A123 Systems

Customer: A123 Systems

Location: Detroit, MI

Application: Battery storage enclosure

Product: PortaMax 458 steel stud (23 feet tall)

Benefits Provided:

• Insulated walls for optimal thermal control
• Removable exterior walls
• Doors located for aisle access

The Situation

A123 Systems, Inc. is a developer and manufacturer of high performance lithium ion battery technology and energy storage systems with offices located worldwide.

Part of A123's battery making process involves storing the unfinished batteries in an aging environment, where they are moved through an automated retrieval system over the course of 28 days prior to becoming finished goods.

A123 required the creation of a new storage enclosure to act as the aging environment during their battery making process.

The Solution

A123 was already committed to using modular construction, however the materials that were used needed to be non-progressive and provide optimal thermal control. The structure also needed to fulfill certain criteria. The exterior walls needed to be removable, so that the equipment inside of the room could be serviced when needed. Lastly, doors would need to be located within the exterior walls of the structure, so that the aisles inside of the enclosure could be accessed by A123 personell.

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PortaFab determined that the Portamax 458 wall system would provide the flexibility and support necessary for completion of the project. The walls could be sized at 23 feet tall to fit underneath the existing mezzanine, and could be made of steel-faced polyisocyanurate panels, which would provide the needed R-value for optimal thermal control.

The PortaMax 458 system also incorporated a non-progressive design, which would allow A123 the option to remove sections of the wall easily without disrupting the adjacent panels. This meant that the equipment inside the rooms could be serviced when needed.

PortaFab also coordinated the location of doors within the exterior wall system, allowing workers to access the aisle-ways.