A UPS, or uninterruptible power supply, is a crucial piece of technology in the electrically driven world we live in today. From fields such as banking and manufacturing to simple home use, without electricity, the world comes to a grinding halt. Without a UPS, power cuts pose the danger of causing massive data loss, downtimes, and interruptions.
In the event of a power cut or other possible interruption in the power supply, the uninterruptible power supply works to provide a backup supply of electricity to your equipment. The uninterruptible power supply is specifically designed to provide a robust emergency backup when the original power supply to any electrical equipment cuts out, and consequently, comes in many forms.
The Importance Of Uninterruptible Power Supply
An uninterruptible power supply can be designed to protect and work for many different kinds of technology, from computers and sensitive electronic equipment to larger operations such as servers and communications networks. In a world that relies heavily on a steady and reliable supply of energy, an uninterruptible power supply system is vital to the operations of any home or business.
The Components Of An Uninterruptible Power Supply System
Uninterruptible power supply systems are typically made up of four components: a rectifier, uninterruptible power supply or UPS batteries, an inverter, and a static bypass switch.
- Rectifier
The rectifier is primarily designed for two functions: it converts input power from alternating current to direct current, which is then stored in the batteries. Electrical energy is stored in direct current in batteries, which is what the rectifier is designed to ensure: a fully charged battery that has stored energy in direct current.
Rectifiers in uninterruptible power supply systems are engineered to accept a wide range of voltage fluctuations to ensure they can offer protection in the event of overloads or low loads without needing any extra help.
- Batteries
The batteries of an uninterruptible power supply system store energy and provide power when the main power supply power stops working, while the rectifier ensures that the battery remains charged.
The number of batteries in an uninterruptible power supply system depends on the direct current voltage of the system. However, no matter the number, the batteries are always connected in a string configuration. Thus, if one battery stops working, so do they all.
Smaller systems house batteries in the uninterruptible power supply unit itself, while larger systems may need a separate form of storage.
- Inverter
While power is stored in the battery in direct current form, electronic equipment runs on alternating current. Thus, an uninterruptible power supply system performs a double conversion, with the inverter converting the DC power in the battery to AC power that can be used to provide emergency backup to your electronic equipment.
This double conversion, from AC to DC to AC again allows the uninterruptible power supply system to filter out any problems or kinks in the power supplies, such as surges in power or even low voltage. The final output of an uninterruptible power supply system is a pure sine waveform.
- Static Bypass Switch
The static bypass switch in an uninterruptible power supply system acts as a safeguard in case the UPS itself develops any problems or issues. If such an issue occurs, the static bypass switch, as the name suggests, bypasses the UPS itself and connects the main load to the original power supply.
This, naturally, isn’t an ideal situation, as the filtered power that comes from the uninterruptible power supply system is no longer available. However, it ensures your equipment can continue to function while the problem in the UPS is taken care of.
Get High-Quality UPS
While these are the primary components of an uninterruptible power supply system, depending on the size and design of the system, many other components — fans, and capacitors, for instance — may be added to the UPS. No matter its size or structure, however, the uninterruptible power supply system is a vital component in any household or commercial enterprise due to the security and peace of mind it offers.
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