Why thermal management is becoming BESS’s next reliability battleground

As battery energy storage systems (BESS) become increasingly central to the global energy transition, attention is shifting beyond battery chemistry alone to the infrastructure that enables long-term system reliability, safety, and performance.   

Thermal management and fluid handling technologies are emerging as critical components in the evolution of large-scale energy storage platforms, particularly as systems grow more powerful, compact, and service-intensive. 

In this Q&A, Florent Lafont of ARaymond discusses the growing role of fluid handling in BESS design, the operational importance of leak-free liquid cooling systems, and how ARaymond is applying decades of automotive expertise to support the next generation of energy storage infrastructure.  

Q: Why are battery energy storage systems becoming so important right now? 

Lafont: BESS has evolved from a niche technology into foundational infrastructure for the modern energy economy. As renewable energy deployment accelerates and electrification grows, storage systems are essential for stabilizing the grid, managing peak demand, and improving resilience. Utilities, industrial operators, renewable developers, and data centers are all increasing investments in energy storage. 

Q: What changes are happening in BESS platform design? 

Lafont: Expectations are rising significantly. It’s no longer only about energy capacity. Operators now expect long-term reliability, safe operation, high uptime, and predictable maintenance costs. At the same time, systems are becoming larger, denser, and more customized, which increases complexity across thermal management systems. 

Q: Fluid handling is not always discussed in BESS conversations. Why should it matter more? 

Lafont: It’s one of the most underappreciated aspects of BESS performance today. The industry naturally focuses heavily on batteries, inverters, and software controls. But fluid interfaces and thermal management reliability can have a huge impact on uptime, maintenance efficiency, and operational safety over a system’s lifetime. 

There’s a mindset shift happening. Integrators are realizing that choosing the right fluid handling partner is just as important as choosing the battery technology itself. 

Q: Why is liquid cooling becoming more important in energy storage systems? 

Lafont: As energy density increases and footprints shrink, thermal management becomes much more critical. Liquid cooling enables more precise temperature control, helps maintain battery cell balance, and supports safe operation across different climates and operating conditions. Also, improved thermal management helps extend the lifetime of BESS platforms. 

But liquid cooling systems also introduce engineering complexity. Every fluid line, connector, valve, and manifold becomes part of the overall reliability equation. 

Q: What challenges do integrators face with liquid cooling systems? 

Lafont: Reliability is a major challenge because fluid systems operate very close to high-voltage battery equipment. Containers may also experience extreme temperatures. Preventing leaks is absolutely critical. 

There’s also a scalability challenge. Integrators need to customize systems for different applications without completely redesigning fluid architectures every time. They need partners who can work with existing building blocks and quickly configure scalable subsystem solutions. 

Q: ARaymond frequently highlights Dry Break technology. What makes it so important? 

Lafont: Dry Break is really our flagship technology for this market. It uses a double shut-off valve system that prevents fluid leakage during connection and disconnection. When maintenance occurs, fluid remains sealed on both sides of the connector. 

That allows operators to remove or replace a battery pack without draining the entire cooling system. The rest of the container can continue operating while maintenance is performed. 

In high-voltage environments, that level of leak-free serviceability becomes extremely important for both safety and uptime. 

Q: What operational benefits does Dry Break technology provide? 

Lafont: For operators, it eliminates downtime, lowers coolant loss, improves safety during maintenance, and helps create more predictable operating expenses. 

For integrators, it simplifies installation and standardizes service procedures. It also helps accelerate deployment timelines because the systems are easier to assemble and maintain. 

Q: How does ARaymond differentiate itself in the BESS market? 

Lafont: We bring more than 40 years of automotive fluid handling expertise into this market. That means automotive-grade validation standards, large-scale manufacturing capability, and proven reliability. 

At the same time, we’ve developed advanced Dry Break and quick-connect expertise that many traditional automotive competitors do not yet offer for BESS applications. 

Compared with more industrial-focused competitors, we also have strong scalability advantages because of our existing product range and manufacturing capabilities. 

Q: Is customization important in this market? 

Lafont: Very important, but the goal is not to redesign every component from scratch. The key is customizing at the system level using proven building blocks. 

At the system level, ARaymond can adapt assemblies and fluid delivery architectures while maintaining validated core components. That approach helps customers move faster while reducing engineering risk. 

Q: What industries are driving BESS growth today? 

Lafont: Renewable energy remains the largest driver, especially solar and wind projects that require storage for grid balancing. But we’re also seeing strong demand from data centers, industrial operations with heavy power consumption, backup power systems, and remote communities seeking greater energy resilience. 

Q: Looking ahead, where will competitive advantage come from in BESS? 

Lafont: Increasingly from reliability, maintainability, and lifecycle economics — not just battery capacity. Fluid handling sits at the center of that shift. 

The companies that treat thermal management and fluid handling as strategic assets will build safer, more scalable, and more serviceable platforms over the long term.  

Editor’s note: This article was originally published with an incorrect byline and accompanying content, but has now been corrected.