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October 8, 2012

Ultracapacitors Power UPS Applications, Prevent Billion-Dollar Losses

Jeff Colton
VP of Sales, Ioxus, Inc.

Power Channels: Batteries and Portable Power, Power Quality Protection, Smart Grid Power

Back in December 2011, we predicted backup power for uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) would be one of the trending ultracapacitor applications in 2012. Well, here we are almost a year later, and we’re seeing more traction in the area due to the growing need to protect electronics from power instability and continued adoption of UPS in regions with unreliable electricity grids. UPS systems provide ride-through during short-term power disturbances, and using ultracapacitors protects against voltage disruptions during this time. Ultracapacitors ensure a consistent power supply to medical equipment, server memory and other mission-critical applications. In fact, more than 90 percent of power disturbances last for less than one second, so the UPS can provide the necessary ride-through for the brief disturbance. Ultracapacitors are the ideal solution for this, as they provide quick, high bursts of power that power the UPS.

Choosing the Right Energy Storage Device

Design engineers choose ultracapacitors, also known as supercapacitors, for UPS applications because the energy storage devices can handle power losses and provide ride-through during a drop in voltage. The UPS then provides instantaneous protection for a brief amount of time, thereby protecting various applications with a smooth and continuous input voltage. Supercapacitors consistently outperform batteries for energy storage. Supercapacitors can handle high charge and discharge rates, have a long lifespan with low maintenance requirements, and can tolerate a wide temperature range – +70 degrees Celsius to -40 degrees Celsius – making for a reliable energy source. In contrast, the lifespan of batteries used in UPS applications remains short, so maintenance and product replacement requirements are more frequent.

Improving Server Efficiency

IT teams must keep server applications running to provide memory and power backup. Power outages are one of the most common disasters that IT teams face, so teams strive to prevent any loss of data during a loss of power. Ideally, all critical hardware will run on UPS solutions, which provide enough ride-through power until the power source stabilizes, or for an organization to transfer to its alternate disaster prevention plan. Computers and networking systems are integral to consumers and corporations, and businesses simply cannot afford any downtime. Implementing ultracapacitors into a UPS system allows IT teams to provide short-term power during an outage or disruption, and then transition to an alternate power source or shut down properly, not abruptly.

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