Lithium-ion batteries offer considerable advantages over the valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) batteries that have long been used in uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) as a backup power source. Indeed, lithium-ion batteries outperform VRLAs in key aspects such as their energy density, which gives them more autonomy per unit of volume.
They also offer 5 to 10 times more discharge cycles and double or even triple the useful service life. Lithium-ion batteries suffer four times less self-discharge, weigh less, recharge in a quarter of the time required by a VRLA battery, and are capable of delivering maximum performance at a temperature of 40°C, making them suitable for harsh environments.
With so many benefits, you might wonder why they haven't been used in UPS units before now? The reasons are fundamentally financial and functional. The initial outlay for a lithium-ion battery is around 50% more than for a VRLA, and this has slowed uptake. In addition, they were subject to a slight imbalance between factors such as safety and reliability on the one hand and density and power on the other.
These drawbacks have now been overcome thanks to technological development and lower prices; in fact, when you consider the investment as a whole, they are now more economical. Indeed, the higher initial cost (CapEx) mentioned above is more than offset by the approximate 60% decrease in installation and operating costs (OpEx) over the lifetime of the battery. Consequently, the 10-year total cost of ownership, or in other words, the total investment during that period - which roughly equates to the useful life of a lithium-ion battery - is 40% lower.
Salicru offers the possibility of incorporating lithium-ion batteries in many of its UPS units, such as the SLC X-TRA series recently supplied to the Pharmaceutical Federation’s (FEDEFARMA) new automated logistics centre located in Palau de Plegamans (Barcelona). The SLC X-TRA three-phase UPS, which supplies 800 kVA of power and 10 minutes of autonomy, guarantees the continuity of a high-quality power supply, at all times, for facilities that need to operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Another example of Salicru's innovation capacity was its supply of two UPS units with lithium-ion batteries from the 500 kVA SLC ADAPT series to the Alcurnia Group. The two UPS units protect all the equipment used in the fruit sterilisation process, from PLCs and compressors to conveyor belts and washing systems, thus demonstrating their robustness in harsh environments.
MONTAWEB.com