Tower UPS

A tower UPS is a fixed-capacity unit for server rooms, clinics, laboratories, retail sites and small industrial loads. It protects equipment from outages, voltage sags, surges, frequency variation and generator switching. The double-conversion topology supplies a clean sine wave regardless of the input quality.

Tower units are simpler and often cheaper than modular systems at a fixed load. They are available in single-phase and three-phase input, with output from 1 kVA to 200 kVA. For later expansion or module-level service, a modular UPS is more flexible.

Common configurations are 1/1 (single-phase in, single-phase out), 3/1 (three-phase in, single-phase out) and 3/3 (three-phase in, three-phase out). Input voltage is typically 220–240 V single-phase or 380–415 V three-phase, with a wide input range and a 40–70 Hz frequency window.

Output power factor is 0.9 to 1.0. A 20 kVA unit with power factor 0.9 supports 18 kW; with power factor 1.0 it supports 20 kW. Confirm the load power factor and the overload curve before sizing the UPS.

Double-conversion efficiency is typically 94% to 96% at full load. ECO mode can reach about 98% on a stable grid. The charger supports VRLA or lithium batteries, with standard runtime of 5 to 15 minutes and extended runtime of 30 minutes or more.

Battery runtime depends on load, battery capacity and end-of-discharge voltage. For generator-backed sites, 10 to 15 minutes is often enough to start the generator and transfer the load. For sites without a generator, size the battery for an orderly shutdown.

The UPS needs front access for operation and rear access for cabling, typically 800 mm in front and 600 mm at the rear. Keep the room temperature within the battery manufacturer's range, usually 20 °C to 25 °C, and provide ventilation for the UPS losses. At 95% efficiency, a 100 kVA UPS with 80 kW load produces about 4.2 kW of heat.

Connect the UPS to a dedicated input breaker, bond the enclosure to the room earth bar, and confirm the neutral and grounding arrangement. For three-phase input, check the phase rotation before energizing.

Select the UPS by load kW, power factor, input phase, runtime, redundancy and room constraints. Add 20% to 30% headroom for future load. For a 30 kW IT load, a 40 kVA tower UPS with power factor 0.9 provides about 36 kW and reasonable headroom.

Typical lead time is 20 to 35 working days after drawing approval. Site work includes cable termination, battery connection, commissioning and a load test. Confirm the input/output voltage and plug or terminal type for the destination country.