An in-depth look at batteries for Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS).
Batteries for Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) play a major role in the event of a blackout as they supply power to all devices they are connected to, thus preventing damage or data loss.
What is a UPS and how is it made?
A UPS device is made up of at least 3 parts. First, there’s an AC (alternating/continuous) converter that, thanks to a filter and a rectifier, converts the mains alternating voltage into direct voltage; then there is one or more batteries in which the power supplied by the first converter is stored. At this point the second AC (direct/alternate) converter of the UPS is activated, drawing power from the rectifier or batteries in the event of a power failure, transforming it into current to be supplied to the connected appliance.
Batteries for Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS): which businesses can’t do without them?
Batteries for Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) are crucial in places where you absolutely cannot be without power, such as hospitals. This specific type of battery is essential for all those businesses that need to protect themselves from the possible loss of important data due to sudden blackouts.
Batteries for Uninterruptible Power Supply are usually 12 volts, but it should be noted that a series of 20 batteries, equivalent to a voltage of 240 volts, can be installed in a single piece of equipment. In addition to providing autonomy to keep the device switched on in the event of a power failure, UPS batteries protect the internal components of the equipment from power surges that could damage or burn the hardware.
How does a UPS battery work?
Once the device is disconnected from a power source, the UPS battery intervenes promptly by driving its inner inverter. In this way, the batteries themselves are converted into alternating current, thus supplying the device with enough power for all data to be saved and for a complete and risk-free shutdown. With regard to voltage fluctuations, the UPS is equipped with internal filters called EMI that clean and stabilize the current coming from the socket before it reaches the connected devices. This, among other advantages, significantly extends the life of the internal components. The UPS battery is also referred to as a deep-discharge battery because, unlike ordinary lead-acid batteries, it supports many deep discharge cycles.
Online and offline: two different types of UPS battery
Battery powered UPS are divided into 2 different categories: online and offline. Online UPSs eliminate mains disturbances through double conversion, but they consume significantly more energy than offline UPSs. In fact, in these models the rectifier and the inverter remain active at all times and, in the event of a blackout, the inverter starts to supply power from the UPS battery to the connected device. Offline UPSs, on the other hand, are cheaper but only supply power for 5-10 milliseconds after a power failure. In this case, they use capacitors at the output, but these are not always sufficient to ensure power to the load.