Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) batteries play a crucial role in our everyday lives, with applications cutting across numerous fields and industries. Some of the most common areas where you'll find a UPS battery include residential units, healthcare facilities, educational institutions, business organizations, research institutions, and digital service providers.
In this article, we've explained the things we use UPS batteries for, and how each of the applications is contributing to everyone's well-being. Now come with us as we dig into the finer details for your easy understanding.
What Is The Function of Batteries In UPS Systems?
The first step to appreciating the significance of UPS batteries is identifying their function in UPS systems. One of the two main reasons we install UPS systems is to ensure that power is always available even if there's an outage. To achieve this critical goal, we have batteries which usually receive charge when the utility grid has power.
When a power interruption occurs in the mains supply, the UPS batteries automatically kick in and begin supplying power to an inverter. The inverter then converts the direct current (DC) from the batteries to alternating current (AC), which then runs the appliances during the outage.
Notable Uses Of UPS Batteries
This section classifies the applications of UPS batteries based on sector, location, and functions, among other things. Let's have a look.
Domestic/Residential
Sometimes back, not many people perceived UPS batteries as equipment we could use in residential units. However, things have changed rapidly as we continue to acquire more sophisticated electrical appliances whose performance rely on a constant supply of quality electrical energy. Some popular ways we use UPS batteries at home are:
1.Powering Kitchen Appliances
Power outages are quite embarrassing and nobody wants them, but they usually don't give any prior notice either. That means it's always a series of surprises, and that just isn't good for your fresh food in the refrigerator. So, UPS batteries save the situation by keeping the refrigerator running and avoiding losses that may result from foodstuff that can go bad during prolonged outages.
Besides powering the refrigerator, UPS batteries also supply power that can run your microwave oven during an outage. Therefore, you can still prepare and enjoy your favorite meals as you wait for the utility grid to be fixed.
The other kitchen appliance you can power with UPS batteries is the blender. You'll not forgo your usual smoothies or anything you usually blend just because there's no electricity in your neighborhood. As long as your UPS batteries are fully charged and your inverter is in good shape, your life will move on normally.
Power from UPS batteries also runs your electric kettles, meaning that enjoying a cup of hot coffee can't be a problem no matter an outage. You can also still get hot water for other uses from the kettle, and all that is possible because of UPS systems.
These are just the most common uses of UPS batteries in the kitchen, and the list is almost endless since there are many other appliances that can successfully operate on power from UPS units.
2.Personal Devices
There are several personal devices in every household you go to and they need power to keep running even during an outage. Homeowners have installed UPS systems in their places to provide power to charge their smartphones, laptops, tablets, and others whenever there's no power on the mains supply.
Being able to charge your phone even during the blackouts ensures that you remain reachable to your friends and loved ones. UPS batteries are also instrumental when you're working from home, or when you want to do some extra after the normal office time. Generally, we can say that UPS units encourage productivity by maintaining a reliable power supply regardless of any situation.
3.Entertainment Systems
Your appliances such as music systems, TVs, and gaming equipment need power to operate and make your stay at home pleasant. Unfortunately, that can't happen if you don't know what time the mains supply is going to experience interruptions. Therefore, if you want to forget about the inconveniences associated with outages, UPS batteries might be your ideal option.
UPS units also power music systems and gaming equipment so that you can always enjoy your favorite music or play your best games. Moreover, the batteries ensure that your TV is operational even if the entire neighborhood has no power. With perfect UPS batteries, you can enjoy your entertainment long enough until the utility grid is restored.
4.Communication Equipment
Modern homes house some of the most advanced communication systems available in the market today. But unless you always have power, the communication systems won't be of any use to you. Thanks to UPS batteries for making everything possible for homeowners. Today, you can still have your landline telephone, internet routers, or VoIP phone working despite rampant power fluctuations.
Besides facilitating direct communication even when the mains power is out, UPS batteries make it possible to access the internet and interact with people; read and send emails; and get information on what's happening anywhere through the thousands of news sites on the web.
5.Ventilation Systems
Ventilation and heating systems are vital for the well-being of room occupants. Therefore, if an outage occurs, the systems fail to work, making the situation indoors quite devastating. If it's during extreme winter or summer, the indoor conditions could worsen and even become life-threatening.
However, UPS batteries are there to ensure that indoor conditions remain pleasant at all times. They achieve that by keeping HVAC systems running despite outages, thus making our homes livable.
6.Security Systems
Homes comprise security systems that should be active 24/7. The systems are made up of surveillance cameras and sometimes alarms as well. The trickiest aspect of safety is the fact that you don't know when an intruder will come or when someone will want to steal something from your property.
When it's dark and there's no power from the utility supply, homes become open targets for theft and vandalism. Without UPS backups, homeowners can incur unimaginable losses because there would be total darkness everywhere. But preventing such from happening are the UPS batteries that keep your alarms and cameras operational until the outage is gone.
Besides lighting and active surveillance by cameras, UPS units also run motion detectors that scare away unauthorized people from your properties.
Business Premises
Staying ahead of the rest requires providing services consistently and businesses use UPS batteries to realize that dream.
7.Servers And Computers
UPS units generate clean and stable electricity that keeps computers and servers active and ensures that customers are enjoying reliable digital services at all times. That means clients can make orders, send payments, and even do inquiries seamlessly without worrying about power interruptions. Therefore, businesses that have installed UPS systems hardly experience service blackouts and retain their clients.
8.Printers
The role of printers in a business set-up is quite significant and organizations must do whatever they can to ensure that they're always operational. The key to achieving that is incorporating UPS systems into the power supply of business premises. With a UPS on standby, the utility grid going out does not pose any serious challenge because printers will still be running as usual.
9.PoS Systems
Business organizations such as hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, and malls rely heavily on the use of Point of Sales systems for producing receipts, managing sales, and creating & sending invoices, among others. To ensure that operations continue as usual during outages, businesses use UPS batteries as an alternative source of power during such emergencies.
Educational Institutions
Like homes and businesses, educational institutions use UPS batteries for various applications as we've listed below.
10.Lecture Halls
Colleges and universities can't afford to suspend learning activities whenever there's an outage as that would seriously interfere with their academic calendars. So, to solve the challenges associated with power supply interruptions, educational institutions have installed UPS units. The backups keep the lights on, power the sound systems, and run the projectors so that lessons can proceed normally without any interruptions.
11.Local Servers
E-learning is the new norm in the world of academics where students want to do almost everything on the portal. However, a power interruption can lead to service blackouts which can cause several drawbacks.
To curb such challenges, schools and colleges have UPS systems that provide the needed power to run the local servers whenever the utility grid is down. This way, students and staff can keep using various online services, which boosts productivity and saves time.
12.Laboratories
Apart from supplying backup power, UPS systems are designed to stabilize the incoming mains supply as necessary. This capability allows UPS units to protect power-sensitive laboratory equipment such as microscopes from damage due to excess voltage.
Healthcare Facilities
The healthcare sector is another area where UPS batteries are handy. Some of the applications of UPS systems in medical facilities include:
13.Monitoring of Patients
Effective monitoring of a patient's response to treatment is crucial for better healthcare. The pieces of equipment used for such purposes need a consistent supply of electrical energy, and UPS batteries serve the role very well.
14. Operating X-Ray Machines
Patients cannot wait for power to be back before they can get their X-ray scans. Luckily, most medical facilities have installed reliable UPS systems that supply electricity to keep such operations going if an interruption occurs.
15.Lighting Purposes During Operations
Patient wards need to be well-lit whenever necessary and this is regardless of whether there's power or not. Additionally, theaters where operations are performed need constant quality lighting. To avoid any inconveniences, hospitals have invested in UPS batteries so that operations can go on without relying on the mains supply every time.
Takeaway
UPS units play vital roles in various sectors and setups, with the primary role being protecting all the devices connected to the utility grid from damages that may result from surges and fluctuations. UPS batteries also power personal gadgets, entertainment systems, kitchen appliances, security cameras, and motion sensors in our homes.
The systems also facilitate the operation of critical machines in healthcare facilities and ensure that learning proceeds in schools despite outages. However, for all these applications to be successful, you need to identify and purchase only reliable UPS batteries.
