All-rounders for harsh environments
Components in production environments are increasingly networked and supply important data to EMS systems or to the production machines themselves. However, problems with the power supply such as power failures, voltage peaks and other impairments can severely impair the function of the components or even put them out of action completely. The consequences can go as far as a production standstill, with corresponding costs due to downtime, defective workpieces and damage to the machine because it was not shut down correctly.
UPS systems protect production facilities from such hazards. In contrast to UPSs for data center use, however, special systems are required here. The differences start with the voltages usually required. Many industrial components use 24V DC as input voltage and therefore require a UPS that can provide DC voltage at the output. Specialized companies such as Wöhrle Stromversorgungssysteme GmbH have been offering UPS systems perfectly tailored to the industrial environment for many years and know the requirements in detail. Wöhrle's systems have a wide input voltage range, can be equipped with an additional air conditioning unit and also prove their industrial suitability with the supported energy storage systems.
High tolerance to operating conditions required
Flexibility in terms of input voltage and frequency can be a decisive advantage in many projects. Outside of Germany, significantly higher deviations in mains frequency and voltage are tolerated, and other nominal voltages and frequencies are also used. For a German machine manufacturer, such conditions are a massive obstacle to export. A UPS with a large input range, on the other hand, allows systems to be exported without major modifications or new developments. UPS systems from Wöhrle can cope with fluctuations between 35 and 70 Hertz at the input and still maintain the desired output frequency and voltage. A medium-sized German company like Wöhrle can also react very quickly to individual customer requirements thanks to its resources at its production site in Steinenbronn. The company also offers the necessary professional and comprehensive service and support abroad.
Core function Filter properties
Supply voltages in industrial environments are often subject to high levels of contamination. These can be interference voltage peaks due to the switching of large loads such as motors and pumps, or voltage dips due to starting loads with a high nominal load. Customers therefore expect high resistance to both wired and wireless interference. A UPS system can only reliably fulfill this requirement if it generates and controls its output voltage completely independently of the input. For this reason, only UPSs of type VFI, formerly known as online continuous converters, make sense in the industrial sector.
High mechanical requirements
In an industrial environment, UPS systems must also adapt to the spatial requirements. For example, control systems with a 24 V DC power supply are often mounted on a DIN rail, in which case the UPS should also be mounted on such a rail. Because the compact design does not allow for built-in energy storage, it must be possible to install and connect battery packs externally. IP54 protection is often required for the housing to protect the electronics from splash water and dirt, and a stainless steel housing is also required in aggressive environments. Specialized manufacturers such as Wöhrle protect their products with additional measures on request, based on a robust basic configuration. Shock and vibration dampers are just as much a part of this as air filters and reinforced seals on all housing openings.
Energy storage crucial for service life and TCO
Many customers are not aware of the high dependency of energy storage systems on the ambient temperature. High temperatures are not only harmful to the electronics of the UPS itself, but above all reduce the service life of the energy storage units. Deviations from the standard temperature of 20 degrees drastically shorten the time until replacement. UPS manufacturers must therefore be able to use different energy storage systems depending on the application. Batteries with an extended temperature range are available, for example cyclone cells. They have a three times longer service life of up to 15 years and operate in temperature ranges between at least -30 °C and +65 °C. Such cyclone cells are significantly more expensive than lead batteries, but offer advantages particularly in environments where downtimes for maintenance must be reduced to an absolute minimum. Their low internal resistance enables high discharge currents and short charging times. Lithium batteries or capacitive storage devices, so-called supercapacitors, are also an interesting alternative for demanding applications in industrial environments.
Communication via industry protocols
Communication between the system and the administrator and the devices to be protected normally takes place via different protocols and media in an industrial environment than in a data center. If the UPS manufacturer can offer Industrial Ethernet or Profibus as a standard interface, this makes integration much easier. USB, RS-232 or RS-485 ports and potential-free switching contacts are also in demand from users and are available from Wöhrle power supply systems.
Conclusion
The requirements for UPS systems in industrial environments differ significantly from those in data centers. Resistance to dirt, temperature, humidity and vibrations are just as much a part of the list of requirements as the use of alternative energy storage systems with extended temperature ranges and high power density. If resistance to coupled interference voltages, voltage and frequency fluctuations and load peaks is also required, standard UPSs from the IT world are left out. With the UPS systems from Wöhrle Stromversorgungssysteme specially designed for the industrial sector, customers always receive innovative, tailor-made and customized UPS systems for industrial use.
