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A Closer Look at the Types of UPS Systems

UPS systems are widely used in commercial and industrial applications. It would be more appropriate to say that these settings wouldn’t be able to function seamlessly without the right kind of Uninterruptible Power Supply installations. The profitability of any commercial or industrial establishment is directly proportional to the amount of time they conduct business or manufacture products.

And all this requires a steady flow of electricity. The one way to ensure this is to choose the right kind of UPS based on your specific needs. The company you source the system from would be able provide you all the information you need and will advise you which system will be best-suited to your needs. However, it can also help to have some basic understanding about the different types of UPS systems available and what their pros and cons are:

Types of UPS Technologies

There are a number of UPS systems on the market that can protect your data and expensive data from damage and deterioration caused by anomalies in power quality as well as power outages. Most of the UPS technologies can be categorised into:

#1 Offline UPS System

This system uses a transfer switch for the bypass function. Typically, an offline UPS system will also have a rectifier that performs the AC to DC function. Aside from this, it has an inverter, a battery and a charger and is also referred to as an SPS (standby power supply). Generally, this system operates in bypass mode and so the current doesn’t really run through the inverter, rectifier and the battery. In case a power anomaly is detected, the transfer switch starts to change position and draws power through the inverter, battery and the rectifier.

#2 Line interactive UPS System

This type of a UPS offers much better protection when compared to an offline UPS system. The functioning of this particular system is very similar to the functioning of an offline UPS; and it includes the buck-and-boost transformer capabilities. It also has a tap-changing transformer that adds on voltage regulation to this system. When there is a change in the input voltage from the utility/generator, the tap-changing transformer is able to alter the output voltage to the required voltage level. This tap transformer feature compensates for any power sags and surges that are 20%-30% of the standard incoming voltage levels, without necessitating the use of battery power to regulate the voltage. In effect, this reduces the total number of times the batteries are used and they last far longer than the offline UPS system.

#3 Online Double-Conversion UPS System

This system provides very high levels of power quality protection for critical load application. Typically, these are used in critical application settings such as data centres where uptime is required to operate the system and to keep the business financially viable.

This type of a system provides 100% electrical isolation from various power problems such as electrical line noise, switching transients, power surges, brownouts, and blackouts, high voltage spikes and power sags. Advanced online double-conversion UPS systems available in the market today have very high efficiencies – in the range of 97%. Some of the major disadvantages of this system are higher power consumption, increased heat generation and increased cost.

Delta conversion UPS modules are the latest and most energy-efficient systems that have made an entry into the market. In normal operation, these systems have a 200% overload capability & power factor that approximates unity.

If you want to know more about our power products and services, don’t hesitate to contact us at KaRaTec Power Supply Pty. You can give us a call at 612 9808 1127. You can also fill in this contact us form.

Thanks for reading,
Karatec Power Supply Pty
612 9808 1127