F -X C h a n ge

The Basics of Uninterruptible Power Supplies Página 1 de 9 F -X C h a n ge

PD PD

!
W

W
O

O
N

N
y

y
bu

bu
to

to
k

k
lic

lic
C

C
w

w
m

m
w w
w

w
o

o
.d o .c .d o .c
c u -tr a c k c u -tr a c k

print | close

The Basics of Uninterruptible Power Supplies

Electrical Construction and Maintenance
Rajan Battish, P.E. Katlyn Jennings
Fri, 2016-01-22 15:23

Keeping operations running up to speed is at the heart of today’s business world. In a 24/7 environment,
there’s no room for error, and giving your customers the most bang for their buck is at the core of many
facility management plans. The best way to ensure you supply your customer with the right technology
for its needs is to understand the variety and capabilities of available uninterruptible power supply
(UPS) systems.

Although UPSs have been around for decades — and the technology behind them is ever evolving — the
fundamentals of a UPS system remain constant: to provide near-constant power to critical systems when
the main source of power fails by using energy stored in batteries, supercapacitors, or flywheels.
Supercapacitors and flywheels are less commonly used, but both have their advantages. Flywheels can be
used to reduce space requirements because there is no longer a need for battery storage. Supercapacitors
also replace the need for a battery compartment, but are typically used in smaller UPS systems. Batteries
are the most common and proven method for data center UPS deployments. This article will focus on the

http://ecmweb.com/print/power-quality/basics-uninterruptible-power-supplies 23/02/2016
 F -X C h a n ge
The Basics of Uninterruptible Power Supplies Página 2 de 9 F -X C h a n ge
PD PD

!
W

W
O

O
N

N
y

y
bu

bu
to

to
k

k
lic

lic
C

C
w

w
m

m
battery application of UPS systems for consistency when comparing the different topologies of the
w w
w

w
o

o
.d o .c .d o .c
c u -tr a c k c u -tr a c k

system.

Related

Applying Uninterrupted Power Supplies

Uninterruptible Power Supplies: Distributed vs. Centralized

First Half of 2015 Proves Challenging for UPS Market

The basics of a UPS system consist of a battery or an energy storage device, a rectifier or power
converter, and a switch to transfer power from normal to standby power. Over the years, new
technologies for each component of the UPS are implemented to improve efficiency and availability for
the system. The arrangements, technologies, and types of components that make up these different
elements are what determine the topologies, efficiency, cost, and reliability of the system. Understanding
the various topologies of the UPS is key when determining how resilient the system will be.

Types of UPS topologies

There are three key types of UPS system configurations.

Off-line or passive standby — The most basic topology of a UPS system is the off-line or passive standby
UPS. This topology connects the source directly to the load during normal power. In the event of a power
failure, the inverter must turn on and transfer power from the battery to the load. The time delay for the

http://ecmweb.com/print/power-quality/basics-uninterruptible-power-supplies 23/02/2016
 F -X C h a n ge
The Basics of Uninterruptible Power Supplies Página 3 de 9 F -X C h a n ge
PD PD

!
W

W
O

O
N

N
y

y
bu

bu
to

to
k

k
lic

lic
C

C
w

w
m

m
invertor to turn on can be long; therefore, this is not recommended for critical systems. It is a simple
w w
w

w
o

o
.d o .c .d o .c
c u -tr a c k c u -tr a c k

design consisting of minimal components, making it the least expensive topology (Fig. 1). This topology
is common for non-critical applications such as home computing.

Line-interactive — Line-interactive UPS systems connect the source power to the load through a buffer,
which helps to mitigate minor voltage variations and condition the input power to the load. The battery
will charge with the inverter operating in reverse during normal operation. During a power failure, the
battery will turn on, and the rectifier connected to the load will convert the DC power from the battery
into AC power for the load. It is important to note that the power converter is always connected to the
output of the UPS (Fig. 2). Always having the inverter on and connected to the battery provides
additional filtering and reduced switching transients. This is an efficient design with high availability,
but the frequent use of the battery can lead to premature battery failure. A static bypass switch, which
will connect the source to the load through a different power path, can be implemented to prevent this
premature failure of the battery. This is also considered an eco-mode as it will help reduce the energy
consumption of the UPS. The high availability, simple design, and relatively low cost make this system
optimal for small businesses.

http://ecmweb.com/print/power-quality/basics-uninterruptible-power-supplies 23/02/2016
 F -X C h a n ge
The Basics of Uninterruptible Power Supplies Página 4 de 9 F -X C h a n ge
PD PD

!
W

W
O

O
N

N
y

y
bu

bu
to

to
k

k
lic

lic
C

C
w

w
m

m
w w
w

w
o

o
.d o .c .d o .c
c u -tr a c k c u -tr a c k

Online or double conversion — The most efficient and robust topology is the online or double conversion
UPS system. During normal power, this system will connect the source to the critical load through a
double conversion recitifer (Fig. 3). This is essentially a filter circuit that will condition the input signal
and provide a more consistent output signal with less voltage irregularities, frequency variations, noise,
and other transient behaviors of the input signal. Allowing normal power to flow through the filtering
circuit keeps the inverter constantly on, which provides a simple power transfer from normal power to
battery. When the power fails, the battery supplies power through the inverter and to the critical load.
This topology has a similar option for a static bypass switch to prevent premature battery failure as in the
line-interactive system. This system is ideal for large data centers because it has a high availability, can
filter the input to provide a conditioned output on the load, and features a resilient design. The cost for
this UPS system is the greatest due to the high complexity of the system.

Selection recommendations

There are many factors to consider when determining the best UPS system for a given facility, such as
utility power quality, current-connected load demands, and future load demands. An easy guide to begin
the process as to which UPS is right is to look at the IEC standard on UPS classifications. This standard
gives three classifications for UPS systems and rates each one based on its ability to handle different
voltage phenomenon. Depending on how resilient the facility must be to these fault conditions will
determine which type of UPS system is best for the facility. The different voltage phenomena are
depicted in Table 1 and range from voltage sags and brownouts to more sensitive voltage phenomena,
such as lightning and voltage distortions.

http://ecmweb.com/print/power-quality/basics-uninterruptible-power-supplies 23/02/2016
 F -X C h a n ge
The Basics of Uninterruptible Power Supplies Página 5 de 9 F -X C h a n ge
PD PD

!
W

W
O

O
N

N
y

y
bu

bu
to

to
k

k
lic

lic
C

C
w

w
m

m
w w
w

w
o

o
.d o .c .d o .c
c u -tr a c k c u -tr a c k

The off-line UPS system will be able to handle the most common of voltage faults and thus is a
Classification 3 UPS system. Outage blackouts, which can be caused by power line failure or even routine
system maintenance, are the basic reason UPS systems have been deployed. Voltage sags and brownouts
can be caused by overloading the system or a utility overload upstream. This is why it’s important to
assess the power quality from the utility to determine what the current load demand on the utility is and
how often brownouts and voltage sags occur. Most UPS systems have been designed to handle these
common voltage phenomena and will satisfy the Class 3 requirement for a UPS system.

A Classification 2 UPS, or the line-

interactive type design, will be able
to handle more complex voltage
phenomenon, such as undervoltage
and overvoltage. Since the battery is
consistently connected to the load, it
can handle instantaneous faults that
occur with overvoltage and
undervoltage. In contrast, the off-line
UPS system (being directly
connected to the load) will not be
able to handle this condition, and the
source will see these conditions.

Finally, the most robust system — a

double conversion or online UPS
system — will be able to handle
lightning, transients and surges,
frequency variation, and many other
voltage phenomena. This stems from
the filtering circuit that is

http://ecmweb.com/print/power-quality/basics-uninterruptible-power-supplies 23/02/2016
 F -X C h a n ge
The Basics of Uninterruptible Power Supplies Página 6 de 9 F -X C h a n ge
PD PD

!
W

W
O

O
N

N
y

y
bu

bu
to

to
k

k
lic

lic
C

C
w

w
m

m
implemented in the topology of this
w w
w

w
o

o
.d o .c .d o .c
c u -tr a c k c u -tr a c k

system. This filtering circuit

conditions the power before it gets to
the critical load, thus protecting the
load from upstream faults and
voltage distortions. This design has
the most protection to the critical
load from voltage irregularities and
power quality factors. IEC places this
system as a Classification 1 UPS
system.

Improvements in efficiency

Efficiency is king, and using the latest technology can save your customers a lot of energy. Newer UPS
systems can achieve 97% or more efficiency; older generations only achieved 90% to 93% efficiency.

Newer technologies allow for more efficient conversion of power from AC to DC and back. Silicon-
controlled rectifier (SCR) technology is very common in older systems but requires a transformer that is
inefficient and takes up additional space. Newer systems implement a three-stage insulated gate bipolar
transistor (IGBT) technology that allows for a refined, efficient design, which does not require a
transformer. This reduces losses through the transformer and size of unit as well as maintenance
expenses. Other systems are implementing a six-stage IGBT technology that will further enhance the
efficiency and buffer capacity of the UPS system.

http://ecmweb.com/print/power-quality/basics-uninterruptible-power-supplies 23/02/2016
 F -X C h a n ge
The Basics of Uninterruptible Power Supplies Página 7 de 9 F -X C h a n ge
PD PD

!
W

W
O

O
N

N
y

y
bu

bu
to

to
k

k
lic

lic
C

C
w

w
m

m
w w
w

w
o

o
.d o .c .d o .c
c u -tr a c k c u -tr a c k

CallisonRTKL performed a study comparing an existing system to new UPS technologies in a live data
center. The results showed that by deploying a newer, more efficient UPS, an energy savings of nearly
$50,000 can be accrued over a five-year time frame (Table 2).

Having a highly efficient UPS that meets the needs of the data center can provide critical power savings
and reduced cost throughout the life of the facility (Fig. 4).

http://ecmweb.com/print/power-quality/basics-uninterruptible-power-supplies 23/02/2016
 F -X C h a n ge
The Basics of Uninterruptible Power Supplies Página 8 de 9 F -X C h a n ge
PD PD

!
W

W
O

O
N

N
y

y
bu

bu
to

to
k

k
lic

lic
C

C
w

w
m

m
w w
w

w
o

o
.d o .c .d o .c
c u -tr a c k c u -tr a c k

Key items to keep in mind

At the end of the day, remember you’re dealing with mechanical devices that can fail. Make sure there’s a
backup plan in place, and plan for risk. It’s critical to plan for a redundant system so in the event one
system fails another can be quickly implemented to prevent loss of critical data.

Provide a fully maintainable system so that routine maintenance can be performed to extend the life of
the UPS and prevent exorbitant replacement costs. This will help prevent unforeseen outages and
potential downtime that can be damaging to the data center. The more complex the system, the more
components that are inherent in the design. While it will be able to handle more fault conditions, it will
require more routine maintenance to ensure proper operation and reduce the risk of failure.

http://ecmweb.com/print/power-quality/basics-uninterruptible-power-supplies 23/02/2016
 F -X C h a n ge
The Basics of Uninterruptible Power Supplies Página 9 de 9 F -X C h a n ge
PD PD

!
W

W
O

O
N

N
y

y
bu

bu
to

to
k

k
lic

lic
C

C
w

w
m

m
w w
w

w
o

o
.d o .c .d o .c
c u -tr a c k c u -tr a c k

Final thoughts

Determining what is best for the business or facility you’re supporting can depend on a lot of factors. A
UPS system has many topologies that vary in resiliency, reliability, availability, and cost. Using tools
such as the IEC guidelines can help determine a baseline for your customer’s business needs and provide
an idea of the resiliency of the system you recommend and install. It is important to take the total cost of
ownership into consideration when recommending a UPS system as a high-efficiency, higher initial cost
system could yield higher energy savings in the future. In addition, it’s essential to do a full system cost
analysis, system performance, and energy analysis when determining which topology to deploy.

Completing a system study, performance capabilities, and a firm analysis of what is desired will be the
most beneficial way to assess the data center and determine which system is best. It is important to
understand the power quality from the utility as this could result in needing a more robust system than
previously considered. All manufacturers differ in design, efficiency, and reliability, so you must test
these systems as well as understand power studies and the performance reliabilities on them to
determine which will be most cost effective without losing availability or reliability.

Battish, P.E., is vice president, and Jennings, E.I.T, LEED Green Associate, is an electrical design
engineer with CallisonRTKL in Baltimore, Md.

Source URL: http://ecmweb.com/power-quality/basics-uninterruptible-power-supplies

http://ecmweb.com/print/power-quality/basics-uninterruptible-power-supplies 23/02/2016