What are the Applications of Online UPS

What are the Applications of Online UPS?

In today's world, where technology is at the forefront of every aspect of our lives, the need for uninterrupted power supply has become a crucial requirement for businesses and individuals alike. This is where Online UPS comes into play, providing reliable power backup solutions that guarantee continuous power supply to critical systems and devices, even in the event of power outages or fluctuations.

In this blog, we will be exploring the concept of Online UPS in detail, discussing its advantages, features, and applications. We will also be examining the different types of Online UPS systems available, and what factors you should consider when selecting the right UPS for your needs.

Whether you're a business owner looking for a reliable power backup solution for your critical IT systems or an individual looking to protect your home appliances from power surges, this blog will provide you with all the information you need to make an informed decision on Online UPS systems. So, let's dive in!

What are these UPS about?

A UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) is a crucial component of any power backup system. It ensures that critical equipment and systems remain operational in the event of a power outage or other power-related issues. Two main types of UPS systems are available in the market – On-Line UPS and Off-Line UPS. Understanding the difference between these two types of UPS systems is essential for choosing the right one for your needs.

What are the types of UPS?

When it comes to Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS), there are two main types: Online UPS and Offline UPS. Although both types supply power to devices during power outages, they have distinct differences. The primary difference between Online UPS and Offline UPS is the way they provide power. Online UPS utilizes a rectifier and inverter combination to simultaneously power the load and charge the battery, ensuring that the battery is ready to supply power when needed. On the other hand, Offline UPS supplies AC power directly to the load by switching ON the transfer switch, and only uses the battery backup in the event of a power failure. Another crucial difference is that Online UPS requires a large heat sink.

The rectifier in the Online UPS supplies power directly to the inverter as well as the battery. As a result, heat dissipation will be significant. As a result, an Online UPS requires a larger heat sink than an Offline UPS.

Online UPS

The Online UPS, consisting of a rectifier, battery, and inverter, is directly connected to both the AC mains and the load. The rectifier circuit converts the AC power into DC power, which is used to charge the battery and supply the inverter circuit that powers the load. The transfer switch is always in the ON position, allowing power to be continuously delivered to the load from the rectifier and inverter circuits, without any interruptions in case of a power outage.

Benefits of Online UPS

• One of the significant advantages of using Online UPS is that there is no need to switch between the two power paths during a power outage, thus ensuring that power is continuously delivered to the load.
• Another benefit is that Online UPS provides proper isolation between the load and input circuits, resulting in distortion-less signals.
• Since the inverter is always in the ON position, power is continuously available to the load, resulting in zero transfer time.

Drawbacks of Online UPS

• Designing an Online UPS is complex, as it requires a large heat sink.
• The instantaneous supply of power to the battery backup and inverter circuit in Online UPS leads to increased power dissipation.
• The cost of designing Online UPS is higher than that of Offline UPS.

Offline UPS

The Offline UPS functions by directly providing the AC power to the device connected to the load. During normal operation, the AC power is supplied directly to the load, while the battery is charged with the help of the rectifier circuit.

However, in the event of a power outage, the Offline UPS switches the position of the transfer switch to connect the load to the battery backup path. The charged battery then supplies DC power to the inverter, which converts it into AC and supplies it to the load terminal.

Benefits of Offline UPS

• One significant advantage of the Offline UPS is its low design cost in comparison to the Online UPS.
• The internal control of the Offline UPS is simple, as there are only two paths, which work at different times according to the position of the transfer switch.
• The efficiency of the Offline UPS is high because the battery backup and inverter are not always ON, as they are in the case of the Online UPS.

Drawbacks of Offline UPS

• The electric signal obtained from the Offline UPS has poor quality because the inverter is not always ON.
• In case of power outage, the transfer time is approximately 5ms, during which there will be no output power. There will be a slight disruption in the output power due to transfer time.
• Since the Offline UPS directly supplies AC power when it is available, any spikes or surges present in the input voltage will also be transmitted to the output circuit.

Online UPS are of broadly two different types:

1) On-Line, Line-Interactive UPS

2) On-Line, Double Conversion UPS Systems.

What are the applications of On-Line UPS?

1. Online UPS is essential for computers and data centers where any power disruption, no matter how small, can lead to data loss, system corruption, or irreparable hard disk failure. Therefore, On-Line UPS must be installed before every system to ensure uninterrupted power supply.

2. Network Operation Centers (NOCs) rely on the quality of power supply round the clock since even a one-second disruption can cause significant delays or bring the entire system to a halt, resulting in massive losses. As a result, On-Line UPS is crucial for NOCs to prevent any such occurrence.

3. Online UPS is a critical device for process industries such as food and beverage, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, petroleum, coal, plastic, rubber, textiles, embroidery, and knitting machines, medical equipment, and digital printing machines. These industries cannot afford any breakdown, even for a minute, as it can lead to significant losses, and a single machine disruption can stop the entire chain of processes. Therefore, installing On-Line UPS is necessary for these industries to prevent any breakdown or malfunctioning.

Where should On-Line UPS be installed?

On-Line UPS systems should be installed in systems that require the following applications:

1. Voltage regulation - On-Line UPS systems provide live voltage regulation to ensure a constant voltage supply to the connected load, regardless of the voltage supplied by the utility. They are required in areas where a constant voltage is necessary, and any variation beyond the limit could be disastrous for the connected load.
2. Surge protection - On-Line UPS systems provide superior surge protection to prevent any damage to the connected load caused by surges in the incoming supply. They are installed in loads where surge protection is crucial.
3. Noise protection - On-Line UPS systems shield against the magnetic and electrical fields that cause noise and harmonics in the system, leading to equipment damage, malfunctioning, or premature failure. They are necessary for applications where the equipment is sensitive to these noises.
4. Pure sine wave - On-Line UPS systems supply a pure sine wave power to the load, irrespective of the type of power received at the input. They are necessary for all sensitive loads where the quality of power cannot be compromised.
5. Switchover time - On-Line UPS systems switch over power from the utility power to UPS within two to four milliseconds, ensuring uninterrupted power supply to sensitive loads. They are vital for sensitive loads as offline UPS systems can result in slight interruptions in power transfer, which is fatal for connected sensitive loads.

Conclusion

In conclusion, On-Line UPS systems are a vital component for a wide range of applications that require stable, reliable, and uninterrupted power supply. Among the various brands of On-Line UPS available in the market, Lento Online UPS is a popular choice due to its advanced technology, high efficiency, and excellent performance. Lento Online UPS systems offer a wide range of power capacities to cater to different power requirements of the customers. Additionally, Lento Online UPS provides various features such as pure sine wave output, fast switchover time, surge protection, noise protection, and live voltage regulation to ensure reliable and uninterrupted power supply to the connected loads. Therefore, if you are looking for a reliable and efficient On-Line UPS system, Lento Online UPS could be a great option to consider.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: What is an Online UPS?

A: An Online UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply) is a type of UPS that continuously provides power to the connected load from its battery backup, while at the same time, keeping the battery charged by converting the incoming AC power into DC power and then back into AC power to supply the load. This ensures that the connected load always receives clean and stable power, free from any voltage fluctuations or power surges.

Q: What are the advantages of an Online UPS?

A: Some of the advantages of an Online UPS include continuous power supply to the connected load, surge protection, noise protection, and live voltage regulation. Online UPS systems also offer a fast switchover time from utility power to battery power, which ensures uninterrupted power supply to the connected load in case of a power outage.

Q: Where can I use an Online UPS?

A: Online UPS systems are suitable for a wide range of applications that require stable and reliable power supply, including data centers, server rooms, network operation centers, process industries, medical equipment, and communication systems.

Q: What is the difference between an Online UPS and an Offline UPS?

A: The main difference between an Online UPS and an Offline UPS is that an Online UPS continuously provides power to the connected load from its battery backup, while an Offline UPS only provides power to the load from its battery backup when there is a power outage or voltage fluctuation in the utility power supply.

Q: What is the capacity range of Lento Online UPS?

A: Lento Online UPS systems come in a wide range of power capacities, ranging from 1kVA to more than 150kVA, to cater to the different power requirements of the customers.

Q: Can I use an Online UPS for my home appliances?

A: While Online UPS systems are suitable for a wide range of applications, they may not be the most cost-effective option for powering home appliances due to their high cost and capacity. Instead, a line-interactive or offline UPS may be more suitable for home use, depending on the power requirements of the appliances.