Overview

As part of the Cockerell School of Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin’s Fire Research Group works on a wide range of problems that include fire forensics, wildfires, community fire risk and loss assessments, and firefighter safety. Through their work they hope to develop a deeper understanding of fire and the effects of fire on our community, and strive to train and mentor the future generation of fire scientists and engineers.

The Fire Research Group (FRG) hired Clandestine to help them develop a custom battery enclosure, to simulate the effects when a bank of Lithium-ion batteries fail. When used in data centers and other commercial buildings, banks of Li-ion batteries are stored in rack enclosures. Instead of housing batteries, the FRG needed to house gas cylinders that release trace amounts of the same chemicals as batteries during failure. These chemicals can be detected during the simulation and provides a safe, and educational, environment to train firefighters on how to approach such situations.

We developed a full-sized, custom rack enclosure that can be broken down and easily shipped/transported to help train fire fighters all over the country. Our team of mechanical engineers developed a unique 2-piece enclosure that can be assembled in minutes in the field. Durable construction and materials were needed to stand up to the repeated transportation of the enclosure.

Project

Li-BESS Simulator and Training System

Client

The University of Texas at Austin – Fire Research Group

Services

Product Branding
Mechanical Engineering
Electronics Packaging
Prototyping
Low Volume Production

Industrial Design & Mechanical Engineering

  • Product Branding
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Electronics Packaging
  • Design-for-Manufacturability
  • Prototyping
  • Low Volume Production