Design Insights

With the growing emphasis on renewable energy and ESG concepts, the demand for energy storage is expected to rise steadily in the future. There are countless methods of energy storage, but if you plan to install outdoor energy storage equipment, what should you pay attention to in the design of its enclosures? Bliksen’s professional sheet metal designers offer 5 tips for your reference!

If the energy storage equipment is to be placed outdoors, the first thing to consider is the needs of the on-site assembly personnel. They are the first group to come into contact with the cabinets and energy storage equipment, and making their work easier will ensure the safety of subsequent operations. Therefore, it’s best to plan the wiring method in advance and create openings in suitable positions to make cable management both easy to maintain and aesthetically pleasing.

Next, you need to consider future maintenance issues. Convenient maintenance can extend the equipment's lifespan, so it’s important to think about: Who will be the maintenance personnel? How many people might be involved? Is the maintenance frequency high? Or is it an unmanned management system? These are all questions that need to be thought through in advance.

Of course, these personnel may not necessarily be internal colleagues and could involve outsourcing maintenance. However, at the very least, it’s important to roughly estimate the daily maintenance manpower required and whether frequent maintenance is needed. If many people are involved in maintenance or frequent inspections are required, the cabinet doors should not be too heavy to avoid causing maintenance difficulties.

Furthermore, cabinets are like furniture; there are various ways to open and close the doors. When designing, aside from considering the instruments or items inside, you can also determine the opening method based on ease of maintenance. For lift-up doors, it is recommended to keep the thickness between 1.2mm and 2mm, while for locking doors, the thickness can go up to 3mm.

While outdoor energy storage cabinets tend to prioritize practicality over aesthetics compared to indoor ones, they must withstand environmental erosion. Therefore, CO2 welding is often chosen, with full-perimeter welding on the inside and smoothing on the outside. This method not only speeds up the process but also ensures airtightness, significantly enhancing waterproof performance.

For control boxes made of iron materials (carbon steel), CO2 welding is the preferred method. Most of these control boxes undergo grinding after welding, followed by powder coating. Since the welds are covered after coating, the appearance is less affected, making CO2 welding an ideal choice.

However, for other metal sheets, the welding technique should be chosen based on the sheet's thickness and the specific location and purpose. This approach maximizes time and labor efficiency. For example, thinner sheets are prone to deformation if a long weld is used. In such cases, the commonly used CO2 welding might be replaced with more precise fiber laser welding for full-perimeter welding.

If deformation remains an issue, the welding technique can be switched to intermittent welding, supplemented with silicone to achieve a leak-proof effect. The choice of technique depends entirely on the design requirements, including tolerance and workpiece complexity. Some workpieces do not need to be entirely welded; if the sheet metal can be bent so that the long side of the enclosure forms a single piece, the short side can then be welded, avoiding the complications of joining two different metals.

In general, CO2 welding is primarily used due to its speed, with argon welding and fiber laser welding as secondary options. However, the practical choice of technique depends on factors such as material, purpose, design, strength, precision, and aesthetics. Whether or not aesthetics are a concern, it is advisable to address these considerations during the design phase. This allows a professional sheet metal processing plant to provide the most suitable suggestions, helping you save unnecessary costs and produce a product that meets the desired standards as quickly as possible.

As previously mentioned, the purpose of the cabinet affects the welding method. However, its placement also impacts not only the welding technique but also the structure and coating method.

Outdoor cabinets are typically located at power substations, hydro or wind power generation areas, and water storage facilities.

These areas, often situated far from residential zones or near water sources, require consideration of whether they are in consistently humid locations. If so, enhancing corrosion resistance is crucial.

If the location is subject to strong winds, the cabinet’s structural durability must be evaluated to prevent potential safety hazards.

For cabinets placed in high-temperature areas exposed to sunlight for extended periods, the UV rating of the paint should be considered, or heat-insulating paint can be used to protect the equipment inside.

While the design of the cabinet is influenced by people, environment, and usage, the nature of the items or instruments inside it plays an even more crucial role.

Outdoor cabinets typically house wiring, controllers, and monitoring equipment. Therefore, when designing enclosures for these instruments, it is essential to carefully consider the following:

• Is there a need for electrical conductivity?
• Is waterproofing required?
• Is corrosion resistance necessary?
• If these requirements exist, what standards must be met to ensure the safety of the equipment?

These factors will affect the choice of materials, construction methods, and paint for the cabinet. It is crucial to clarify these details in advance.

Apart from the considerations mentioned above, weight is also a crucial factor in cabinet design. This not only relates to the cabinet's thickness and safety but also has implications for future maintenance.

If the goal is to make the cabinet easy to maintain, then the thickness does not need to be too substantial. However, if the internal equipment has considerable weight, the load-bearing capacity of the components and the cabinet's thickness must be taken into account.

Generally, the thickness of the sheet metal for most outdoor energy storage cabinets does not exceed 6mm, as anything thicker could complicate the assembly process. Therefore, special attention is required during the design phase.

Cabinets and enclosures may seem simple, but outdoor cabinets face numerous environmental factors, making their design quite challenging and filled with various details to consider. Although BLIKSEN’s sheet metal designers have provided the professional advice mentioned above, there are certainly many scenarios that we have not covered in this article.

If you have any needs or questions regarding "outdoor cabinet design," please feel free to fill out our online inquiry form. We will promptly assess your requirements and work with you to discuss the best solution!