Offering protection against plant down-time and data loss

Plant down-times, system failures and loss of data can become risky and costly. By using intelligent DC UPS systems, this risk can be significantly minimised and the UPS, and thus the reliability is assured. For this purpose, power supply specialist Bicker Elektronik, has introduced a compact and durable solution.

The new DC UPS module UPSI-2406DP1 with integrated Lithium-Ion backup battery, bridges power failures, brownouts and flicker in the 24VDC power supply. Due to optimised power electronics, DC loads of up to 100W can be safely bridged.

Maximum safety for 24VDC applications

The new 24VDC emergency power supply UPSI-2406DP1 in a robust DIN-rail housing is well suited for long-term 24/7 continuous operation in switch cabinets and decentralised self-sufficient solutions for Industry 4.0, automation, robotics, image processing, medical and laboratory technology, transportation, process and safety technology, traffic monitoring, energy, communication, vending, and payment systems/POS.

Advantages of Li-Ion technology over lead-acid

With regard to system integration and economy (TCO), energy storage devices with space and weight savings of up to 75% can be realised with Lithium-Ion cells compared to conventional lead-acid batteries. Lithium is the lightest metal in the periodic table and has ideal electrochemical properties for providing high specific energy densities (Wh/kg). Under comparable operating conditions the number of charging cycles (cycle life ≥500 for UPSI-2406DP1) and the achievable DoD (Depth of Discharge) are significantly higher than with lead-acid batteries and the service life of Li-Ion cells can even be up to five times longer.

Reliable bridging of longer power failures

In normal operation, the system electronics of the UPSI-2406DP1 make the nominal mains input voltage available at the output, charge the Li-Ion battery pack and monitor the voltage thresholds at the input. If the voltage falls below the defined threshold, the system switches to UPS backup mode within fractions of a second and ensures an uninterrupted and regulated voltage supply for the connected 24V DC consumer at the output. With a capacity of 2.5Ah/37Wh, the internal Lithium-Ion battery provides enough energy to bridge a load of 96W for approximately 15 minutes or a load of 25W for approximately 60 minutes.

‘Power sharing’ with input current detection

The intelligent distribution of the charging currents (PowerSharing) ensures that the upstream AC/DC power supply does not have to be oversized, but that the input power is kept constant and distributed accordingly to the load and Li-Ion battery charger. With a low load at the output, more energy flows into the charger and vice versa. Thus energy consumption, space requirements and costs can be reduced.

‘Smart Battery Lock’ prevents battery discharge

The battery management system prevents the integrated battery pack from leakage discharging when the UPSI-2406DP1 is switched off by deactivating the battery accordingly. By reducing the BMS’ own power consumption to a minimum, safety and shelf life of the DC UPS also increases significantly.

The integrated minimum load detection, with the help of a load sensor at the output, switches off the DC UPS when the threshold value is not reached (no load) so as not to use up energy unnecessarily. In addition, the UPSI-2406DP1 has overcurrent and reverse polarity protection as well as deep discharge protection.

Pre-programmable for self-sufficient operation

The management software HID Control Center – available for free download – is for setting and preprogramming various parameters of the DC UPS system as well as real-time monitoring with charge status display. The parameters that can be set include - load sensor (mA), shutdown delay, maximum backup time, minimum load capacity before system start, ignition timer and restart delay. The data connection to the IPC system takes place via the integrated USB interface.

Shutdown and reboot

In the event of a ‘power fail’, the DC UPS signals the failure of supply voltage via an integrated interface, so that a controlled shutdown of the computer system can be initiated and valuable data can be saved. The integrated reboot function of the DC-UPS automatically initiates the restart of the supplied IPC after the supply voltage has returned, without the need for costly on-site intervention by service staff, e.g. with completely self-sufficient computer systems at inaccessible locations.

The DC UPS system UPSI-2406DP1 has international safety certifications for worldwide use: ETL UL61010-1 / -2-201, CSA C22.2 61010-1-12 / -2-201, CB Scheme IEC 61010-1 /-2-201.

Front interfaces and DIN-rail mounting

All inputs and outputs are arranged on the front of the UPSI-2406DP1. In addition to the connections for input and output voltage with status LEDs, this includes a relay contact (power fail), an RS232 communication interface and a USB interface. The compact aluminium housing (63 x 120 x 100mm) is equipped with a DIN-rail holder on the rear for flexible and quick top-hat rail mounting.

Service and support

In addition to the three-year device warranty, Bicker Elektronik guarantees long-term availability of at least five years on the new DC UPS UPSI-2406DP1. In particular, applications with a correspondingly long run-time benefit from optimal investment protection with first-class design-in advice and extensive service and support from the specialists at Bicker Elektronik. On request, the development engineers at Bicker Elektronik can implement customer specific and special solutions, and also offer extensive laboratory and measurement services for complete customer systems.