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The Information Age is creating exponential growth in demand for computer and communications equipment capacity to support corporate and individual online activity. Meanwhile, a recent Gartner's survey showed that typically 60 percent of a data centre's budget is used in providing power and expelling heat. Additionally, electricity prices are rising, so improving UPS efficiency is an increasingly urgent commercial consideration.
The government is also exerting political and commercial pressure by debating climate change issues and committing to a low carbon economy. It is developing legislation and commercial incentives such as the Enhanced Capital Allowance (ECA), a tax break for systems that have a certified Energy Technology List (ETL) registration. Further legislation is in the pipeline as well, with the UK being the first EU member to publish a draft Climate Change Bill.
UPS systems are vital to the availability of computer and communications facilities. However their running costs are high, especially older, transformer based UPS systems. Recent technical developments, particularly transformerless double conversion and parallel modular architecture have made modern UPSs more efficient than their predecessors for a number of reasons.
Firstly, transformerless systems eliminate the constant no-load iron losses and greatly reduce the load dependent copper losses associated with transformers. This means less heating and a reduced demand for air conditioning as well as a direct efficiency improvement. Secondly, modular systems are more easily scaled to match their load requirement, leading to further efficiency benefits.
Parallel redundant configurations inevitably operate at a partial load; however the transformerless modules feature a flat efficiency curve from quarter to full load. They also maintain their efficiency with leading power factor loads, which is increasingly important with the growth in blade servers.
The cost advantages of a new generation transformerless system can be seen by comparing 250kVA traditional and transformerless systems in identical environments, driving identical 0,8 power factor loads. Based on an electricity cost of 7.84 pence per kWh, the transformerless system would save about £42000 over five years. Improving efficiency brings real commercial benefits as well as contributing to our low carbon economy. |
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