Underground » Maintenance
Existing intrinsically safe (IS) power supply units are difficult to deploy underground as they are very large and heavy. They also use lead acid technology. This project was undertaken to produce a light weight and compact I.S. portable 12VDC UPS with an extended capacity of up to but not limited to 50Ah capacity, which was achieved by using lithium Iron (LiFePO4) cells.
The original intention was to supply a clean 12VDC @ 2 Amps power to underground field devices such as WAP'S, cameras, sensors, communications routers and LED lighting and personnel tracking systems.
The proposed finished weight of the UPS unit, which was originally estimated to be 10 - 12kg ended up being 18kg. The additional weight was due to the need to enhance protection for the battery cells, in case of a failure of these battery cells, combined with additional encapsulant material compared to the original design.
The project has completed a draft Test Report Summary and an IECEx Test Report that allowed KRS to nominate and build 10 units for unit verification and field deployment for proof of concept.