Galaxy Li-Ion UPS

The Schneider Electric company began to release the three-phase uninterruptible power supply units (UPSU) on Li-ion batteries instead of traditional lead. They are already available to the order, the vice president of Schneider Electric for the IT direction Natalia Makarochkina reported at the beginning of October.

Li-Ion accumulators are essentially new solution for big UPSes (with power up to 1.6 MW) which are used in data centers, the industry and on production. If to speak about serial production, then Schneider Electric first-ever began to release as a ready-made product three-phase UPSes on Li-ion batteries, note in the company. Many other producers declare compatibility of the UPSes with Li-Ion batteries, but as the finished product it is not produced in lots.

It is quantum big technology leap in terms of providing and increase in efficiency of data centers, – the system architect of IT Division of Schneider Electric company Alexey Solovyov says.

Advantages of Li-Ion of accumulators before lead-acid such:

• they are more power-intensive,
• by 2-3 times serve longer (10-15 years against 3-5 or 6-9 years of life of lead accumulators),
• they have more cycles of a charge discharge,
• recharge time is less,
• weigh 70% less,
• occupy 60% less than the spaces.

If 10 years ago Li-ion batteries were more expensive lead-acid by 10 times, then now the difference – twice and is even less, speak in Schneider Electric. At the same time, by calculations of the company, TCO (total cost of ownership – a comment of TAdviser) in 10 years is 10-15% less.

Schneider Electric produced and began to sell five models of three-phase UPSes on Li-Ion batteries (a line of Symmetra and Galaxy). In 2017-2018 the company will be ready to implement new accumulators on all the big "uninterruptible power supplies".