Energy efficiency. As energy needs grow at an exponential rate, with the onset of the big data boom, challenges from natural threats associated with climate change, and more, those two words seem to be on most everyones’ mouths — especially those at the helm of critical facilities.
A new white paper from Vertiv explores the ins and outs of UPS energy storage technology, including what it asserts are “downfalls” in ‘Eco Modes’ of operation for these systems, which are rising in popularity with the rush to the bottom for energy consumption.
Download the full report.
Not only are power outages a growing concern, Eco Modes for power systems are becoming more and more popular in light of the “rapidly increasing price and demand of energy supply,” according to the report.
Further, today’s business leaders and individual homeowners are paying increasingly more attention to their environmental impact and the depletion of fossil fuel — hence, even more fodder for energy saving.
“As maximum uptime is paramount for many world-leading organizations, the presence of a UPS is often an indispensable prerequisite for a reliable power infrastructure able to achieve maximum load safeguarding and conservation,” says Vertiv.
According to the report, the most common topology used in the industry is what’s called “double conversion.” But many UPS providers have lately introduced Eco Modes of operation “to further increase the levels of energy efficiency of the UPS.”
But there might be cause for concern, says Vertiv.
“UPS systems provide clean power to electronic devices such as computer networks and servers, building management and security systems. UPS also protect against power outages which could potentially lead to a halt in operations, a loss of information, productivity and profit for businesses.” —Vertiv
The report covers Eco Modes and their effectiveness and potential challenges, as well as technologies and operation modes and field results available from the Liebert Trinergy Cube, the Liebert EXL S1 and more.
Vertiv contends the use of Eco Mode should be “limited to resistive loads since this mode of operation typically does not include any PF or harmonic compensation.”
And to ensure load protection, filtering should be “present” in a UPS that offers ECO Mode.
“When selecting a UPS with ECO mode, it is important to ensure the associated transfer time is compatible with downstream loads, STS, transformers and servers, which must all be fully coordinated,” the report states. “This is one of the reasons why ECO Mode, as it is, is rarely used.”
Download the new white paper, “High Efficiency Modes of Operation: Path Toward Highest Energy Efficiency Without Load Availability Trade-Off,” courtesy of Vertiv, for a full picture view of the potential challenges that come with Eco Mode types of operation, as well as what to consider if you choose to utilize those modes. The report also provides field results of related UPS technology.