How to select Your industrial ups uninterruptible power supply? Many building construction projects begin with dignitaries shoveling a ceremonial first blade of dirt and end with those same individuals cutting a giant ribbon. But for the design engineers, builders and facility managers involved in the project, it’s the work that takes place between those two ceremonies that matters the most.
UPS uninterruptible power supply selection
Whether constructing a new facility or modernizing an existing one, there are important decisions that must be made during the design and build phases, including whether or not critical power equipment is needed. For mission critical applications, where electrical interruption is not an option, uninterruptible power supply UPS systems and on-site backup generators can ensure uptime during power disturbances and micro-outages.
UPS systems serve two specific roles – condition incoming utility power and bridge the gap between utility failure and generator startup. Products can vary in a number of ways including energy storage technology, topology, operational efficiency, size and power density. Because each facility has a unique set of needs, they require different solutions.
To ensure that you choose the correct equipment for your applications, consider these five factors to during the selection process:
System Performance
The first step in determining which UPS product is best suited for your facility is to conduct an in-depth analysis of UPS systems’ features, topology and power protection performance.
Runtime
For decades, the industry standard for UPS runtime was minutes, not seconds, but improvements in the technology have led to faster startup times for on-site generators, with most being able to fully support a load within 15 seconds. Despite this, the default has been to overprovision UPS with multiple minutes of runtime via batteries. This is no longer a justifiable or needed expense.
When seconds count, minutes don’t matter. By choosing a UPS with less runtime, operators can reduce operating and maintenance costs and minimize system footprint while still maintaining reliability and availability.
Reliability
Reliability, in engineering terms, is the likelihood that a system or component will function properly under stated conditions for a specified period of time. With electrical equipment, reliability is measured in how likely the system is to fail.
In mission critical facilities, UPS reliability is key. Don’t just take a vendor’s word about their product’s reliability – request scientific research, studies or whitepapers that support their claims. It can also be a good idea to request customer references who have similar needs and applications in place.
Maintenance
Conventional battery-based UPS systems use electrochemical energy typically stored in strings of valve-regulated lead acid (VRLA) batteries. Manufacturers of these systems recommend that the batteries be maintained quarterly and replaced every four to eight years.
While these preventative measures ensure the UPS and batteries are functioning properly, they can also be counterproductive – as human error is the culprit behind the majority of site failures.
Total Cost of Ownership
When selecting a ups uninterruptible power supply, it’s important to remember that the product with the lowest initial cost may not always be the best long-term solution. Conventional battery-based UPS systems require frequent maintenance, battery replacement cycles, space and regulated ambient temperatures, which can all contribute to higher costs.
Prostar UPS solutions offer a lower total cost of ownership due to higher operating efficiencies, lower maintenance and cooling requirements, and no battery replacement costs. Additionally, because these units do not have battery cabinets, they also take up much less floor space.
To find the right ups uninterruptible power supply choice it’s important to do your homework and ask questions.
Related ups uninterruptible power supply Products
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| PHR1110 true double conversion rack mounted online ups 10kva | PHR1106 uninterruptible power supply rack mountable ups 6kva | Prostar PHR1103 19 inch server compact rack mounting online ups 3kva |
See Also
- How solar battery backup systems work
- What is a half-cut cell mono PERC solar panel?
- Top 10 solar energy benefits
- What is the best solar generator?
- How does solar inverter work
- Uninterruptible power supply – Wikipedia
