As featured in the January 2014 print issue of Professional Security magazine, around 4300 miles of motorways and trunk roads make up the strategic road network in England. It’s important that key parts of this network are monitored to prevent disruption to the flow of traffic that can be caused by bad weather, accidents and breakdowns. CCTV provides real-time information to Regional Control Centres (RCC) throughout the UK, alerting agencies to trouble spots.
As featured in Professional Security, the Highways Agency at the Transport Security exhibition (Transec) in November described the security threat to UK roads. A terrorist attack on one of the UK’s major highways, tunnels or bridges could be devastating; even a hoax could cause economic disruption. In September 2013, the Dartford Crossing was closed due to a suspect package reported on board a coach. This caused a full-scale emergency leading to traffic jams on the M25 as both tunnels and the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge were closed, trapping motorists for more than seven hours and causing nine-mile tailbacks.
Audio and video surveillance has become commonplace as a way of protecting assets and people. How, thoiugh, to deploy stationary or portable CCTV in remote locations is that there is often no access to grid electricity?
Having considered all other options, Simulation Systems (SSL) chose a fuel cell for maintaining CCTV coverage in areas remote from accessible mains power supplies. SSL asked UPS Systems – and its subsidiary company Fuel Cell Systems (FCS) – to supply a fuel cell solution to ensure its CCTV remained operational.
Given the security requirement for the 2012 Olympic Games, Simulation Systems was asked to provide several off-grid CCTV cameras along strategic roads and bridges in the UK to help deter potential terrorism. A busy junction along the M6 motorway in the West Midlands with over 500 concrete columns supporting several slipways, flyovers and sections of motorway required monitoring.
Sited on several supporting pillars beneath flyovers, the CCTV cameras were unable to use solar PV panels to keep the battery supply topped up due to a lack of direct sunlight. Intermittent wind meant that micro-wind turbines would also not work. As for connection to the grid, costs of £55,000 to £70,000 were quoted. Besides, connection could take up to two years.
UPS Systems and FCS provided an EFOY Pro 2200 fuel cell, which essentially acted as a self-contained battery charger for a single 12-volt battery. It was used to provide power for the CCTV cameras, 3G interface and IT routers. Two 28-litre containers of methanol were also supplied to power the fuel cell. The fuel cell is designed to automatically start up and re-charge the battery to its optimum floating voltage of 12.5 volts, so that it is always kept at full capacity.
REMO Live is a diagnostic aid for standby power equipment developed in-house by UPS Systems. With access through a web-based platform, REMO Live allows the condition of the battery to be remotely monitored with temperature and methanol fuel levels.
The compact and virtually silent-running fuel cell was supplied with its own self-contained methanol fuel supply, so the system to be left for well over ten weeks before replacement fuel was required. This reduced the number of field maintenance visits required to replace discharged batteries. The CCTV cameras remained in constant operation and covered one of the UK’s busiest road junctions.
Fuel cells are virtually emission-free and are compact enough to fit inside standard sized weatherproof cabinets. With few moving parts, fuel cells require little maintenance, it is claimed. This makes them a more efficient and reliable power source with lower lifetime costs than traditional generators, according to UPS.
As an alternative to batteries and traditional generators, fuel cell power can provide an off-grid supply for security applications for weeks on end. Fuel cells also offer it is claimed a much better solution than traditional generators, especially where there is a need for covert installs for surveillance.
Fuel cells will produce power 24/7 regardless of the weather conditions (unlike some renewable energy alternatives). This makes them viable for off-grid CCTV surveillance and security applications, as well as standby power. As long as there is an ample supply of fuel, the fuel cells will supply power for as long as it is needed.
Client’s perspective
Simulation Systems said: “As we’re based in Bristol our maintenance teams would have faced 200 mile return trips to the West Midlands every couple of days to replace the discharged batteries. The fuel cell saved us a considerable amount of time and money. It can look after itself and isn’t affected by its environment, unlike other sources of power such as renewables.
“As no one in the industry at this time was using fuel cell technology for this particular application, we were very keen to see how it performed under strenuous conditions. After determining the static load on the battery, we intentionally pushed the fuel cell to capacity in order to ascertain its capability. The fuel cell was in operation for over 12 hours a day, every one and a half days. The 12-volt battery was generating 110 watts and drawing 9-10 amps so it was working hard.
“A major benefit was that, via the REMO Live tool, text alerts were sent to a mobile phone the moment the battery or fuel cell fell outside normal operating parameters. In this event, we could have despatched a maintenance team instantly to resolve the problem.”
Simulation Systems is now looking at integrating off-grid fuel cell technology at accident black spots along busy stretches of the UK’s roads.
For more about the use of fuel cells for off-grid power for CCTV visit www.upssystems.co.uk.
About UPS Systems
UPS Systems plc (www.upssystems.co.uk) is a UK supplier of standby power products. UPS Systems implemented the UK’s first two hydrogen fuel cells providing ac standby power, and is working on projects where the technology will be used for the supply of backup or prime power to utilities, telecommunications, remote telemetry, portable signage and renewable energy applications.
