Business processes these days increasingly rely on technology, which by default relies on a clean and reliable source of electricity. As more and more industries turn to computerization, mechanization and automation, an unprecedented strain is being placed on already overworked electricity infrastructures around the world. It has taken the developed world by surprise. Managers are now faced with the real prospect of energy rationing and power supply issues. If any part of their business cannot continue without electricity, they have to find alternative ways of securing supply and/or generating their own. Making the correct choice of uninterruptible power supply (UPS) is now more important than ever.

What’s an uninterruptible power supply (UPS)?

A UPS sits between the mains supply and ‘the load’ (equipment and systems in a building or datacenter that need a continuous source of electricity). At its simplest, a UPS conditions electrical current, converts it from AC to DC, and negates potentially harmful power problems including sags, surges, brownouts and fluctuations. In the case of a total mains power outage, the UPS powers the load from its back-up battery until another energy source starts up. Put simply, an uninterruptible power supply can mean the difference between life and death for some businesses.

Different types of UPS

There are three primary types of uninterruptible power supply:

• Online or Double Conversion

• Line Interactive

• Offline (or Passive Standby).

An Online or Double Conversion UPS maintains voltage and frequency variations within prescribed limits so output is independent of supply fluctuation. As well as conditioning mains power to negate problems, this is the only UPS solution that provides break-free supply to the plant or datacenter during a power outage.

A Line Interactive UPS uses built-in passive electronic regulation devices to stabilize and regulate voltage fluctuations. When mains supply power is present, the output frequency of the UPS tracks the input of the mains. Line Interactive and On-Line UPS use tower or ‘rackmount’ case formats and sit next to their respective loads, typically in a datacenter or computer room.

An Off-Line or Passive Standby UPS is a compact device designed for desktops or wall mounting, which uses its own output to track voltage and frequency variations in the mains supply power.

Extended UPS benefits

As well as obvious continuity and power conditioning advantages for a datacenter or computer room, larger uninterruptible power supplies can work in parallel to improve system resilience, MTBF (mean time between failure) and availability.

For a network-sized uninterruptible power supply, the installation of an external UPS maintenance bypass enables routine or emergency maintenance to be carried out (without supply disruption) during normal working-hours.

Extended runtime (the time a load is running on back-up power) can be provided by a combination of extra battery packs and an external standby power source such as a generator or fuel cell.

The transformer-based UPS system

While many UPS are transformerless, organizations reliant on larger datacenter and voice networks, industrial processes, security or hospital applications, often require transformer-based uninterruptible power supply. This gives greater robustness, albeit with slightly lower efficiency and greater heat and noise generation.

Essential protection against power outage and rationing

As well as industrial processes, uninterruptible power supplies may be used to protect large site-wide installations. From the smallest desktop units to the largest parallel redundant installations, a correctly sized, reliable UPS system, provided by an established manufacturer such as Riello UPS Ltd, offers essential protection against the growing risks of power outage and power rationing.



Thanks to Alison Campbell for contributing this article to our Generators blog:

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Most modern high-speed, high-performance sensors and controllers require a reliable DC power source. Used in commercial applications, traditional, linear power supplies that relied on transformers to convert AC input into more manageable DC output are now being replaced by more compact and efficient switching power supplies.

Control panel power supplies are now taking this technology further, allowing businesses to operate using a DIN system that allows controllable power supply delivery to a range of applications.

Switching power supplies convert a DC voltage into a lower regulated voltage by storing the difference in a magnetic field. Because this removes the need for large coils within the system by incorporating smaller electronic methods of conversion, the size of the control panel power supply is reduced and more energy efficient. Switching power supplies are typically over 80% efficient, compared to 50% efficiency from linear power supplies. They are also light enough to be mounted on a DIN rail, which only the smallest linear supplies are capable of doing.

With modern development in power supply technology, switching power supply units often incorporate more advanced features as standard. Power factor correction (PFC) limits the harmonic current on the input side of the power supply, ‘cleaning’ up the input current which reduces the peak current demand. Overload protection protects the power supply from any damage caused by an abnormal rise in output current, and in turn protects any equipment that may be feeding off the power supply.

Overvoltage protection (OVP) prevents load circuit damage by cutting the power supply output when output voltage rises above 120% of the rated value. If the power supply feedback loop fails, for example, the output voltages could rise to levels that may cause major damage to the entire system. OVP detects this high voltage, shorts the output and causes the supply to shut down, preventing a surge that could be catastrophic.

Undervoltage detection indicates if the output voltage drops below a certain level.

When you’re planning to replace your control panel power supplies, there are a few things you need to consider. Firstly, what applications is the power supply intended for? You will need to know your input voltage and frequency, the output voltage, the wattage or power in amperes and the peak loading of the output. You will then need to calculate the power of the DC power supply you need. If more than one output is required, you will need to carry out a quick calculation to determine the total wattage for the supply by multiplying the voltage by the amperage of each output to calculate the individual wattage and then adding these together to give you your total wattage requirement.

You will also need to check the enclosure style, connections and physical size of the control panel power supply to make sure that it is suitable. A unit that is too large may not be suitable for some DIN rail fittings whereas a compact unit may not have the capability to cope with the number of outputs needed.

Although buying a second-hand unit on a web auction site may seem like a good way to save a few pounds, your control panel power supplies must conform to all safety legislation. Buying from a reputable dealer who offers a selection of approved and certificated units is the only safe and proper option when it comes to buying control panel power supplies.

Finally, consider the application that you wish to apply the control panel power supply to. This can include the power supply life, custom power ratings or mixed voltages. A good power supply will need to be able to cope with every requirement you have without having to work at maximum capacity for prolonged periods of time, which can shorten its lifespan. Talking to a technical expert who has experience in fitting control panel power supplies into commercial environments will give you more information and help you make an informed choice when it comes to selecting your power supply requirements.



Thanks to Keith Finley for contributing this article to our Generators blog:

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I am trying to design a 12 power supply for a strobe light that will be mounted on my bicycle. If anyone knows how to put a power supply together that will supply at least 100Hrs of power, let me know.
I am referring to a small red strobe light. It does not have LED lights on it. OPTX is the brand.

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I had an old Compaq lying around and I took the power supply out to add to my desktop. It’s a Gateway GT5028 and i have only replaced the motherboard [nothing big, just the same as factory]. I want to add the power supply to my computer to have two power supplies. The extra power supply is a 14-pin connection. What can I do? Thanks!

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Hey Yahoo people!

I’ve recently become interested in making my own Gaming PC, but I’m not the biggest brain when it comes to building computers.

My biggest concern as of now is: How can I know if my power supply can handle the things that I’m gonna put into it?

If you can recommend some tools to figure it out, or provide some useful tips, feel welcome to do so!

Thanks for now.

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