Online Uninterruptible Power Supplies

Ensuring uninterruptible power is a vital part of any organization’s business continuity planning and can be achieved with the correct implementation of a suitable Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS). Different types of UPS can be used as stand-alone solutions or in combination with each other. The three main static UPS topologies are as follows: Online (“On-line”) or Double Conversion VFI (Voltage and Frequency Independent), Line Interactive VI (Voltage Independent) and Off-Line (“Off- line”) or Passive Standby.

So, what are the main features of an Online UPS? The only UPS for completely uninterruptible supply An online Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) keeps voltage and frequency variations within prescribed limits and is independent of any fluctuations in the supply. It’s not just a complete power outage that can affect a modern energy-intensive business. The online UPS also conditions main power to counter the potentially damaging consequences of brownouts, surges, and other everyday power problems.

Due to this combined power protection and conditioning capability, the online UPS is the preferred choice for critical voice and data processing systems and remote mobile telecommunications sites where there may be a high risk of local and transient lightning damage. high energy. In addition, an online UPS can also act as a frequency converter providing 50/60 Hz or 60/50 Hz. There are also solutions for 400Hz applications.

Of the three main UPS topologies, the online uninterruptible power supply is the only one that can provide completely outage-free protection if the main supply fails. And, in the event that the UPS develops a fault or suffers an overload, the Online UPS is designed to provide a safe failure to the utility. This is achieved through an automatic bypass of the system.

Typical Online UPS Applications. Online UPS from manufacturers such as Riello UPS are often used for specialized operations. They can be easily modified using a variety of ‘small batch’ production techniques and accessories. Typical applications for online uninterruptible power supply include the following: railway equipment that requires long run times, remote telecommunications sites, industrial applications that require specialized air filters, water treatment jobs that require UPS with raised bases, and high-ingress protection, scientific sites at high altitudes or in tropical areas, military applications that require ruggedized assemblies, remote sites where only renewable energy sources are available, and medical applications that require isolated supply.

Online UPSs are especially suitable when large-scale Power over Ethernet (PoE) deployments need to be expanded, requiring an upgrade to the current level of UPS protection. Perhaps the existing uninterruptible power supply is no longer large enough to power the entire infrastructure or, as in the case of a telecom application with an existing line interactive UPS installation, the available runtime duration may not be long enough. When business continuity planning has reached this stage, it may be time to upgrade to an online UPS for maximum power protection.

Online UPS sizing for current and future needs. Regardless of the application, correct sizing is essential to avoid over- or under-specification that wastes resources or leaves parts of the network vulnerable. Then, once the current load requirement has been established correctly, it is prudent to include an allowance for future expansion. The most common approach is to allow a 25% load expansion over five years. For online UPS (over 10 kVA), additional capacity, along with increased operational resiliency, can be achieved by adding more modules to an existing system using a parallel architecture.

Whatever the requirements of a company’s power continuity plan, and whatever the final uninterruptible power supply solution, the first step should always involve seeking the advice of a trusted UPS manufacturer with a proven track record in protection. of energy. Whether for an online solution or one of the other UPS topologies, a modern UPS specification consultative process ensures uninterruptible power for mission-critical facilities is easy to achieve.