Brief Introduction of UPS and Battery Solutions Provided by Acrel

 

 

Overview of UPS

 

        An Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) is an electrical device that provides emergency power support to loads when the main power supply is interrupted or fluctuates. Essentially a backup power system, it ensures critical equipment such as computers, servers, medical devices, or industrial control systems continue operating normally during power failures, preventing data loss, equipment damage, or production interruptions.

        History of UPS dates back to 1934, when it was designed to protect early electronic devices from power instability. Today, UPS has become a core component in fields like data centers, telecom base stations, and manufacturing. In the digital era, power continuity has become a key factor in business continuity.

 

         A UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) is an emergency power supply device that integrates power conversion, energy storage, and control functions. It constitutes a complete power supply system comprising a rectifier, inverter, battery, static switch, and control circuit.

 

The core role has two aspects:

         First, when the mains power is normal, it filters out voltage fluctuations, surges, harmonics and other grid disturbances, and outputs stable and pure power.

Secondly, during mains power outages, the system seamlessly switches to battery backup power (online UPS response time <10ms), ensuring uninterrupted operation of critical equipment and data integrity.

        Important reminder: A UPS is essentially a battery! The battery is merely the 'energy storage component' of a UPS, responsible solely for storing electrical energy. A complete UPS system requires coordinated operation of core modules such as rectification, inversion, and switching to ensure reliable power supply.

 

 

 

UPS working principle

 

         The fundamental operation of a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) involves converting alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) for storage in batteries, then converting DC back to AC for power supply when needed. When the main power source is operational, the UPS monitors input power while charging the batteries. Upon detecting power outages, low voltage, or voltage fluctuations, it instantly switches to battery mode within milliseconds, ensuring seamless load continuity. Additionally, UPS systems feature filtering and voltage stabilization capabilities to eliminate grid noise, surges, and harmonics, delivering more stable output power. Battery capacity determines the UPS's backup duration, ranging from minutes to hours depending on load requirements.

 

 

 

Types of UPS

 

        Based on their design and operational modes, UPS systems are primarily categorized into three types:

1. Offline/Standby UPS: When the main power supply is operational, it draws power directly from the grid to the load and switches to the battery only during power outages. Ideal for homes or small offices, it offers low cost but has a slightly longer switching time (approximately 10ms).

 

2. Line-Interactive UPS: When the main power supply is operational, it regulates voltage via a transformer and automatically switches to the battery during power outages. With a rapid switching time of 2-4ms, this system is ideal for small and medium-sized enterprises, delivering essential voltage stabilization.

 

3. Online/Double-Conversion UPS: Powered exclusively by batteries and inverters, with the main power supply dedicated to battery charging. It delivers zero switching time and maximum protection, making it ideal for data centers or mission-critical environments.

Additionally, variants such as modular UPS and green UPS are available, emphasizing scalability and energy efficiency.

 

type	operational principle	characteristic	Typical application scenarios
backup	When the mains power is normal, the system supplies power directly; when abnormal, it quickly switches to inverter power supply.	It is highly efficient, low-cost, and structurally simple, but with a switching delay of approximately 2-10ms, and the output power quality is mediocre.	Personal computers, office equipment, POS terminals, and other scenarios that are not particularly demanding in terms of power quality.
Online interactive	The voltage stabilizer is added to the mains power direct path, and it has the function of automatic voltage regulation.	It delivers outstanding voltage stabilization with ultra-fast switching (about 4ms), offering exceptional cost-effectiveness.	Network equipment, security system, and small-to-medium computer rooms.
online dual transform	The mains power is first rectified to DC, then inverter to pure AC output, and the battery is always on line.	Zero switching time, the highest output power quality, comprehensive protection, but the efficiency is slightly lower, the cost is high.	Key loads such as data centers, precision instruments, medical equipment, intelligent manufacturing, and core financial systems.

 

 

 

 

The importance of UPS

 

        In modern society, power outages can lead to severe consequences, such as economic losses from data center failures or life-threatening equipment malfunctions in hospitals. UPS systems serve not only as emergency power sources but also enhance system reliability and reduce maintenance costs. Research indicates that UPS is a core component of any effective power protection architecture. Particularly in the era of Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things, integrating UPS with smart monitoring enables preventive maintenance, ensuring efficient system operation.

 

 

 

 

Core Function: Triple Protection

 

        Uninterrupted power supply: This is the reason for the name UPS. Through an internal energy storage device (usually a battery) and an inverter, it seamlessly takes over load power supply when mains power is interrupted (typically at the millisecond level), providing buffering for intermittent time.

Voltage and Frequency Stabilization: Voltage fluctuations and frequency instability in mains power are common chronic issues. A UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) filters and corrects these disturbances, delivering stable and clean AC power to protect sensitive electronic devices.

Isolation and interference protection: The UPS effectively isolates power grid's surges, spikes, harmonics and other' impurities', providing a clean power environment for the load.

 

 

Why is UPS monitoring necessary?

 

       While UPS systems are designed to protect equipment, they are not maintenance-free permanent fortresses. Their operational health directly determines the reliability of the final line of defense. Traditional manual periodic inspections carry significant risks:

Status black box: Maintenance personnel cannot monitor real-time critical UPS parameters, including battery pack voltage, internal resistance, temperature, inverter status, load factor, and remaining backup time.

Fault delay: Batteries age and capacitors degrade. Often, when a power outage occurs and the UPS fails to take over, the battery is already failed, making it too late to act.

Inefficient management: For large-scale facilities with dozens or hundreds of UPS units (e.g., multi-branch banks or large factories), manual inspections are costly and fail to provide a unified management view or early warning system.

Therefore, it is necessary to equip UPS system with a "intelligent health monitoring system" to realize the transformation from "passive maintenance" to "active prevention".

 

 

 

 

Acrel's UPS Monitoring Solution

 

       Acrel Co., Ltd. is a high-tech enterprise specializing in power monitoring and energy management. It provides a range of UPS monitoring solutions that enable real-time monitoring, fault alerts, and energy efficiency optimization. These solutions are widely used in data centers, telecom base stations, factories, and microgrids.

 

 

1. The ABAT Series Online Battery Monitoring System is a flagship product of Acrel, specifically engineered for UPS battery banks. The ABAT-S system enables real-time monitoring of battery parameters including temperature, voltage, current, internal resistance, State of Charge (SOC), and State of Health (SOH) via RS485 or Ethernet. The H3G-TA module provides 24/7 online monitoring for individual cells, supporting both lead-acid and lithium batteries, and is ideal for tower base stations and data center UPS systems. This system detects battery aging or faults early, preventing unexpected power outages.

 

2. Data Center Power Monitoring Solution: Acrel's system collects three-phase voltage, current, active power, power factor, and frequency data from UPS inputs, outputs, and bypass circuits, while monitoring UPS temperature, battery voltage, and remaining runtime under current load. The system instantly triggers alerts for anomalies (e.g., overvoltage, undervoltage, or low battery) and supports remote monitoring and data analysis. By integrating sensors and smart meters, this solution provides comprehensive power parameter monitoring, covering everything from high/low-voltage distribution cabinets to transformer load rates.

 

 

 

 

3. Energy consumption monitoring for factories and base stations: In factory environments, Acrel's solution tracks UPS electrical parameters and battery status to optimize energy usage. For telecom base stations, it employs multi-channel energy meters to monitor AC/DC side, including UPS battery remaining time, ensuring stable operation of remote sites.

Ankerui's solutions emphasize integration and intelligence, featuring rapid fault response (disconnection within 40ms) via its AM5 series microprocessor protection devices, with remote management support through cloud platforms.

 

      Overall, Ankerui's products not only enhance UPS reliability and lifespan but also reduce maintenance costs, catering to diverse industry needs. Users can obtain customized solutions through Ankerui's official website or by consulting.