinely is asked in training classes.

An end-user’s experience with a comprehensive preventative maintenance program and the IOVR process.
Tom Schreck
Lead Power Engineer
XO Communications

This paper examines the value and benefits of scheduled DC plant preventative maintenance and incorporation of the IOVR process on VRLA batteries. Examples of what we observed are presented.

Presenter Panel Discussion and Q&A

12:00PM Lunch
Sun Ballrooms C and D

1:30PM Panel 1
Quality vs. Cost, Part 1: The Manufacturers.

The panel will focus on quality control regarding VRLA UPS batteries during the manufacturing process. What are the minimum quality steps that must be performed during the manufacturing process? What quality steps must be completed during and after formation and before the batteries are shipped to the end-user? What can the end-users expect when these quality steps are not performed? What have the manufacturers changed in their processes based on failure reports? This panel of experts attempts to answer these questions.

Dale Campbell, Chair, Mike Berger, John Gagge, Jason Searl, Rod Shane

3:00PM Break

3:30PM Panel 2
War Stories, Misses, Near Misses and Battery Myths: The Stationary Battery Darwin Awards.

Stationary battery systems have been improperly applied and improperly installed for as long as there have been stationary batteries. What are some of the lessons we can learn from these stories?  This panel's "battery sages" recount war stories, misses, near misses and myths. The audience will have the opportunity to vote on the most deserved Darwin Award.

Lesley Varga, Chair, Steve Clark, Pete DeMar, Dan McMenamin, Mike O'Brien

5:00PM Session Ends

5:30PM to 7:00PM Outdoor Cocktail Party
Sponsored by East Penn
Appetizers served outdoors. The main course food and reception continue inside in the Trade Show area starting at 6:30.
On the Piazza

6:30PM to 10:00PM Trade Show and Reception
Sponsored by East Penn
Exhibit Hall D

10:00PM to 1:00AM Reception with Live Music
Sponsored by East Penn / Deka Unigy

With live music by the Fabulous Fleetwoods.
Sun Ballroom C


Conference Day 2, Tuesday

Tuesday, 28 April 2009

7:00AM to 5:00PM Internet Café
Sponsored by EnerSys

Sun 1

7:00AM Speaker Ready Room
Breakfast for today’s presenters of papers.
Sun 3

7:00AM Continental Breakfast
Sun Lobby, Outside Sun Ballroom A

8:00AM Opening Remarks
Sun Ballrooms A and B

8:15AM Presentations 7, 8, 9

EPA Requirements for stationary batteries: You can’t navigate this toxic swamp without a map!
Steve McCluer
Senior Manager, External Codes and Standards
APC by Schneider Electric

EPA has lots of forms, rules and regulations. You’d better know what they are for batteries or it could cost you a lot of money. This presentation tells you what you need to do and when, where, how and why to do it.

Good intentions poorly executed: Code "bloopers" for stationary battery systems.
Dan McMenamin
President
Dan McMenamin and Associates, Inc.

Codes are supposed to make life safer, and that’s a good thing.  But sometimes the code makers – or enforcers – simply get it wrong.  This presentation gives several examples of best intentions gone bad for battery systems.

Battery handling into and at the installation site: Are you doing it right?
J. Allen Byrne
Engineering, Training, and Technical Support Manager
Interstate PowerCare

Most accidents that happen in stationary battery locations occur when batteries are being delivered, installed, replaced or removed. This paper examines the current battery handling techniques and problems, including transporting, moving and positioning batteries. Codes are examined to determine what is applicable. The lack of specific codes and standards is also highlighted and discussed. The paper offers possible and realistic solutions. Special attention is paid to personnel and equipment safety issues and code compliance.

Presenter Panel Discussion and Q&A

9:45AM Break

10:15AM Presentations 10, 11, 12

Traditional float charges: Are they suited to stationary antimony-free lead-acid batteries?
T.M. Phuong Nguyen
PhD Student
EDF R&D, Université de Montpellier II

VRLA batteries have been developed and used for about 30 years in backup applications. They have shown several advantages compared to flooded lead acid batteries, but limitations have also been observed concerning their reliability and service life. This has driven Electricite de France (EDF) to develop an improved storage architecture, with an integrated, new method of maintaining the charge for VRLA batteries.

Long duration duty cycle requirements: Is the lead acid battery still a viable backup energy source?
Wieland Rusch
Senior Advisor, Research and Development
BAE Batterien GmbH

With the acceleration of newer alternative energy sources, including photovoltaic, wind farms and passive nuclear designs, a focus on long-duration duty cycles for lead-acid batteries, up to 96 hours or longer, is now required.  Testing to IEEE 535 and IEC 61.427 demonstrate the ability of both VLA and VRLA designs using a tubular plate technology to satisfy those objectives.  This paper will discuss the results of these tests to date.

Lead-antimony, lead-calcium, lead-selenium, VRLA, Ni-Cd: What’s in a name?
Steve Clark
Senior Engineer
Bechtel Power Corp.

Users are continuously bombarded by manufacturers and representatives extolling the virtues of their products and technologies.  Without extensive research, it can be difficult for a user purchasing a new or replacement battery to separate marketing hype from fact.  In simple terms, if the perfect battery existed, then we wouldn't have the number of battery companies, types and technologies that exist.  When we, as users, purchase a battery, it is our job is to find the best battery for the application with the minimum life cycle cost.

Presenter Panel Discussion and Q&A

11:45AM Lunch
Sun Ballroom C and D

1:15PM Panel 3
Cost versus Quality from the User's Perspective.

This panel examines the myriad considerations facing a user deciding whether to purchase a battery system based on lowest initial cost or on quality. While there is no single answer, we will discuss the pro’s and con’s to each purchasing decision comparing cost to quality. From system footprint to expected system life, all will be offered up for discussion. If you have a question or an item you'd like the panel to address, please submit it for consideration.

Pete DeMar, Chair, Terry Chapman, Tim Furlong, Howard Nudi, Tom Schreck, Keith Shearon

2:45PM Break

3:15PM UPS Workshop (concurrent session)

UPS Batteries: What’s the Real Story? This will be an interactive session where we will encourage the audience to share their knowledge and experience to help us understand the challenges of designing, installing, and maintaining a UPS battery installation. We will focus on the various maintenance, design, installation, and occupancy considerations.

The actual content of this audience-driven workshop will vary depending on interaction of the attendees.

Co-Moderators: Dale Campbell, Jaime Mayol, Ed Rafter

3:15PM Utility Workshop (concurrent session)

Adaptability of DC Power Systems for Today's Electric Utility Applications. How are the existing DC power systems adapting to new designs and regulatory requirements? Are new battery and charger technologies being adapted? How are reduced O&M budgets affecting reliability of electric utility DC power systems? What role can DC power systems play in the emerging alternative energy markets? These issues and many more will be discussed.

The actual content of this audience-driven workshop will vary depending on interaction of the attendees.

Co-Moderators: John Kim, Kurt Uhlir

3:15PM Telecom Workshop (concurrent session)

Telecom Battery Buzz. An interactive, round-the-room discussion on battery (and related) issues affecting the telecom industry, such as fallout from the Katrina order, what batteries to use in high temperature, outdoor environments, and whether fuel cells are a fad or here to stay.

The actual content of this audience-driven workshop will vary depending on interaction of the attendees.

Co-Moderators: Curtis Ashton, Dan McMenamin

5:15PM Session Ends

5:30PM to 9:30PM Combined Trade Show and Reception
Sponsored by BAE
Exhibit Hall D


Conference Day 3, Wednesday

Wednesday, 29 April 2009

7:00AM to 1:00PM Internet Café
Sponsored by EnerSys

Sun 1

7:00AM Speaker Ready Room
Breakfast for today’s presenters of papers.
Sun 3

7:00AM Continental Breakfast
Sun Lobby, Outside Sun Ballroom A

8:00AM Opening Remarks
Sun Ballrooms A and B

8:15AM Presentations 13, 14, 15, 16

Nine ways to murder your battery. (These are only some of the ways.)
Garth P. Corey
Energy Storage Systems Consultant
Ktech Corp

Many things contribute to early battery failures but most of them are reasonably easy to manage and control.  Learn what you can do to avoid murdering your battery.

Battery monitoring information management: Don’t drown in data while fishing for information.
Minturn S. Osborne
President
Power Agent Systems

Useful information is crucial to the proper maintenance and management of your backup battery supplies. Information for alarms, reports and trending needs to be accurate and timely. Whether you manage five sites, five hundred or five thousand, there are measurements to be taken and information to be gleaned!

Proper charger sizing for utility/stationary battery chargers.
Art Salander
Application Engineer / Business Development
HindlePower, Inc.

In these days of energy conservation, many applications seem to allow for oversizing of the battery charger. Oversizing is wasteful in the long run and results in a higher initial cost. The purpose of this presentation is to help ensure that utility battery chargers are properly sized.

Caveat emptor: Does your battery management plan actually meet your requirements?
George Pedersen
Business Development Manager
BTECH, Inc.

Very few customers ever question the value or interpretation of the parameters being used to report on the condition of the battery. As a result, the risk of battery failure may be much greater than they understood from the description of the product or services they purchased. This paper will examine how the value of a battery management program can be measured.

Presenter Panel Discussion and Q&A

10:15AM Break

10:45 Presentations 17, 18, 19

Stand-alone energy storage by batteries: New challenges for VRLA-AGM.
Bodo Brühl
Head of Research and Development / Acculabor
Oerlikon Stationary Batteries, Ltd.

Paper description not available.

Reserve power hybrid systems application of VRLA batteries.
Géry Bonduelle
Director, Design and Development, Europe
EnerSys

Remote sites with poor or no grid power often rely only on generators for their main electrical energy source. For optimized economics, users are evaluating VRLA batteries as a primary source, in combination with a diesel generator and/or photovoltaics. This could generate savings in fuel consumption and maintenance costs. This paper will describe how to select the right VRLA battery and the parameters to optimize its charging.

Redox flow energy storage for fluctuating renewable energies.
Jens Noack
Applied Electrochemistry
Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology

Due to increasing application of fluctuating renewable energy sources, energy storage has become a key technology. A better adjustment of the capacity of the reserves to the changing demands is possible when decentralized storage devices are applied, which are scalable in terms of power output and the amount of energy stored. Redox flow technology could be an economic and promising possibility for utility scale energy storage application.

12:15PM Panel 4: Ask the experts.
Box lunch served. Chat 'n Chew!

A panel of experts dedicated to resolving any remaining questions and issues you may have from previous presentations and panel discussions. New this year, you may submit a question now that will be reviewed by this panel and quite possibly discussed during the panel’s presentation. Submit a question now!

Curtis Ashton, Allen Byrne, Dale Campbell, Jim McDowall, Mike Nispel, Rick Tressler, Kurt Uhlir, Lesley Varga, Glenn Albér, Garth Corey

1:15PM Closing Ceremonies


 

 

 

 

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Last Updated 16 April 2009
 
 
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