What is UPS?

An uninterruptible power supply, also uninterruptible power source, UPS or battery backup, is an electrical apparatus that provides emergency power to a load when the input power source, typically the mains, fails. A UPS differs from an auxiliary or emergency power system or standby generator in that it will provide instantaneous or near-instantaneous protection from input power interruptions by means of one or more attached batteries and associated electronic circuitry for low power users, and or by means of diesel generators for high power users. The on-battery runtime of most uninterruptible power sources is relatively short515 minutes being typical for smaller unitsbut sufficient to allow time to bring an auxiliary power source on line, or to properly shut down the protected equipment. While not limited to protecting any particular type of equipment, a UPS is typically used to protect computers, data centers,telecommunication equipment or other electrical equipment where an unexpected power disruption could cause injuries, fatalities, serious business disruption or data loss. UPS units range in size from units designed to protect a single computer without a video monitor (around 200 VA rating) to large units powering entire data centers, buildings, or even cities.

Different types of UPS There are three conventional types of uninterruptible power supply: Online or Double Conversion Line Interactive Offline (or Passive Standby). There are three basic types of UPS products:

On-line UPS products are ideally suited to networks running mission-critical applications. Online UPSs take in all types of voltages and frequencies and continuously create clean, regulated AC power. Some on-line UPSs can compensate for under-voltage and over-voltage without using the battery, saving battery time for use only in complete blackouts. Standby, or "off-line," UPS products provide utility power during normal operation. When voltage (and sometimes frequency) changes become severe, the standby UPS starts an internal inverter that takes DC power from the battery and turns it into AC power to run your system. The standby UPS does not regulate incoming power and is not recommended for networking systems. Line-interactive UPSs provide a measure of voltage regulation by "boosting" utility voltage up or "bucking" it down before passing it to your system. For some types of line-interactive models, the UPS uses the battery for this type of voltage regulation, thus its battery life is shorter than that of on-line models.

Standby UPS

Advantages: Low cost, high efficiency, compact design. Disadvantages: battery remains unused when the power goes out, not suitable for use in the above 2kVA. Description: The most suitable for personal users.

Line Interactive

Advantages: high reliability, high efficiency, good voltage adjustment. Disadvantages: not suitable for use on small 5kVA. Description: UPS is the most common type used in the electrical conditions of uncertainty.

On-Line UPS

Advantages: very good voltage adjustment; easy to be connected in parallel. Disadvantages: Low efficiency; they're expensive to type with power under the small 5kVA. Description: UPS is the ideal approach, but produce a fairly high heat.

Stanby UPSes APC Model Part # Rating Est. Runtime @ 50% utilization Retail Cost Back-UPS BE650IN 650VA 21 min. 1950 PowerWare PW3110 PW3110 700 N/A 700VA 13 min. 2100

Communication Port Serial

LineInteractive UPSes APC Model Part # Data Port Smart-UPS SUA1000IN Serial PowerWare PW5115 PW5115 750 Serial 750VA 14 min. Yes 14000

Rating 1000VA Est. Runtime @ 50% 20 min. utilization Line Conditioning Yes Other Accessories Retail Cost Smartslot 11000

Online UPSes APC Model Part # Rating Est. Runtime @ 50% utilization Expandable Retail Cost SmartUPS SURT1000XL 1000VA 35 min. Yes 19000 PowerWare PW9120 PW9120 700 Serial 1000VA 18 min. Yes 20000

Communication Port Serial/USB

How to choose UPS? UPS type is the first thing to consider, we have to select between a Standby, Line Interactive or Online system. Stand by UPS enables computer to continue working for a limited time from batteries in case of power failure, but it doesn't protect the computer from mains deviations and transients. Line interactive UPS provides protection also from limited line disturbances, whereas On Line UPS grants the best power protection and is generally the preferred type for professional and critical applications, and the only solution for high power systems. Size in Volt Ampere (VA) or kVA (thousand VA) units is derived by multiplying UPS voltage by the nominal current, which the UPS can supply. UPS current or VA capacity should be above the current or VA total sum of all protected consumers.

Here are the main additional questions which should be considered before buying: 1. What is the Wattage rating of the UPS? Apparent Power measured in VA units and Real Power measured in Watt units, define UPS size; both should be above the respective total requirement of the consumers which the UPS protects. Real UPS power equals VA multiplied by Power Factor ( PF) rating of the UPS, which has commonly 0.7, 0.8 or 0.9 rating. Thus 5kVA (5000 VA) UPS with 0.7 PF rating can supply only 3500 Watt load, whereas same VA with 0.9 PF UPS can supply 4500Watt load. Backup time depends only on Wattage. Thus, backup time comparison should be made with the same PF rating. The said 5kVA units, each having a stated 5 minutes full load rating provide different backup times when connected to the same load. A 3500 Watt load that has 5 minute backup rating when connected to 0.7 PF UPS, renders above 70% more backup time when connected to a UPS that has the same VA rating but 0.9 PF rating. . 2. What is the Efficiency of the UPS? Online UPS efficiency is typically 87% to 96%. The wasted electric energy, associated with poorly efficient UPS types, might double initial UPS cost within a few years, and should be considered before buying.

3. Does it have an Eco Mode operating regime? Some Manufacturers offer online systems with Economy mode ability, which is a standby regime operation, where the load is fed from mains with automatic transfer to Online operation if Line voltage deviates beyond set limits. The Eco mode may provide the best of all solutions in a stable grid environment. It offers high, 96% to 98% efficiency in normal operation, as well as online mode features at power outage, or when working from generator. 4. Can UPS systems be paralleled for increased power or redundancy? Some online UPS systems have paralleling ability, thus increasing total output power capacity. Paralleling ability enables to order a system sized for current Power requirement, increasing the installation when requirements grow. Paralleling ability is also implemented in redundant UPS configuration where at least one surplus unit is added, beyond the required capacity. A 20KVA load for instance, if protected by three UPS units of 10kVA each, in redundant configuration, will continue to supply full load, even if a single unit fails. The small light weight UPS that failed, can be rapidly replaced or sent to repair without affecting load protection. 5. Are UPS Batteries, user replaceable? UPS system's ability, to protect load when power fails, depends on the health of its batteries. Batteries are the weakest link in an online system; short battery lifetime and high quantity of series connected batteries make such UPS vulnerable to battery failure. User's ability to replace failed batteries, may affect dramatically the time needed to restore UPS operation, as well decreasing maintenance costs.Some systems feature hot swappable batteries, which are installed in a battery cartridge, which is easily replaceable, without turning the UPS off 6. Is the UPS equipped with a Maintenance By-Pass? UPS systems are complex, computer controlled, power converters working from mains or batteries, which may and do also fail. Utility mains voltage is available in 99.9 % of total time in western countries. But, due the inherent nature of Standby or Line Interactive systems, a failed UPS is frequently revealed at the worst possible moment, when the utility fails and the load is switched to UPS operation. On Line UPS systems work continuously through their double conversion path. The UPS when failed transfers the load smoothly to mains, initiating an alarm signal, which notifies the users that correcting measures are required to restore the system to normal operation.

Some of the organisation in India in UPS field. NUMERIC POWER SYSTEMS LIMITED, CHENNAI. DB POWER ELECTRONICS PVT. LTD. , PUNE. PCI LIMITED., NEW DELHI CONSUL CONSOLIDATED PVT. LTD., CHENNAI. UNILINE ELECTRONICS PVT. LTD., NEW DELHI. HI-REL ELECTRONICS PVT. LTD., GANDHI NAGAR. TECHSER POWER SOLUTIONS PVT. LTD., BANGALORE. POWER-ONE MICRO SYSTEMS PVT. LTD., BANGALORE. HYKON INDIA (P) LTD., Thrissur. MICROTEK INTERNATIONAL PVT. LTD., NEW DELHI. WeP PERIPHERALS LIMITED, BANGALORE. APC - SCHENEIDER, BANGALORE. EMERSON NETWORK POWER INDIA PVT. LTD EATON POWER QUALITY PVT. LTD., NEW DELHI. ASIA POWERCOM PVT. LTD., MUMBAI. DELTA INDIA ELECTRONICS PVT. LTD., Gurgaon. POWERNET SOLUTIONS PVT. LTD., BANGALORE. ELECTRONICS & CONTROLS POWER SYSTEMS PVT. LTD., BANGALORE. COSMIC MICRO SYSTEMS PVT. LTD., BANGALORE.