DC & UPS

Engr. Kshirod Mohan Bose

Executive Engineer (Mechanical) & (Operation)
Ghorashal 3rd Unit Repowered CCPP
Why DC?
• The most important requirements for a power plant are its constant
availability to generate power and the safeguards it employs to protect
personnel and equipment.
• To meet these requirements, it is essential that the power plant have a
clean, transient-free power supply for the electrical system, the electronic
control system, as well as its protection system and equipment.
• If the main AC power source should fail, this independent energy source
must provide power so that the turbo set can be shut down safely.
• Currently, batteries are the only reliable and economical source to provide
an uninterrupted electrical energy for emergency situations.
Batteries used in Power Plant
Applications
• While many different technologies are known for storage batteries,
only lead-acid and nickel-cadmium batteries are of practical interest.
• Nickel-Cadmium batteries are used mainly in military, offshore
installations and other applications where the environmental
conditions are severe.
• Roughly 80-90% of stationary installations are equipped with lead-
acid batteries since they give the best results with respect to economy
and technical requirements in normal applications.
Lead-acid Battery Basic Design
Principles
• A simple lead element is made by placing lead plates into a container
filled with sulfuric acid.
• To increase performance, the plates are placed very close to each
other.
• To prevent a short circuit, a microporous separator of non-conducting
material is placed between the plates.
Discharging and Charging of
Lead-Acid Battery
Float charging
• Float charging is used where the battery rarely gets discharged. Float
charging of a battery involves charging the battery at a reduced
voltage.
• This reduced voltage reduces the possibility of overcharging. The Float
charger ensures that the battery is always in the charged condition and is
therefore considered "floating".
• The Float charger starts by applying a charging voltage to the battery. As the
battery gets charged, its charging current reduces gradually. The float charger
senses the reduction in charging current and reduces the charging voltage.
• If the battery gets drained, the float charger will again increase the charging
voltage and process continues.
Boost Charge
• Boost charging involves a high current for short period of time to charge
the battery. It is generally if the battery has been discharged heavily.
• Boost charge enables the quick charging of depleted batteries.
• For instance, a two volt lead acid battery which has been discharged will initially
be boost charged with a charging voltage of around 2.35-2.4 volts. However, as
the battery voltage rises, the charger will switch over to the float charge mode
with a float voltage of 2.25 volts Initial Charging
• When some cell got oxide, to repair
• During boost charge ventilation of dc room must be ON
• Charge a higher level than boost charge to evaporate extra water
• Note: Earth fault supervisory must be in DC system.
Questions
• Why we use DC in power stations?
• What is boost charge?
• What is Float Charge?
• Why dual charging system required for a charger
• What seems to be reasonable (a) DC bus will be energized by DC all
time (b) DC Bus will energized by Rectifier?
• Why DC earth fault supervision required?
UPS
• The automatic control equipment has become the essential guarantee for
safe operation of units, with the development of units of high-capacity and
high parameters as well as constant improvement in automation level of
power plants. Meanwhile higher requirements have been put forward for
power quality of power supply and uninterruptible power supply in the
automation equipment. AC uninterrupted power supply devices have been
set up to meet the above-mentioned requirements.
• Uninterruptible power supply, UPS system for short, is also known as
uninterruptible power supply without output transients. It usually has
single phase or three phase sinusoidal wave output, and provides the load
with reliable AC uninterrupted power supply isolated from the system with
interference prevention.
UPS functions
• Provide stable sinusoidal voltages and frequencies for the important
load during normal and emergency operation.
• Make the important load and power plant auxiliary systems
generate transient interference isolation, and provide
uninterruptible power supply for the important load during normal
operation and AC power fault in emergency operation.
• Fully bear surge currents with the load, and have no negative
impacts on the system during cutting sub-circuit fault.
Classification

UPS

Online
Back-up type Online type
interactive type
Back-up UPS
Mains AC Transfer Output AC
Filter Wave
Supply Switch

Charger Battery Inverter

• Mains supply directly provides power supply for the load during normal mains
supply;
• When the electric supply exceeds its working range or has power cut, it will be
transferred into battery inverter power supply by change-over switch.
• The back-up UPS devices are featured by simple structure, small in size, low
costs, narrow input voltage range, poor stabilization precision in stabilization
precision, having switching time and usually square waves in output waveforms.
Online interactive UPS devices
Mains AC
Voltage Output AC
Filter Wave Toggle Switch
Supply Regulator

Charger Battery Inverter

• Mains supply directly provides power supply for the load during normal mains
supply.
• When the mains supply becomes lower or higher, make output through voltage
stabilization by internal voltage stabilization circuits in the UPS;
• when the mains supply becomes abnormal or has power cut, it will be
transferred into battery inverter power supply by change-over switch.
• The online interactive UPS devices are featured by wider input voltage range,
low noises, small in size and also having switching time.
 Online UPS
By Pass
Mains AC Output
Supply
Filter Wave Rectifier Inverter Switch AC
DC

Charger Battery

• Mains supply conducts rectification and provides DC voltage for the inverters
during normal mains supply, and the inverters provide AC for the load.
• When the mains supply becomes abnormal, the inverters provide energy through
batteries and are always under operation to guarantee uninterruptible output.
• The online UPS devices are featured by quite wide input voltage range, no
switching time, high stabilization precision in output voltage, especially suitable
for situations with higher requirements on power supply, and higher costs.
• Mostly used in power plant.
Components
• There are quite big differences between main circuit structure and operating
principle due to different UPS functions, but usually UPS has the following
components.
• Rectifier chargers
• They can turn the mains supply or AC electric energy output from diesel
engines into DC electric energy, and provide energy for inverters and storage
batteries. The performance quality of rectifier chargers can directly affect
the input indicators of UPS.
• Silicon controlled rectifiers: Featured by large output capacity, high
reliability, low working frequency, filters large in size and big noises,
they are suitable for high-power UPS with low input voltage.
• Combined rectifiers with diodes and IGBTs: Featured by high working
frequency, function of power-factor correction, filters small in size, low
noises and high reliability, they are suitable for small and medium-
power UPS.
Inverters
• They turn the rectified DC electric energy in the mains supply or DC
electric energy in the storage battery into AC electric energy with
stabilized voltage and frequency.
• The performance quality of inverters can directly affect the output
performance indicators of UPS.
• Combined rectifiers with diodes and IGBTs are featured by high
working frequency, filters small in size, low noises and high
reliability
UPS system mainly provides electricity for
the following equipment
• Computers of DCS control System and other systems like PLC &
Profibus Equipment.
• Power supply in partial thermo-technical and automatic control
system, electricity protection in major machines and furnaces, and
data collection system.
• Operation power supply in various electrical and thermo-technical
instrument transmitters, remote control transmitters, and computer
transmitters.
• Communication and fire alarm.
• Power supply in major solenoid valves.
• Most of the plant is equipped with two sets of 100% capacity UPS and one set of 100% capacity
by-pass system. Each UPS system is equipped with one set of battery pack. #1 and #2 main
machines use the connection type of redundancy unit sharing the same bypass power supply.
• During normal operation, two sets of UPS are put into operation. When DC power supply is
put, by-pass switches are in break-brake state. The two sets of UPS have 50 ％ load
respectively, and UPS provides stable AC220V and 50Hz sine wave power supply for the load.
The two sets of UPS shares the same bypass reserve power supply. When the main power
supply breaks off, DC 220V in the units goes through isolating diodes and inverters to provide
power supply for the load. The system is operated in stand-by DC. UPS provides stable AC220V
and 50Hz sine wave power supply for the load. When the DC system power supply in the
storage battery is discharged to the limit, UPS inverters will be automatically switched off.
When main power supply returns to normal, the inverters will be automatically recovered and
rectifiers provide power supply.
• The two sets of UPS can mutually work in parallel operation. The corresponding controlling
parts can keep synchronous frequency and phase position in the two sets of UPS, especially
limit ring current between them. If any set of UPS has fault, the failed UPS will exit from the
parallel operation. During parallel operation, UPS adopts a dynamic current distribution
management system, and controls each UPS output voltage according to load ratio. When the
two sets of UPS works in parallel operation, if one set has fault, the other one will replace the
work. If the main power supply in rectifiers has fault, connect the battery pack to DC input end
of inverters, and then provide uninterruptible AC power supply output through inverters.
Mode of Operation
• Normal mode
• DC mode
• Bypass mode
• Maintenance bypass mode
 Normal mode
Manual bypass Switch
Bypass input
AC
Test
Automatic
Manual

Static Switch

Rectifier Inverter
Output AC
Main input AC Main input AC

Battery Switch Rectifier and 220V DC (Battery) bus connected to

inverter
Output AC from inverter by static switch
UPS bypass power supply in the standby state
Battery DC power switch closed
Manual bypass switch in the opened position
 DC mode
Manual Switch
Bypass input
AC
Test
Automatic
Manual

Static Switch
b) 直流模式：逆变器仅由直流母线供电， UPS 备用电源在送电备用状态，即：直流电源开
关、备用电源开关在合闸位置，维修旁路开关在分闸位置，整流器输入开关在分闸位置；（当
380VPC 段 UPS 正常电源停电、故障或整流器故障时，
Rectifier Inverter UPS 应在此方式下运行 ) ；
B) DC mode: the inverter is only powered by the DC bus, UPS standby power supply in the
standby state, namely: DC power switch, standby power switch in the closing position, Output AC
maintenance
Main input AC bypass switch in the sub-gate position, rectifier input switch (When the 380VPC
UPS normal power supply failure, fault or rectifier failure, UPS should run in this way);
• The inverter is only powered by the DC bus,
Battery Switch • UPS standby power supply in the standby state,
• DC power switch, standby power switch in the
closing position, maintenance bypass switch in
Battery
the sub-gate position, rectifier input switch
 Bypass mode
Manual Switch
Bypass input
AC
Test
Automatic
Manual
c) 旁路模式：备用电源经静态开关直接向 UPS 负荷供电，即：备用电源开关在合闸位置，维修旁
路开关在分闸位置，直流电源开关、整流器输入开关在分闸位置。（当逆变器故障或逆变器过负荷 Static Switch
时， UPS 应自动切换到静态旁路运行方式）；
C) Bypass mode: The standby power supply is powered directly to the UPS load via the static switch,
ie the standby power switch is in the closing position, the maintenance bypass switch is in the sub-
gate position, theRectifier Inverter
DC power switch and the rectifier input switch are in the opening position. (UPS
Inverters
should automatically switch to static bypass operation when the inverter is faulty or the inverter Output
is AC
overloaded);
Main input AC

The standby power supply is powered directly to the UPS load

via the static switch, ie the standby power switch is in the
Battery Switch closing position,
the maintenance bypass switch is in the sub-gate position,
the DC power switch and the rectifier input switch are in the
opening position. (when the inverter is faulty or the inverter is
Battery
overloaded);
 Maintenance bypass mode

Manual Switch
Bypass input
AC
Test
Automatic
Manual

Static Switch

Rectifier Inverter
Output AC
Main input AC
AC Power supply provided through bypass input system
DC, Charger and inverter is totally bypass in this mode.
Battery Switch Maintenance bypass power switch in the closing
position, rectifier input switch, DC power switch,
standby power switch in the gate position. (UPS should
Battery be operated in this mode when the UPS unit requires
service).
UPS inverter to bypass
switching conditions
1) Bypass voltage and frequency withstand within the limits, while
the frequency and phase of the inverter and bypass to keep pace.

2) In case of overload or inverter failure, UPS is switched to bypass

mode.

3) if case 1 does not occur, and occurs in the following cases

- The inverter operates continuously in the event of an overload
(depending on the size of the load overload)
- The inverter is stopped when the inverter has failed
UPS bypass to inverter switching conditions
     1) When the voltage and frequency of the inverter are within the
tolerances and synchronized with the bypass , the UPS will
automatically switch to the inverter operating mode.
     2) When the overload is still exceeded, the operating mode of the
inverter will not start and the UPS will still switch back to bypass
operation.
3) UPS re-switching to inverter operating mode will depend on the
inverter. The start switch of the inverter must be pressed. The inverter
will start again and re-establish the output after 10 seconds.
 UPS operating steps
• Close the standby power supply (RESERVE) air switch: At this time, the standby power
supply LED indicator lights up, the standby power supply static switch circuit has power,
and there is also power inside the UPS, and the fan starts to work.
• Closed UPS output (OUTPUT) Air switch: There is power at the output.
• Cut off the BYPASS air switch: Do not close the inverter switch while the bypass
maintenance air switch is closed (because the CPU will detect whether the air switch is
connected to the inverter in order to prohibit the AC power supply from being
connected directly to the inverter) If there is AC power, after the standby air switch is
closed, if the bypass air switch is cut off, the power will continue to be supplied by the
backup power circuit, and the AC output will be uninterrupted.
• Turn off the maintenance bypass (BYPASS) Air switch: Do not close the inverter switch
during the bypass maintenance air switch (because the CPU will detect the air switch in
order to prevent the AC power supply from connecting directly to the inverter has AC
power or not), in the closed standby power air switch, if the bypass air switch off, the
power supply will continue to supply by the standby power circuit, AC output without
interruption.
• Closed rectifier (RECTIFIER) air switch: Assume that the input power is correct, the
rectifier will be activated automatically, and the DC BUS will start to build slowly (about
15-30 seconds) until the DC BUS is fully established and the DC power is ready for the
inverter.
• Press the inverter to activate the switch: To activate the inverter, the inverter activation
switch (P) and inverter control switch (Q) must be pressed at the same time, the inverter
will start working for about 7 seconds after the inverter output is completed, after about
3 seconds the static switch will automatically output the load from the backup power to
inverter output, and now UPS has begun to operate.
6) BATTERY switch: For more secure operation, use a fuse connection between the DC
display and DC buses to avoid dangerous conditions. When the rectifier is abnormal, the
DC screen will immediately provide the DC power supply to the inverter.
7) Check the LCD display is correct or not: switch LCD screen, check the LCD content is
consistent with the actual or not, fault lights are alarm or not.
Probable Problems and remedy
The AC input is normal, but the Processing: Check if the rectifier-free fuse switch is closed. If it is not
rectifier cannot be started closed, close the rectifier without fuse switch; check if the AC input
phase sequence is correct, otherwise connect the AC input correctly.

The inverter cannot be started Cause: Check if the DC BUS is established; check if the bypass fuseless
switch is closed; check if the output load is overloaded. Handling: Use
the rectifier or activate the battery switch to establish the DC BUS will
also light up; cut off the bypass fuseless switch; reduce the UPS power
load.

When the AC mains power fails, Cause: Check if the battery switch fuse switch socket is activated.
the UPS still locks the machine. Processing: Activate the battery switch fuse switch socket.

UPS control circuit without power Cause: Check if the standby power switch is activated. Remedy: Activate
the standby power supply without fuse switch.

The fault LED is lit and the buzzer Check if the output is overloaded; check if the output is short-circuited.
keeps beep Cause Processing: reduce output load; eliminate short circuit
Review Questions:
1. What is UPS
2. Why we use UPS in power Station
3. What are the basic components
4. How many operation modes of UPS