Power cuts today can bring operations — be they at home or in business — to a screeching halt. In the twenty first century, clean and reliable power supplies have become increasingly vital and central in almost all levels of society.
This is where uninterruptible power supplies, or UPS systems, for short, come in. They provide power back up for short periods of time in an emergency to ensure that your electrical equipment is protected in the event of any kind of power failure. Uninterruptible power supplies, in other words, are specifically designed to provide a kind of stopgap in the event of a power cut to ensure your equipment can be safely shutdown, and your data saved.
How Does An Uninterruptible Power Supply System Function?
Uninterruptible power supplies consist of a number of components that are specifically designed and engineered to provide a robust short term power back up in the event of any failure of the main source of electricity.
Uninterruptible power supplies, thus, are distinct from other kinds of backup systems both due to its function as well as its structure and components. Uninterruptible power supplies make use of flywheels, super capacitors, or batteries to store and supply power to your electrical equipment in the event of a power cut.
As a result, the battery power and runtime of any uninterruptible power supplies system is relatively much shorter than other forms of power back up. Sometimes they are designed to provide back up only for a few minutes.
This short span of time, however, can be a crucial stopgap for equipment, during which it can safely shut down and minimise or eliminate any damage or data loss. Once an uninterruptible power supply does its work, an alternative power back up source such as an inverter system can kick in to power the equipment.
When Are Uninterruptible Power Supplies Used?
Power cuts notwithstanding, uninterruptible power supplies are also extremely effective in dealing with other kinds of problems in electrical supplies. These include:
- Sagging power supplies, when the power supply is supplying lower than necessary levels of electricity to your equipment.
- Brownouts, or sagging power that lasts a longer period of time, such as hours or even weeks.
- Harmonics, or any kink in the sinusoidal waveform in which the power supply reaches your equipment.
- Power surges, or unexpected increases in voltage in the power supply.
- Unstable frequencies, when a kink develops in the oscillating frequency of your power supply.
- Energy spikes, which are short and unexpected bursts of energy taking place in the power supply.
Types Of Uninterruptible Power Supplies Systems
Uninterruptible power supplies primarily come in three types.
- Offline Voltage And Frequency Dependent UPS
The offline voltage and frequency dependent uninterruptible power supplies system is an excellent UPS to provide protection at home to devices such as computers, office equipment, and home electronics. In this type of UPS system, battery power kicks in in the event of a power cut.
- Line Interactive Voltage Independent UPS
The voltage independent line interactive uninterruptible power supplies system provides greater protection when compared to offline VFD. They are designed to monitor voltage levels so they can swiftly correct any power surges or under voltage situations. Here, the main power is filtered through the UPS to ensure that fluctuations are addressed before reaching electronic equipment.
- Double Conversion Online Voltage And Frequency Independent UPS
The double conversion online VFI uninterruptible power supplies system is the newest UPS technology in the market today, and an excellent choice for running expensive and electronically sensitive equipment. It is specifically designed to employ double conversion technology to ensure no power fluctuations can reach your equipment.
Invest in Reliable UPS System
Whether it’s large-scale commercial enterprises such as banking and infrastructure or small scale operations such as your home, an uninterrupted supply of power is a basic necessity. UPS systems, today, are more important than ever, and investing in a high quality and robust uninterruptible power supplies system can prove to be an excellent investment in the long run for you.