UPS system configurations

Uninterruptible Power Supplies have been an important element in critical power protection
schemes. Over time many different system configurations have been developed to mitigate
the risk of loss of utility power. The following is a presentation of four typical UPS
configurations used in industrial and commercial applications and an evaluation of each of
their capabilities.
A score between 1 and 5 has been assigned. A score of “5” indicates the highest degree of
criteria capability, while a score of “1” indicates the lowest degree of criteria capability
Evaluation criteria:
1. Reliability – Evaluates a configuration’s capability to maintain conditioned power tothe
load .
2. Complexity – Looks at the complexity of the configuration and the potential for single
point failures.
3. Maintainability – The system configuration must allow for concurrent maintenance of all
power system components – supporting the load with part of the UPS system while other
parts are being serviced.
4. Functionality – The system configuration must be able to protect the critical load from a
full range of power disturbances without trans ferring the critical load to external power
sources, i.e. batteries or alternate power sources.
Single unit or standalone configuration
The standalone configuration (Figure 1), is the most common configuration utilized in UPS
applications because it contains fewest number of major components. This system utilizes
AC power (typically utility power) and converts it to DC through the rectifier.The regulated
DC power is supplied to both bank of
batteries and to the inverter.
The inverter “inverts” the DC back into regulated, noise-free AC power and passes it along to
the static switch. The static switch, under normal conditions, passes this AC power to the
load. If a failure in the inverter should occur, or a fault on the load should occur which
overloads the inverter beyond its maximum capacity, the static switch will automatically
transfer to the alternate (or bypass) position and feed the critical load from the alternate
power source through the static bypass switch. The manual bypass switch is a mechanical,
make-before-break switch is used to bypass the UPS for maintenance purposes. When the AC
power to the rectifier is lost, the batteries automatically begin supplying the required DC
power to the inverter since there is no switching involved at this point.

Figure 1 Standalone Configuration

Hot standby configuration
Utilizing two UPS systems (Figure 2), the hot standby configuration is the simplest form in
providing a redundant configuration.In Hot standby configuration, the normal system power
flow to the critical load is through UPS #1 and UPS#2 acts as standby UPS.
If UPS #1 should fail, or if the load current exceeds the UPS’s full load rating, the static
switch will transfer the critical load to the static bypass (which is the output of UPS #2)
within 4-5 milliseconds. When the UPS #1 is rectified,the loads will be transferred back to
UPS#1 automatically without any interruption to the loads.
Under normal conditions, UPS #2 is idle but always on and ready to assume the critical load
through the transfer of static switch (UPS #1). If UPS #2 should fail, its static switch will
sense the loss of function and transfer the load to the system bypass source. The system
bypass can be supplied through either a voltage conditioning (regulating) transformer or a
non-regulating shielded isolation transformer a through a SCVS
 Figure 2 Hot Standby Configuration

Configuration parallel 1+1

Parallel redundant configuration (1+1)
Parallel redundancy refers to the simultaneous operation of two UPS systems operating in
parallel. Figure 3–Parallel Redundant Configuration, illustrates two UPS systems operating in
parallel. In this scheme both UPS systems are supplying approximately 50% of the combined
AC load. The failure of either UPS systems would result in the entire load being assumed by
the healthy UPS. The failure of both UPS systems would result in the load being transferred
to the alternate power source via the static transfer switch.

Figure 3 1+1 parallel Redundant Configuration

Parallel configuration n +1
Parallel redundant configuration (N +1)
Parallel redundancy refers to the simultaneous operation of more than two UPS systems
operating in parallel. Figure 4 – Parallel Redundant Configuration, illustrates three UPS
systems operating in parallel. In this scheme each of the UPS systems will share equally the
combined AC load. The failure of any one of the UPS system would result in the entire load
being assumed by the remaining healthy UPS. The failure of two UPS systems would result
in the load being transferred to the alternate power source via the static transfer switch.
Figure 4 N+1 Paraller Configuration
Distributed redundancy
Redundancy with STS
The distributed redundant configuration, Figure 5, utilizes standalone configured UPS
systems in conjunction with two stand-alone Static transfer switches. In normal operation,
both units are designed to carry 50% of the critical load, and have 50% reserve capability to
support the load on the other bus in the event the UPS feeding the other load bus encounters
an operational problem. This allows complete independence and total isolation of the two
UPS units from each other, facilitates separate output load buses, and eliminates the
possibilities of single point failures either dueto faults on the load side or because of faults
within the two units. The result is a configuration that allows both critical load buses to be
automatically fed from either the dedicated bus unit or the redundant unit.
The failure of UPS #1 would cause External Static Switch #1 to feed that system’s load from
UPS #2. Similarly, the failure of UPS #2 would cause External Static Switch #2 to feed that
systems load from UPS #1. Note, a common bypass feed, i.e. from the same bypass source, is
necessary to ensure that the output of the two systems will be synchronized, and to allow
availability of unrestricted fault clearing power.
 Figure 5 Redundancy with STS

Dual bus configuration

The dual bus configuration, Figure 6 utilizes two or more UPS systems operating in parallel
with two independent distribution systems. This is the most reliable, and most expensive
design in the industry
 Figure 6 Dual Bus Configuration

Evaluation criteria for UPS selection

While selecting an UPS for a requirement, different manufacturers have different specifications,
which makes the comparison confusing. The comparison and selection should be based on the
below technical parameters and the relevance for the particular requirement.
The 3 main components of the UPS are rectifier, inverter and battery. The rectifier acts as a load
to the electrical mains and the following characteristic of the rectifier will decide the type of
upstream infrastructure required.
• Input current distortion (THDI) : Harmonics,
• Input power factor,
• Input start-up current,
• Number of wires (3ph or 3ph+Neutral),
• Efficiency (influences global efficiency),
• Maximum output power,
• Input voltage & frequency tolerances
• Generator compatibility
The inverter of the UPS System will be a source for the critical loads connected to the UPS and
based on the need of the load the following parameters decides the quality & capacity of the
UPS.
• Nominal apparent power (VA)
• Nominal active power (W)
• Capability to support load Power factor (low power factor and Leading mainly)
• Inverter efficiency (influences global efficiency)
• Output voltage distortion (ThdV, with different load types)
• Max load current crest factor
• Overload, Inrush current and short-circuit capability,
• With or without galvanic isolation
The battery is the heart of the UPS system and the selection of battery is more important as it
decides the duration of operation in the event of mains failure. The battery also plays an
important role in deciding the Capex and Opex cost. The following points has to be evaluated to
have the right battery configuration.
• KW considered for battery sizing
• End cell voltage
• Ageing factor
(incase of low backup time)
• No of battery bank in parallel
• Design life of the selected battery
• Required of charging current and its compatibility with UPS

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Key components of online double

conversion UPS
A double conversion UPS converts the incoming alternating current (AC) to a direct current
(DC), so it can power the system’s battery, and then inverts the DC back to AC for powering
equipment –hence the name “double conversion.” Take a look at how a UPS’s components
work together so you can better understand your system and ensure your mission critical load
remains online.
The UPS system acts as a source to the loads connected to it and as a load to the electrical
mains.
Rectifier
 Figure 1 Double Conversion UPS

As shown in the above figure, an online double conversion UPS has 4 major components

 INVERTER
 BATTERY
 STATIC SWITCH
 RECTIFIER

The rectifier acts as a load to the electrical mains. The primary objective of the rectifier is to
a) Convert the incoming power supply (AC) to DC
b) Charge the battery
It also has a hidden objective which is to draw a sinusoidal current from the mains and also to
ensure the current drawn is in phase with the voltage waveform so that the current harmonic
distortion injected on the mains is less and the power factor is better.

The rectifier in a three phase UPS is designed to operate under nominal input voltage of 415V
and frequency of 50Hz. Taking into consideration voltage fluctuations, the rectifier is
typically designed to operate with a input specific voltage range of ±15% and frequency
range of ±6%.
In general the best rectifier topology should have high efficiency, high power factor (PF) and
low current distortion(THDi).This will ensure good compatibility with Genset and also
reduce the need to oversize the DG set, incoming transformer and cable sizing for supporting
the UPS.
The technology of the UPS has evolved and different technologies are being used in the
rectifier of the UPS. A short comparison of different rectifier technologies is given in the
table below.
Inverter
The primary objective of the inverter is to convert DC power to AC power and to support the
loads. The DC power can be either from the rectifier or from the battery connected to the DC
bus of the UPS System.
The inverter is a critical component as this acts as a source to the critical loads connected to
it. As a source, the inverter has to support the loads with sinusoidal voltage waveform under
below conditions:
a) Zero break power from mains to battery mode,
b) Static and dynamic loading conditions,
c) Overload conditions
d) Linear and Non-Linear loadind conditions
e) Faster fault clearing
f) Overload handling capability
There are two main Inverter topologies namely with transformer in the inverter output and
transformer less inverter topology.
Transformer based and transformer less lnverter

Figure 2 Transformer Based

 Figure 2 Transformer less Inverter

Figure 2 shows the configuration of Inverter with transformer and in a transformer less or
transformer free configuration.
In transformer based inverter the primary objective of using a transformer is to setup the
inverter output voltage as the DC bus voltage will be generally around 600V DC and the
inductance required as a part of output LC filter will be incorporated in the same.
In a transformer less UPS, The DC bus voltage is increased to 800V DC and a DC-DC
booster circuit will be introduced between the battery and the DC bus.
Refer section 5 for the details and selection of right topology based on the applications.
Also the actual inverter bridge can have two level swithcing or three level switching which is
explained is detailed in the next section.
Two & three level inverter
Two-level inverter
The two-level inverter has been widely used for a range of power levels. The schematic of the
topology is shown in Figure 3 and 4.The two-level inverter switches between two voltage
levels of +Vdc and –Vdc. The switching voltage will be the full DC bus voltage which is
generally 600 to 800Vdc which demands the usage of IGBT with higher voltageing of 1200V
to reduce the impact of voltage stress.
As a result of PWM switching at higher frequency, the output voltage waveform generated
contains higher distortion and which increases the size of the choke / inductor must be
increased to smoothen it into a sinusoidal waveform.
The two-level inverter is a very simple design without any complex circuits. The two-level
inverter will have a lower conduction loss but higher switching loss making the two-level
inverter less efficient at higher switching frequencies.
 Figure 3 Two Level Inverter Bridge

Figure 4 Symbolic Representation of two level inverter Bridge

Three-level inverter
The schematic of three level inverter is shown in 5 and 6. A three level inverter will have
three switching states,+Vdc/2,0,-Vdc/2. The effective switching voltage of IGBT will be
400V and the IGBT voltages ratings will be 600V.However in a three level inverter we use 4
no’s of 600V IGBT in series for each leg.
As a result of Three level switching, the resultant output waveform is more sinusoidal with
lesser distortion, which will reduce the size
 Figure 5 Three level Inverter Bridge

Figure 6 Symbolic Representation Of Three level Inverter Bridge

of choke/inductance required to smoothen the voltage waveform eventually reducing the

losses across the chokes.
The switching losses of a three-level inverter is lesser but the conduction losses are higher
compared to a two level inverter.
In a three level inverter,while the number of switching devices are more, the overall
efficiency of the inverter can be betterthan a two level inverter. But actual efficiency of either
topology depends on the IGBT used, the switching frequency as well as the losses in the
output choke (Inductor).
Comparison of Two level inverter and three level inverter

Energy storage
When electrical service is disrupted (i.e., mains failure), the UPS continues to support the
load connected to it through its energy storage system. The UPS may provide power for
durations ranging from 10 to 20 seconds to several hours. Shorter duration UPSs are designed
to carry the load during the start-up of back-up electrical generators, typically diesel engine
driven generators, and to enable a smooth transition to the generator as the power source.
In many cases, the UPS is designed to provide power for 5 to 30 minutes. The purpose is to
enable an orderly shutdown of operations thereby avoiding an abrupt shutdown, which would
otherwise cause equipment damage, product/work losses or a security/safety hazard. The
under-desk UPS for PCs is an example.
UPS with enough energy to provide power for several hours are somewhat rare. A key reason
is that, in most situations, it is less expensive to store energy in the form of diesel fuel (for
generators) if backup power is needed for several hours.
There are different technologies of energy storage solution available in the market like
a) Battery
b) Flywheels
c) Ultra capacitors
The selection of right energy storage system depends on

 Required Runtime/backup time

 Power density/Footprint
 Weight
 Lifespan / Cycle count
 Reliability
 Cost of Ownership (Initial cost /Maintenance cost)
 Operating temperature

Energy storage system – battery

Battery is the most critical component in the UPS and is also considered as heart of the UPS
System. Without battery the UPS is just a power conditioner.
The purpose of the battery is to provide the energy necessary to supply the load when the
mains supply in not available.
Cost of battery is a major component on the final price of the UPS solution proposed to the
customer.

A battery is an electrochemical device thatstores energy at one time for use at another.The
battery uses electrical energy to store energy in chemical form which is converted to
electrical energy during the discharge of the battery.
The UPS battery may furnish power to theinverter for a few seconds, many minutes, or hours.
The battery capacity is determined by the amount and duration of power the inverter has to
deliver to the load from the battery.
Types of battery
Three common varieties of battery chemistries popularly used in UPS applications are:
a) Lead Acid
b) Nickel Cadmium
c) Lithium Ion

Lead acid battery

The storage battery or secondary battery is such battery where electrical energy can be stored
as chemical energy and this chemical energy is then converted to electrical energy as and
when required. The conversion of electrical energy into chemical energy by applying external
electrical source is known as charging of battery. Whereas conversion of chemical energy
into electrical energy for supplying the external load is known as discharging of secondary
battery. During charging of battery, current is passed through it which causes some chemical
changes inside the battery. This chemical changes absorb energy during their formation.
When the battery is connected to the load, the chemical changes take place in reverse
direction, during which the absorbed energy is released as electrical energy and supplied to
the load. Now we will try to understand the principle working of lead acid battery and for that
we will first discuss about lead acid battery which is very commonly used as storage battery
or secondary battery
The main active materials required to construct a lead acid battery are

 Lead peroxide (PbO2)

 Sponge lead (Pb)
 Dilute sulfuric acid (H2SO4)

The positive plate is made of lead peroxide. This is dark brown, hard and brittle
substance.The negative plate is made of pure lead in soft sponge condition.Dilute sulfuric
acid used for lead acid battery has ratio of water to acid = 3:1.
During discharging

 Both of the plates are covered with PbSO4

 Specific gravity of sulfuric acid solution falls due to formation of water during reaction at
PbO2 plate.
 As a result, the rate of reaction falls which implies the potential difference between the
plates decreases during discharging process.
During charging

 Lead sulfate anode gets converted into lead peroxide.

 Lead sulfate of cathode is converted to pure lead.
 Terminal potential of the cell increases.
 Specific gravity of sulfuric acid increases.

The lead acid battery are further classified as

 Sealed maintenance Free (SMF) VRLA Battery

 Tubular/Flooded Battery
 Tubular GEL VRLA

Leed acid & ni-cd battery

SMF (Sealed Maintenance Free): battery is a battery which doesn’t require topping up due
to negligible water loss. It is designed in such a way that it cannot be opened or refilled.
These batteries are safe, maintenance free and are suitable for most UPS applications. The
SMF battery will have an additional safety valve which release the excessive formation of
hydrogen, as a result of overcharging, in to the atmosphere.
SMF battery works on a recombination technology where the hydrogen gas evolved during
the charging process is converted to water with the help of oxygen present inside the battery
container.
The typical cyclic performance of the battery is less and is limited by the operating
temperature and the charging profile.The SMF battery delivers higher power at higher
temperatures but the life of battery comes down significantly
The SMF battery needs to be installed in a controlled environment to maintain the
temperature at 25-27 deg C and an additional hydrogen sensor in the battery room is
recommended for installation.
Tubular batteries: have openings at top to add distilled water for maintenance and safe
running. These batteries are very rugged and used in Cyclic application. These batteries last
longer due to robust design and are suitable for harsh environment applications.
The tubular battery can be installed in any environment(other than closed air conditioner
room) with proper ventilation and air exchanges as hydrogen evolution from the battery is
higher when compared with SMF buttery.
Tubular GEL batteries require no topping of water and is a sealed, valve regulated lead-acid
deep cycle battery that uses a gel electrolyte. These type of batteries are rugged and suitable
for cyclic applications but are maintenance free compared to flooded tubular batteries.
Nickel cadmium cell (NiCd): The active components of a rechargeable Ni- Cd battery in the
charged state consist of nickel hydroxide (NiOOH) in the positive electrode and cadmium
(Cd) in the negative electrode. For the electrolyte, usually caustic potash solution (potassium
hydroxide) is used. Due to their low internal resistance and the very good current conducting
properties, Ni-Cd cells can supply extremely high currents and can be recharged rapidly.
These cells can operate over a large temperature range, from +60°C down to -20°C. The
selection of the separator (nylon or polypropylene) and the electrolyte (KOH, LiOH, NaOH)
is also of great importance. These constituents influence the voltage conditions in the case of
a high current discharge, the service life and the overcharging capability of the cell. In the
case of misuse, a very high-pressure may arise quickly.
For this reason, these cells are equipped with a reversible safety valve, which can act several
times. NiCad cells offer a long service life (depending on the type of application and charging
unit upto 2000 cycles).
Advantages and limitations of lead acid batteries & ni-cd
Comparing different types of battery

Lithium ion battery

Lithium ion batteries offer several advantages over traditional valve-regulated, lead acid
batteries commonly used in UPS’s today. A much longer life span, smaller size and weight,
faster recharge times, and declining prices have made lithium-ion batteries an appealing
energy storage technology option for energy storage.
Similar to the lead- and nickel-based architecture, lithium-ion uses a cathode (positive
electrode), an anode (negative electrode) and electrolyte as conductor. The cathode is a metal
oxide and the anode consists of porous carbon. During discharge, the ions flow from the
anode to the cathode through the electrolyte and separator; charging reverses the direction
and the ions flow from the cathode to the anode.
When the cell charges and discharges, ions shuttle between cathode (positive electrode) and
anode (negative electrode). On discharge, the anode undergoes oxidation, or loss ofelectrons,
and the cathode sees a reduction, or a gain of electrons. Charge reverses the movement.
All materials in a battery possess a theoretical specific energy, and the key to high capacity
and superior power delivery lies primarily in the cathode. For the last 10 years or so, the
cathode has characterized the Li-ion battery.
Common cathode material include:

 Lithium Cobalt Oxide (or Lithium Cobaltate),

 Lithium Manganese Oxide (also known as spinel or Lithium Manganate),
 Lithium Iron Phosphate,
 Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt (or NMC) and
 Lithium Nickel Cobalt Aluminum Oxide (orNCA)

Different technologies of lithium ion battery

Energy storage system – flywheel

Flywheel stores electrical energy in the form of kinetic energy during charging process and
during the discharging the kinetic energy is converted into electrical energy.
A typical system consists of

 a rotor suspended by bearings inside a vacuum chamber to reduce friction, connected to a

combination electric motor/electric generator.
 First generation flywheel energy storage systems use a large steel flywheel rotating on
mechanical bearings. Newer systems use carbon-fiber composite rotors that have a higher
tensile strength than steel and are an order of magnitude lighter.
 Magnetic bearings are necessary; in conventional mechanical bearings, friction is directly
proportional to speed, and at such speeds, too much energy would be lost to friction.

The flywheel has a vacuum chamber on which a motor is held in a magnetic bearing. During
charging process, the motor rotates at 1000rpm in clock wise direction to store the electrical
energy in the form of kinetic energy. During discharge the motor acts as a generator and will
convert the kinetic energy back to electrical energy

Energy storage system – super capacitors

SuperCaps (also known as ultracapacitors or electric double-layer capacitors) provide an
alternative source of DC power to traditional rechargeable batteries. Supercapacitors are high
density energy storage devices with a capacitance (energy density) of up to 10,000 times that
of conventional electrolytic capacitors.
Supercapacitors or double layer capacitor store energy much in the same way as a
conventional capacitor, hence the amount of stored energy can be described by: A double
layer capacitor consists of two electrodes, a separator, electrolyte, two current collectors and
housing.
A very high capacitance is obtained in this way. Super capacitors are suitable for high power
applications and offer very quick response times and high efficiency. Disadvantages are
comparatively low energy density, high self-discharge and high cost.Small units exists, lager
sizes the under development. Typical power ratings are 1kW-250 kW and efficiencies in the
ranges of 85-98%

UPS installation requirements

Requirements for UPS installation
Location
The UPS installation location should be chosen with care.The type and amount of site
preparation required will vary according to the specific location and its relative location to the
connected load.Preferably the UPS has to be installed close to the loads. If the distance
between the load and the UPS is higher, we must consider the voltage drop based on the
distance of the cable and suitable action like over sizing the cable needs to be considered.
Floor space requirements
It is important that adequate floor space has to be provided for the UPS.Check the
dimensional information on the appropriate data sheets for the floor space requirements. The
UPS equipment can be mounted with the back against a wall if rear access is not specifically
required; however, if side and rear access can be maintained, it may be helpful should service
become necessary. However, the requirement of rear clearance will be based on the
construction of UPS.If the UPS is of modular construction then a rear clearance is mandatory.
A clear area in front of the unit of at least 1meter should be maintained for service personnel.

Figure 1-Typical Requirement of Clearance

Refer the below table for minimum clearance required

Care should be taken to assure that the floor loading capacity is sufficient to support the UPS
and batteries. Floor loading of UPS will vary based on the capacity and the type of the UPS.
Most of the UPSs are designed for a maximum operating temperature of 40°C. The losses of
the UPS is dissipated as heat and the UPS room should have the ventilation arrangement to
remove the heat to maintain the ambient temperature below 40°C.The ventilation can be in
the form of cross ventilation of hot & cold air (using air exchangers-inlet & exhaust fans with
suitable filters) or with air conditioner.
It is also possible to install a duct either on the top side or the rear side of the UPS to suck out
the heat produced by the UPS.
In order to provide for adequate ventilation, the UPS should be installed in a room, which has
at least 1000mm of clearance on the top side or the rear side of the UPS based on the
ventilation type. This area of UPS should be cleared of any obstruction, which would impede
air flow. Since cooling air enters through a grill at the bottom front/front of the equipment,
this area must also be kept clear of any obstructions.
UPS systems are designed to operate at full load in an ambient temperature of 0-40°C (32-
104°F); 0-95% relative humidity; to altitudes of 1000m above mean sea level. However, as
with all electronic equipment, operating over a prolonged period of time at elevated
temperatures may be detrimental to the extended life of the equipment. In all probability, we
would expect the normal temperature range to be between 25-35°C. Some installations may
require that equipment be designed to operate at 50°C (122°F) for periods of time when
normal cooling or ventilation has failed. High temperatures do have a negative effect on life
of virtually all electronic components. For maximum service life, plan the equipment room so
that normal operating temperatures are between 25-35°C. The UPS room should be relatively
free of dust and dirt and other airborne contaminates as heavy layers of dust will reduce the
cooling efficiency of the electronic components. It is important that the room low temperature
control be adjusted to maintain the room temperature above the dew point in order to prevent
condensation of moisture on the UPS. Also in areas of high humidity, UPS designed to
operate under such conditions must be chosen or an adequate dehumidifier or precision air
conditioner must be deployed to maintain humidity.
Requirement of air conditioner for UPS
UPS system produces heat, which must be removed to prevent the UPS temperature from
rising to an unacceptable level. Selection of air conditioner for UPS room requires an
understanding of the amount of heat produced by the UPS. Heat is energy and is commonly
expressed in Joules, BTU, tons, or calories. common measures of heat output rate for
equipment are BTU per hour, Tons per day, and Joules per second (Joules per second is equal
to Watts)

The selection of UPS for air conditioner has to be calculated based on

 Area of the room

 Number of persons who may utilize the room
 Sources of heat generation
 Insulation of the room

Sizing of air conditioner

Step 1:
Multiply the length of UPS room by its width, which will gives us the total area of the room.
Based on the below table, the basic capacity in BTU/Hr required for the UPS room can be
calculated
Step 2: Arrive at the no of person who will work in the UPS room
Generally the UPS room is unmanned apart from the time when the technician visits to
service the UPS or during the visit of maintenance engineer. It is ideal to consider 600
BTU/Hr per person to arrive at the air conditioner capacity of the UPS room.
Step 3: Heat Loss of UPS
To arrive at the capacity of the air conditioner required for UPS, we need to calculate the heat
loss of UPS in KW using the formula
Heat Loss of UPS = Input Power in KW – Output Power in KW

Heat Loss of UPS = heat loss of UPS in KW x 3412.14 BTU/Hr (in BTU/Hr)
As a thumb rule, 7% of the UPS capacity can be considered as heat loss which gives the
thumb rule formula of
Heat Loss in BTU/Hr = 7% x Capacity of UPS in KW X 3412.14 BTU/hr
Step 4: Insulation Loss
As a thumb rule, a 10% of insulation loss can be considered in the calculation
Sample Calculation – Capacity of Air Conditioner required for UPS Room
UPS capacity                  200KVA
Area of UPS Room                9 sq m(3X3X3,WXDXH in m)
Heat loss of UPS                  7%
Heat Loss of Other Loads                1%
No of Person in UPS Room                1
Insulation Loss                10%

Sample Calculation – Air Exchanges Required for Forced Ventillation of UPS Room
In the event,UPS manufacturers is not specifying the need of an air conditioner, adequate care
must be taken to install inlet fans to bring in fresh air from outside the UPS room and exhaust
fans to exhaust the hot air from the UPS room.The fans must have the required CFM to
ensure the required air changes and should have filters to limit the dust in the UPS room.

From the above formula, we can derive at the No of Air exchanges required to arrive at the
capacity of fans required to remove the heat from the UPS room and to maintain a room
temperature of less than 40°C. The number of air exchanges can be calculated from the below
formula,
ds = CFM x 60
CFM calulated was 2400 and room size was 27m3 (952.7ft3)(from previous example)
The Fan arrangement & fan CFM must ensure 15 air exchange/hr in the room
 Figure 2 Cross Ventillation of UPS Room
Cable Sizing & Installation
It is imperative to select and specify the correct type and size of cabling in UPS installations.
Failure to do so can result in overheating, fire risk and premature failure. It is also important
to select the best method of installation alongside the most optimum routing. The same cable
sizes should be installed for input and output and the selected cable should provide
continuous full thermal current rating. A site survey will reveal the length of cable required
and what voltage drop should be catered within the project specification and what size lugs
are required.
General guidelines for cable routing & laying
Divide the power cables in groups like input cable, output cable and battery cable and bunch
them together. A min of 10 cm clearance has to be provided between the cable groups as
shown in the figure 3.
 Figure 3 Typical Cable laying scheme
The control cables like UPS paralleling cable, communication cables like BMS, SNMP,
battery monitoring, EPO needs to be grouped together separately and has to be laid separately
to avoid any EMI/EMC issues. The control cables should be in a separate cable tray.
The cable tray for all cables has to be earthed.
Cable termination
The terminals for connecting the input, output & battery cables are located on the bottom of
the UPS system and most UPS have bottom cable entry provision.
Taking into consideration of the minimum area availabe for cable entry and the bending
radius, it is ideal to use single core flexible copper cables for terminating the input, output
and battery cables.
Figure 4 Termination of Cables with Single Core Flexible Cables
Figure 5 Installing of UPS with Armored Aluminium Cables
In case of usage of armored aluminium cables, the UPS system has to be installed on a
elevated platform to get the necessary cable bending radius.
Electrical protection
Electrical protection with breakers or SFU (Switch Fuse Units) are important in two aspects

 To protect the other loads connected to the same distribution bus and to isolate the
fault
 To protect the cables connected between the source and the loads.

It is recommended to have breakers or SFU(Switch Fuse Units with semiconductor fuses) at

the input of the UPS. Protection in form of MCCB/MCB/fuses can be used in the downstream
circuit while an isolator can be used at the output of UPS.
It is also recommended to have a split mains, a dedicated input breaker for input of the
rectifier and a dedicated input for the bypass mains. This could avoid single point of failure.
(figure 6)
Earthing
Earthing is very important for UPS as the fault current tends to flow through the earth back to
mains to activate the protection system used in the circuit. Please refer Figures 8,9,10 on the
earthing arrangement of the UPS.
In case of multiple UPS or parallel UPS configuration,all the UPS has to be connected
together to the same earthing system.

Figure 6 Typical Configuration of Dual Mains

Requirements for battery installation
Battery is the most unreliable component in the UPS and has the risk of fire and explosion if
they are not managed properly.
The most common battery used in UPS system is SMF VRLA battery. These batteries
produce Hydrogen gas during the
charging process and it combines with the oxygen inside the battery to form water. This
process is called recombination. But however, under certain condition like overcharging of
battery, the Hydrogen gas escapes from the container though the safety vents. If the
Hydrogen content is more than 4%, then the atmosphere becomes a combustible
environment.
This has paved way for special considerations of battery installation and is regulated as per
IEEE – 1187 recommended practice for installation of valve regulated Lead-acid batteries
same as equivalent practice for wet cells
Battery room consideration
Ideal recommendation is to have a separate room for installation of battery with the
consideration of the following points

 Flame retardant doors

 The electrical installation in battery rooms should be limited to:
o Lighting
o Ventilation

 Smoke detectors may be installed in battery rooms along with hydrogen detectors.
Fan operation may be interlocked with hydrogen detector actuation and the same can
also be linked with the EPO of UPS system, so that in the event of hydrogen gas
accumulation, the UPS can be switched off and the charging process can be stopped.
 The room ceiling should be flat to ensure that pockets of trapped Hydrogen gas do not
occur, particularly at the ceiling, to prevent the accumulation of an explosive mixture,
 Light fittings should be fixed to the wall or suspended at more than 50 cm from the
ceiling, but not vertically above the batteries or charging units.
 Light fittings as well as any other equipment should be of closed type to prevent
accumulation of gas.

Battery rack consideration

Ideally battery is recommended to be installed in a open rack rather than a closed cabinet as
the closed cabinet will have disadvantages like
Access for installation

 Difficult to make and inspect connections and check torque

 Access for maintenance.
 Difficult to access terminals to take periodic readings.
 Visual inspection is impossible.
 Replacing defective battery blocks can be extremely difficult.

Heat

 Heat generated by nearby equipment.

 Heat buildup because of restricted air flow
 Heat generated within the battery because of charging current Personnel safety.
 It can be plain dangerous

Ventilation
Ventilation of the battery room is an critical point for the safety of the installation. If there are
not proper ventilation then an accumulation of hydrogen gas in the battery room could lead to
fire in the installation.
The ventilation requirement of VRLA battery is defined in EN 50272-2.
The purpose of ventilating a battery location or enclosure is to maintain the hydrogen
concentration below the 4 %vol Hydrogen Lower Explosion Limit (LEL) threshold. Battery
locations and enclosures are to be considered as safe from explosions, when by natural or
forced (artificial) ventilation the concentration of hydrogen is kept below this safe limit.
The minimum air flow rate for ventilation of a battery location or compartment shall be
calculated by the following formula:
Q = v x q x s xn x Igas xCrtx 10-3 [m3/h]
Where:
Q = ventilation air flow in m3/h
v = necessary dilution of Hydrogen
(100% -4%)/4% =24
q = 0.42×10-3 m3
/Ah generated Hydrogen
s = 5 , general safety factor
n = number of cells(2V)
Igas = current producing gas in mA per Ah rated
capacity for the float charge current Ifloat or the
boost charge current Iboost
Crt = capacity of the battery
Igas = 1 for VRLA Battery
Igas = 5 for Vented Battery
Igas = 5 for Ni-Cd Battery
With v • q • s = 0,05 m3/Ah the ventilation air flow calculation formula is:
Q = 0,05 • n • Igas • Crt • 10-3 [m3/h]
The amount of ventilation air flow shall preferably be ensured by natural ventilation,
otherwise by forced (artificial)ventilation. Battery rooms or enclosures require an air inlet and
an air outlet with a minimum free area of opening calculated by the following formula:
A = 28 • Q
with Q = ventilation flow rate of fresh air [m3/h]
A = free area of opening in air inlet and outlet [cm2]
NOTE: For the purpose of this calculation, the air velocity is assumed to be 0.1 m/s. The air
inlet and outlet shall be located at the best possible location to create best conditions for
exchange of air i.e, exchange of air, i.e.

 openings on opposite walls,

 minimum separation distance of 2 m when openings are on the same wall.

SMF VRLA battery are designed for an operating temperature of 25-27°C, it is important to
ensure that same with proper sizing of air conditioner to maintain the temperature in the
battery room.
The heat loss of the battery under normal float conditions is too low, the air-conditioner has
to be sized based on the room area, latent heat and the air exchanges required.
Heat loss of the battery in float mode is calculated with the voltage and trickle charging
current
Heat loss of battery = V X Itrickle
Itrickle = 1mA/AH ie.for 100AH it is 10mA
The calculation is almost similar to that of the UPS room.
Air exchanges required for Battery Room (Only for SMF VRLA Battery)
The air conditioner for battery is designed based on the heat loss during float conditions and
the flow rate of fresh air [m3 /h] required to limit the hydrogen content in the atmospheric air
to less than 4%.
The air exchanges required can be calculated using the formula shown in Table 2
Sample Calculation
The sample calculation is based on the below considerations
Battery capacity – 150AH
No of battery – 50 Nos of 12V Block
No of cells in each block – 6
Trickle current – 1mA/AH
Area of room – 4.25m2
Sample Calculation 1: Required Airconditioner Capacity

Table 2 Formula for Calculation required nos of Air exchanges in battery room

Sample Calculation 2 Required Nos of Air exchanges in Battery Room

Battery protection
Battery protection and cable
The battery protection has to be installed close to the battery, preferably in the battery rack or
in a separate enclosure close to the battery.
In case of multiple battery banks of used, it is ideal to have a common isolator with fuse or an
MCCB and an individual battery isolator for each string of battery

Figure 7 Typical Schematic of battery protection

The diagram shown below, shows the earthing arrangement of an Transformerless UPS
and its battery rack.

Figure 8 Earthing arrangement of Transformerless UPS (TNS System)

The diagram shown below, shows the earthing arrangement of an Transformerbased
UPS with
bypass enabled and its battery rack

Figure 9 Earthing arrangement of UPS with Inbuilt Transformer and bypass Enabled(TNS
System)
The diagram shown below, shows the earthing arrangement of an Transformerbased
UPS and its Battery rack. The UPS is acting as a seperately derived source as the bypass
is disabled and the transformer neutral is earthed.
Figure 10 Earthing arrangement of UPS with Inbuilt Transformer and bypass Disabled(TNS
System)
Quick reference battery selection
Note:
The battery sizing is based on output Power factor of 0.8 with an cutoff Voltage of
10.5V/Battery This is only for reference and has no obligation of the company. The battery
capacity can vary based on sizing considerations and battery make ageing factor & design
margin are not considered in the battery sizing.
Area required for UPS installation
Area required for battery rack installation