A UPS is typically used to protect hardware such as computers, data centers, telecommunication equipment, or other electrical equipment that could be harmed by overcurrents and voltage sags or spikes. It also protects the data stored on devices against corruption or loss during sudden shutdowns. The three general categories of modern UPS systems are online UPS, line interactive UPS, and offline UPS.
The load is fed directly from the raw mains power instead of the inverter output. The battery charger, battery, and inverter are offline, but the charger and battery remain connected to mains power to ensure the battery is always fully charged. The switch will immediately connect the inverter output to the critical load when the mains power voltage fails or exceeds the limits.
Line-Interactive UPS: Keeps the inverter in line and transfers the battery’s DC current path from the normal charging mode to supply current when power fails. The battery-to-AC power inverter is always connected to the output of the UPS. When the input AC power is normal, the inverter of the UPS charges the battery. When the input power is off, the transfer switch will open and the power will flow from the battery to the UPS output. Line-interactive UPS provides conditioned power, eliminating voltage fluctuations.
Online / Double Conversion UPS: The online UPS takes the incoming AC power supply and converts it to direct current (DC) which feeds the battery and the load through the inverter, and then returns it to high-quality AC power, free from voltage fluctuations and other disturbances common in utility power. If the mains supply is interrupted, the batteries feed the load via the inverter without any interruption in the output supply. In this way, our electronic devices are not powered directly from the AC mains, but from the online UPS. Consequently, our electronic equipment does not need to be shut down even if the main AC power is cut off.
Sizing your UPS solution correctly is an important step in developing an efficient system. You will maintain more efficiency from the UPS as long as the load matches its capacity. On the other hand, a UPS with insufficient capacity may be unable to support your equipment during an outage or other power problem. Capacity and runtime are the two major factors that should be considered to make the right decision. To ensure efficiency, it is recommended to use a UPS that has a VA capacity rating of at least 15% greater than the total power needed for the supplied equipment. As to the runtime, a UPS with a larger battery could be selected or external battery packs may be added to ensure a continuous power supply. If you undersize UPS systems, the data center will overload the existing power.
Then the UPS will turn off and go into bypass mode. As a consequence, it will not provide protection against power failure or brownouts. However, Oversizing your UPS will result in extra costs for unneeded power.
For deciding the right sized UPS for your application, we suggest you get the grand total VA rating of your devices that need to be protected. The following steps might help you to substantially size a UPS by yourself.
- Define how much equipment needs to be protected in your facility.
- List the amps and volts for each piece of equipment, for calculating the VA rating, multiply the voltage by the amperage.
- For the grand total Multiply the total by 1.2 for future growth and system expansion. That figure is the maximum size in VA or kVA that your UPS should be.
The safest way to ensure a correctly sized UPS system, we suggest getting experienced suppliers to commence with a full site survey where they can meticulously determine your requirements.
For a stable and reliable performance, it is not recommended A UPS to be sized to run at 100% load capacity.
We recommend a consultation with Datrofel’s experienced technical service to take good advice on the options and suggest you the optimum UPS solutions.
Contact us here For further information on how Datrofel can support you to increase the UPS efficiency of your data center operations.