Saft will deploy its plataforma Flex’ion in DB InfraGO digital interlocking systems to support critical railway signaling and control systems.
The modernization of the German railway infrastructure will incorporate new energy storage systems based on lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries. DB InfraGO selected Saft to supply this equipment to its digital interlocking stations, a crucial infrastructure for safely managing the movement of trains.
The first systems are already being installed at infrastructure centers near the railway lines within the Stuttgart metropolitan area. There, they will support the digital signaling and control systems that are part of the railway modernization program.
Saft is a subsidiary of TotalEnergies specializing in batteries for critical industrial applications, while DB InfraGO is the company responsible for managing Deutsche Bahn’s railway infrastructure.
LFP batteries to keep railway systems operational
As the digitalization of the railway progresses, a continuous power supply becomes increasingly important. Digital interlocking systems control and secure train movements, so a power outage can affect systems essential to railway operations.
For this reason, energy storage systems must respond immediately to a power disturbance or outage, their function is to keep the signaling and control equipment powered until the main power supply is restored.
DB InfraGO evaluated the technology considering factors such as safety, reliability, performance, and long-term operational value. Following this process, they selected the Saft LFP batteries to integrate them into their digitization program.
According to Saft, this validation makes their solution the first industrial storage system with LFP batteries approved for this digital interlocking program.
Flex’ion will support digital interlocks
The systems intended for DB InfraGO will use Flex’ion, the lithium-ion battery platform developed by Saft for critical infrastructure applications.
The solution is manufactured in Europe and is designed to occupy a small space, moreover, it can operate without maintenance and achieve a useful life of up to 20 years, according to the manufacturer’s specifications.
Lithium iron phosphate chemistry also offers thermal stability and safety characteristics suitable for installations where continuity of power supply is essential.
These features allow the batteries to be used as a backup railway systems that must remain available even when failures or alterations occur in the main power supply.
Stuttgart receives the first storage systems
The initial deployment is concentrated in the Stuttgart region, where the batteries will support infrastructure centers located alongside railway lines.
The incorporation of energy storage is part of the network digitization process, in this context, backup electrical systems acquire a direct function in the availability of the digital equipment responsible for managing railway traffic.
For Saft, the contract also expands the presence of its LFP technology in safety-critical applications, the company has over a century of experience developing battery systems for industrial and mobility uses.
With the implementation of Flex’ion, DB InfraGO incorporates LFP batteries into the modernization process of the German railway network, starting with the digital interlocking systems deployed in Stuttgart.
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