BEAT©

Cutting Down on Backup CostsLife Cycle and Capacity Increase for Lead Acid Batteries

Power to Connect the World A stable power supply is essential for reliable and affordable telecommunications services. Many networks, however, rely on unstable electric grids. A lead acid battery backup is the most widely used solution to power fluctuations. Despite many advantages, operating conditions put a strain on the batteries. WaveTech’s technology and product line improves their performance in all respects. Find out how its adoption helps you slash battery and related costs!

Battery Back-ups are Expensive

Due to their low price and high reliability, lead batteries are

expected to dominate the backup market for years to come.

One transmission site can be equipped with up to eight

48V systems that take over when the grid fails. In addition,

large sites are supported by up to 100 data boosters with

their own backup systems. The sheer number of batteries

makes them a significant cost factor from acquisition

through to scrapping.

Vulnerable to Climatic Challenges

While extreme cold can reduce battery capacity, hot

weather accelerates ageing—in both cases batteries suffer

in terms of capacity, reliability and service life. Where

outside temperature averages 30°C it can even be twice as

hot inside the battery shed. Under such conditions one out

of three batteries does not make it past the first year.

Temperature filters or special heating, ventilation and air

conditioning systems diminish climatic effects. But they are

expensive and consume much energy. Besides, they address

only one of the many stress factors for batteries. And many

sites are too remotely located for such measures so that

battery aging proceeds unchecked.

Grid Fluctuations Put Batteries under Stress

Where electric grids are unstable, backups run about half

the day. Fluctuations range from several hours to short

disruptions, which particularly drain batteries. Assisting

generators then make up for their dwindling capacity.

Thus, fuel often accounts for 60% of a site’s operating costs.

Where environmental regulations put pressure on

companies to limit CO2 emissions, battery performance is

therefore of financial and environmental significance.

Batteries within one system also receive different charge

voltages so that some deteriorate faster than others. Such

differing discharge profiles endanger the whole battery

string making either scrapping costs or maintenance efforts

go to excess. Operators therefore go to great lengths to

optimize battery performance, e.g. regularly checking

battery capacity and regrouping units.

Besides these key factors for battery aging, many sites are

so remotely located that maintenance is cost and time

consuming. Also, the combination of different battery

systems can cause harmful imbalances. BEAT© counters all of

these challenges. Discover the technology that puts you in

control.

Pay as You Save

Skip the initial investment in new technology and

start saving money on your battery backup right

away. You will enjoy all the benefits of our proven

technology at no financial risk. We deliver and install

the products free of charge. You pay back a fraction

of the savings it enables you to make over time.

Discover how WaveTech’s contracting model turns

battery optimization upside down!

Crystal Control Technology® at a GlanceCrystal Control Technology® leads to significant improvements in battery capacity and life span by manipulating the electrochemical processes in lead acid batteries. It enables surface control of the electrodes and increases the reaction sites.

Lead batteries store energy by means of a chemical reaction

between lead and lead dioxide at the electrodes and

sulphuric acid. The different electrode surface materials

generate voltage. The most detrimental effects on battery

capacity and life are the growth of lead sulphate crystals on

both electrodes, which destroys the imbalance of the

surfaces, and a lack of density in lead dioxide crystals on the

positive electrode, which reduces the energy density.

During charging, lead sulphate is dissolved and the lead

dioxide layer is renewed, but not completely. With every

cycle, the unwanted crystals form an increasingly

impenetrable barrier while lead dioxide crystals tend to

bind to existing crystals in a heap instead of distributing

evenly across the electrode surface. Over time, the battery

loses its capacity.

Crystal Control Technology® slows down battery ageing by

using overvoltage pulses to manipulate the charging

process. This creates more overvoltage at the battery

electrodes and the additional energy in electrolyte helps to

increase the movement of the ions with three beneficial

effects:

• Residual lead sulphate is more effectively dissolved from

both electrodes, increasing battery life span

• Lead dioxide forms a more even coating on the positive

electrode, increasing battery capacity

• Charge efficiency is increased

Independent research institutes have tested BEAT© and

verified its effectiveness. It has been validated by MIRA Ltd.

(UK), SINTEF Materials and Chemistry (Norway) as well as

various battery manufacturers, and is already successfully

employed around the globe.

Find out more about

Crystal Control Technology®

Ageing process in untreated batteries

Renewal with Crystal Control Technology®

At the positive electrode, lead dioxide crystals form heaps that reduce the reaction site

Lead sulphate crystals are not effectively dissolved and form a physical barrier on the negative electrode

Lead dioxide forms an even coating on the positive electrode to renew the reaction site

The increased ion movement effectively rids the nega-tive electrode of lead sulphate crystals

BEAT©—the Innovation for More Energy Make the most of your batteries by using BEAT©. Especially designed to make uninterrupted power supply units (UPS) more reliable and efficient, BEAT© delivers improved performance and significant savings. It employs WaveTech’s patented Crystal Control Technology®, which benefits batteries in various ways.

Longer Service Life

The useful life of a battery depends on its

operating conditions. Replacement averages two

years or less where batteries are exposed to hot

climate and poor operating conditions.

Crystal Control Technology® has been proven to

double the useful life of a battery under the

harshest conditions. Even when applied to worn

batteries, BEAT© has stopped the ageing

process. Batteries that last twice as long cut

battery costs in half.

Higher Capacity

The progressive reduction of the reaction site,

and the lack of lead dioxide crystals, within the

battery causes its capacity to dwindle. This results

in shorter discharge times and a decrease in

discharge current, both of which affect battery

reliability and operating costs.

Batteries treated with Crystal Control

Technology® show improved capacity retention.

Even after repeated charge cycles, their capacity

is 340% higher than that of untreated batteries.

Already weak batteries show restored

performance by reaching higher voltages and

discharging more slowly than before.

BEAT© is a light-weight, hand-sized add-on that is easily attached to the battery by means of its flexible connecting cables

Optimised Charging Process

Charging conditions in UPS systems are seldom

ideal for batteries. Frequent disruptions mean

short run times and often incomplete charging.

Due to higher capacity retention with BEAT©,

batteries need less frequent recharging and

charge about 14% faster. It also requires 20%

less current, because the batteries accept

higher voltages.

Less Sensitive to Extreme Temperatures

Devices that regulate the temperature and

ventilation of backup batteries are expensive and

need additional power supply.

BEAT© renders batteries less sensitive to extreme

temperatures. Batteries have demonstrated

improved stability under extreme climate

conditions ranging from -20°C to +50°C.

Down-times and maintenance cost due to

overheating and corrosion are reduced.

Balancing Effect

Batteries connected in series without a battery

management system (BMS) show strong variations

in the current they generate, which affects the

energy output and accelerates battery ageing.

BEAT© has shown a balancing effect. The output

and discharge behaviour of the individual

batteries are harmonised to create a more stable

power supply and protect battery banks against

the negative effects of charge imbalance.

Higher Stability

The active material within the lead acid battery

suffers from deep discharge, undercharge and

other consequences of incorrect treatment, which

are frequent problems in UPS.

Since BEAT© controls the electrochemical processes

that renew the reaction sites, it strengthens the

battery against such effects. The result is a reliable

backup that keeps the voltage stable and reduces

the strain on batteries.

Good for the Environment

Longer lasting batteries cause less waste and

greenhouse gases. The use of Crystal Control

Technology® thus reduces CO2-emissions from

battery production and recycling by 67% in

addition to fewer emissions from service

vehicles, spare parts logistics and the like.

Thereby, BEAT© helps your company minimize its

ecological footprint.

Savings to Count on The BEAT© product family effectively reduces costs caused by fast battery ageing and premature failure. With Wave Tech’s contracting model, this does not require a prior investment and thus involves no risk.

Savings Potential with BEAT©

Crystal Control Technology® makes battery regeneration so

effective that the battery life is twice as long. It thus reduces

battery acquisition cost and indirect battery costs by up to

50%. The latter comprise installation, maintenance and

charge energy as well as fuel for backup generators or

energy consumption and maintenance of air conditioning

for the batteries.

These related items are often much more expensive than

the batteries themselves. Yet BEAT© slashes these costs by

strengthening batteries against a variety of detrimental

influences. This, in turn, positively affects service and

warranty expenditure. Last but not least, a stable network

means happier customers.

No Investment. No Risk.

In the face of these costs, WaveTech wants customers to

benefit from the ameliorating effects of Crystal Control

Technology® without a prior investment. WaveTech

provides the BEAT© units and sees to their installation and

maintenance during the contract term free of charge.

Over a term of 5 - 6 years, the customer pays back half of

his savings to WaveTech on a monthly basis. Without any

prior investment, battery-related costs are in effect reduced

by 25% from the very first month.

A Tried and Tested Technology

The effectiveness of Crystal Control Technology® has been

proven in lab and field tests around the globe. Many results

exceeded expectations. When tested on used batteries in

over 60 transmission sites in hot climate, for example, the

aging rate dropped from 3.2% to 0.25% within one year,

increasing the battery life ten-fold.

Verification tests with independent institutes have proved

similar effects on new batteries. The battery’s life cycle is

twice as long if it is equipped with BEAT© from the start.

And its capacity over the whole life span triples. Moreover,

BEAT© is a cost-efficient alternative to expensive devices

such as temperature filters, air conditioning or even battery

management systems.

Our Savings Warranty

The effectiveness of Crystal Control Technology® is so

convincing that WaveTech guarantees savings. Since battery

costs differ from application to application, the savings

00%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

150 300 450 600

Time after battery pack installation / days

Usa

ble

cap

acit

y in

rel

atio

n t

o s

tart

ing

val

ue

Pre-BEAT© ageing 3%

Ageing with BEAT© 0.25%

Save 25% without prior investment

25% payment to

WaveTech

25% actual savings

50%

less costs

guarantee is tailored to the respective operating conditions.

WaveTech calculates the savings potential on the basis of

the previous costs and sets down the amount in the

contracting agreement.

We want the savings forecast to be as precise as possible. To

this end, we carefully consider a variety of factors including

the system’s technical setup, battery age, operating costs

and benchmark data. Even under the most careful

consideration, however, some factors cannot be accurately

predicted. The prognosis is thus not set in stone. The

monthly instalment can be adjusted later on.

Your Savings Scope

You will realize savings on a variety of factors. They range

from expenses for new batteries through energy costs for

charging, air conditioning and supporting generators to

logistics and staff for maintenance and handling.

The higher voltage output decreases the operating time of

support diesel generators. And improved charge behavior

positively affects energy costs. Air conditioning is especially

noteworthy, because Crystal Control Technology® makes it

unnecessary as far as it is required for the batteries alone.

Even if other equipment requires air conditioning as well,

cooling costs are still reduced, because the temperature

does not have to be kept so low.

ANNUAL SAVINGS POTENTIAL ~ € 14,000,000SAVINGS ARE SHARED 50:50 WITH WAVETECH

ANNUAL PLUS ~ € 7,000,000

THIS COULD BE YOUR SAVINGSLet us assume a provider operates 10,000 transmission

sites. The company is located in a region with hot

weather—as is characteristic throughout Africa, the Middle

East, South-Asia, and South and Central America. In these

areas, grid fluctuations are a daily problem.

The sites are typically equipped with two 48V battery

backups, but some have 12 to 16 12V batteries connected to

48V packs instead. A number of sites are located so

remotely that logistics and maintenance are very expensive.

These sites also lack battery monitoring or cooling and their

batteries give out especially fast. Overall, the company

observes an average life span of only 3 years.

By applying Crystal Control Technology®, the provider can

achieve unprecedented savings potential. Annual battery

and related costs are reduced by 50%, that is €1,300 - €1,500

per site and €13 - 15 million for his whole network.

Benefiting from these improvements did not even require

an initial investment. Instead, the company reimburses

WaveTech post hoc for providing the technology.

BATTERIES Battery acquisition -50%

Battery handling, warehousing and scrapping -10%Battery maintenance -50%

OTHER COSTSAir conditioning for the batteries up to -100%

Diesel cost -50%Energy cost for charging -15%

SAVINGS POTENTIAL

BROKEN DOWN

WaveTech was founded in 2003 with the ambition to take battery efficiency to a higher level. Expert knowledge and innovative strength paved the way for the development of Crystal Control Technology®, which forms the basis for the BEAT© product family. With a clear focus on research and quality, we provide solutions for a broad range of battery applications in the telecommunications, automotive, power storage and other sectors. Through our US-based subsidiary Re-Tron, we also offer our customers a complete range of services for an optimized energy infrastructure.

BEAT©—Battery Performance at a New Level

• Doubled battery life span

• Tripled life time output

• No prior investment

• Payment based on actual savings

• Guaranteed cost reductions

Take the Step towards more Efficiency!Contact our experts at WaveTech for more information

on how your company will benefit from Crystal Control

Technology®. We will be happy to advise you according to

your special requirements.

WaveTech GmbH Deutschland

Marie-Curie-Str. 5

53359 Rheinbach, Germany

Phone +49 (0) 2226 871550

Fax +49 (0) 2226 871559

post@wavetech.de

www.wavetech.de