DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF UNINTERRUPTIBLE

POWER SUPPLY

CHIMEZIE GRACE ODIRICHUKWU.

Abstract
The project adopted the research and development design approach. The system was made up
of 4 units, these are, the rectifier/charger, the battery, the inverter and the switch units. The
rectifier/charger unit is responsible for the stepping down of the 220V AC from the main source
to 12V DC and for charging the 12V lead acid battery, provision was made for the external
battery so that the system can use high capacity batteries to provide longer backup period
during the power outage. The inverter unit of this UPS was made up of both the oscillator and
power circuit, the oscillator which performs the major function of converting DC to AC was
built with NPN transistors of various values and power transistors. The output unit was made
of a self-wounded step-up transformer that steps the voltage up to 220V AC and capacitor that
removes the ripples which may occur at the output unit. The switch inform of a relay was used
to build change-over such that immediately there is power failure it changes over to the UPS.
The constructed 1.5KVA (500V AC) was given out from the 12V DC lead acid battery during
power failure.
Keywords: UPS, DC, Oscillator, Capacitor, Battery
Introduction The fundamental operation of most
The human desire to have a steady power sensitive electronic devices and electrical
supply for domestic and industrial purposes equipment is a clean alternative current
gave rise to an uninterrupted Power supply (AC) source. Any disturbance in an AC
(UPS). Globally, the need and demand for source will lead to malfunction or operation
computers, electronics, and other electrical failure of the equipment. Circuits are
devices are on the rise. These types of designed and deployed to prevent and fix a
equipment required quality, high stability, slight surge main AC supply. Also, when
and uninterrupted power supply. there is a power outage to protect a sensitive
system from losing information and
malfunction. It required an alternative

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power source that could switch into on-battery runtime of most uninterruptible
operation immediately when the power source is relatively short (only a few
interruption occurs. This alternative source minutes) but sufficient to start a standby
is known as an Uninterruptible Power power source or properly shut down the
Supply (UPS). protected
equipment.
Even as blackouts roll through power-
starved communities, the threat to you and UPS unit comes in different sizes. For
your computer is not the lack of electricity, instance, there are small units designed to
but the change in power. When you start or protect a single computer without a video
working on any industrial or computer- monitor (around 200VA rating, and also
based projects. And suddenly, there is a large units designed to power entire data
power outage. Your efforts will be a waste. centers, buildings, or an entire city.
For instance, when a system acts as the Fairbanks in Alaska has the biggest UPS in
server and shutdown suddenly could disrupt the world with 46MW battery electric
the processing of information and data loss. storage system (BESS) [1]. It powers the
You can make your work immune to a entire city and nearby rural communities
power outage and protect against many during outages [2]. The main focus of this
other types of an unexpected power surge. project is converting AC to DC and also
The antidote is the uninterruptible power from DC to AC power inverters, which aim
supply or uninterruptible power source to efficiently transform a DC power source
(UPS). to a voltage AC source, similar to power
that would be available at an electrical wall
UPS differs from an auxiliary emergency outlet. We can use inverters for many
power system or standby generator that applications, as in situations where low
provides instantaneous or near- voltage DC sources such as batteries, solar
instantaneous protection from interrupted panels, or fuel cells must be converting
input power interruptions, utilizing one or electrical power from a car battery,
more attached batteries and associated powering a laptop, TV, or cell phone.
electronic circuitry for low power users. Or
using diesel generators and flywheels for What is ups?
high power users. However, UPS is not An uninterruptible power supply is a device
limited to protecting any equipment. The that has the ability to convert and control
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direct current (DC) energy to alternating Uses Of UPS
current (AC) energy [1]. UPS is a battery Most of us take the mains (AC supply) for
backup for PC, when the power goes off the granted and use it almost casually without
UPS kicks in and continues to supply power giving the slightest thought to its inherent
for some period of time to the particular shortcomings and danger posed to
system. This device is a cleaver threefold sophisticated and sensitive electronic
package-a set of battery, an inverter that instruments or equipment. UPS is typically
transforms the low-voltage direct current of used to protect computers, data center,
the batteries into the standard alternating telecommunication equipment or other
current equivalent to your wall outlet, and a electrical equipment where an unexpected
battery charger that assures that reserve power disruption could cause injuries,
power storage system (the batteries) in fatalities, serious business disruption and/or
some designs, with interfaces to match it to data loss. For ordinary household
utility power and your computer system. appliances such as incandescent lamps,
bulbs, fans, TV and fridge, the mains
UPS generally consists of a rectifier, battery supply does not make much difference, but
charger, a battery bank and an inverter when used for computers, medical
circuit which converts the commercial ac equipment and telecommunication systems,
input into dc suitable for input to the battery a clean, stable interruption free power
bank and the inverter [3]. The rectifier supply is of utmost importance, of the
should have its input protected and should myriad of devices, processes and systems
be capable of supplying power to the which rely on AC power, computers are
inverter when the commercial supply is probably the most sensitive to power
either slightly below or above the normal disturbances and failures. Interruptions in
voltage. A UPS differ from an auxiliary or power supply may cause the contents of the
emergency power system or standby memory to be lost or corrupted, the entire
generator in that it will provide near- system to malfunction or fail, or even
instantaneous protection from input power variety of component’s failures to occur, all
interruptions, by supplying energy stored in of which not only results in inconveniences
the batteries, super capacitors or flywheels. but also loss of money.

Why UPS?

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There is rising pressing need for a  Harmonic distortion, defined as a
continuous quality power supply. In departure from the ideal sinusoidal
addition, most UPS units also provide waveform expected on the line.
power conditioning like a power strip or a
surge protector; they prevent power spikes UPS Categories
from coming through and hitting sensitive UPS units are divided into categories based
electronic components. Indeed, the devices on which of the power problems they
to power up have an increasingly key address and some manufacturers categorize
critical role for businesses for people safety, their product in accordance with the
for data storage, processing and for number of power related problems they
communications. address. The three general categories of
modern UPS systems are;
These functions are carried out by 1. On- line UPS
sophisticated and sensitive devices that may 2. Line –interactive
be affected by the disturbance coming from 3. Standby.
the mains power supply. There are various
types of electrical events that constantly An on-line UPS uses a ‘double conversion’
endanger electronic equipment as there are method of accepting AC input, rectifying to
various effects on the availability of the DC for passing through the rechargeable
load. battery/battery strings, then inverting back
to 220V/230V AC for powering the
Common power problems includes; protected equipment.
 Voltage spike or sustained
overvoltage. The line-interactive UPS maintains the
 Momentary or sustained reduction inverter in line. It redirects the battery’s DC
in input voltage. current path from the normal charging
 Noise, defined as a high frequency mode to supplying current when power is
transient or oscillation usually lost. Also, in a standby (off-line) system,
injected into the line by nearby power the load directly by the input power
equipment. and the backup power circuitry is only
 Instability of the mains frequency. invoked when the utility power fails.

Further classification:
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Some the UPS below 1KVA are mainly of
the line interactive or standby varieties
which are usually less expensive. For larger
power units, Dynamic uninterruptible
power supply (DUPS) are sometimes used,
a synchronous motor/alternator is
connected on the mains via a choke. Energy Fig 1.0 UPS Circuit Diagram
is stored in a flywheel, when the mains
supply fails; an eddy-current regulation Stage By Stage Design
maintains the power on the load as long as The stages involved in this UPS design is as
the flywheels energy is not exhausted. follow;
DUPS are sometimes combined or
integrated with a brief delay, forming a Oscillator Section
DRUPS (diesel rotation uninterruptible The IC SG3524 is used in the oscillation
power supply). A fuel cell UPS has been section of this UPS. This IC is used to
developed in recent years using hydrogen generate the 50Hz frequency required to
and fuel cell as a power source, potentially generate AC supply by the inverter. To start
providing long run times in a small space. this process, battery supply is given to the
pin-15 of the SG324 through on/off switch
Material and Method which passes through the normally close
The Procedures for This Design contact of the relay. Pin-8 is connected to
1. Complete block diagram of ups the negative terminal of the battery. A
2. Stage by stage design is divided into voltage regulator LM7812 is connected
four sections, they are across the battery through two capacitors
 The oscillator section. connected in parallel and grounded as
 The device/switching section. shown in the circuit below. This regulates
 The output section. the 12V supply from the battery.
 The changeover section.
3. Designs and the construction of a ups Pin-5 and 7 of the IC are the oscillation
Complete Block Diagram Of UPS section pins. The frequency generated by
the IC depends on the value of the capacitor
12Volt Oscillator Switch Step-down
and resistor connected at these pins. The
Battery Circuit Circuit Transformer
two capacitors (each 0.1 uf) are connected
5

Input Change Over

Circuit Circuit
to pin-7. These capacitors decide the 50Hz This section converts the incoming signal
frequency output by the IC. Pin-5 is timing into signal with changing polarity. This
resistance pin. The resistance at this pin signal with changing polarity means that
keeps the oscillator frequency constant. when the first signal is positive the second
Pre-set variable resistor is connected to would be negative and when the first signal
ground from pin-6 of the IC this pre-set is goes negative the second would be positive.
used so that the value of the output
frequency can be adjusted to a constant
50Hz. A fixed resistor of is connected in
series with the variable resistor to give a
given frequency as shown by the relation:
1.30
𝐹=
𝑅𝑇 × 𝐶𝑇
Where F is the frequency in KHz
RT is the total resistance at pin-6
CT is the total capacitance at pin-7
Therefore, to obtain a frequency of 50Hz

𝐺𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝐶1 + 𝐶2 = 𝐶𝑇
𝐶𝑇 = 0.1 + 0.1
𝐶𝑇 = 0.2
Making RT subject formula
Therefore, we have that
1.3
𝑅𝑇 =
0.05 × 0.2
1.31
𝑅𝑇 = = 131𝑘
0.01
Hence, RT must be varied at 131k to obtain
a frequency of 50Hz.

In my design I used a fixed resistor of 100K

and a variable resistor of 20k.
Signal generated at the oscillator section of
the IC reaches the flip-flop section if the IC.

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Therefore, to achieve a frequency of 50Hz The MOS drive signal from the pin-11 and
this process most repeat 50 times per 14 of the IC are given to the base of the
second at a regular interval i.e. it will transistor T1 and T2. This results in the
generate an alternating signal with 50Hz MOS drive signal getting separated into
frequency inside the flip-flop section of the two different channels. Transistor T1 and
IC. This 50Hz frequency alternating signal T2 amplify the 50Hz MOS drive signal at
has an output at pin-11 and 14 of the IC. their base to a sufficient level and output

This alternating signal may also be known them from the emitter while the collectors
as the MOS drive signal. This MOS drive are grounded 50Hz signal from the emitter
signal at pin-11 and 14 are between 3-4V. of T1 is given to the gate of each MOSFET
Voltage at these pins should be same, in the MOSFET channel, through resistance
because any variation in the voltage at these RA4-2K. Each MOSFET gate receives the
pins could damage the MOSFET at the 50Hz signal through a resistor (RA6-RA9).
output [10]. The circuit diagram of the And also 50Hz signal from the emitter of
oscillation section is shown below. T2 is given to the gate of each MOSFT in
Fig 1.1 Oscillator Circuit the second MOSFET channel, through
resistance RA19-2K. Each MOSFET gate
Driver/ Switching Section receives the 50Hz signal through a resistor

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(RA14 –RA17). When the first MOSFET is alternating on and off i.e. when the first
on, the current flows through the first half channel is ON the second channel will be
of the inverter transformer bifilar winding. OFF, and when the second channel is ON,
When the second MOSFET channel turns the first will be OFF. This on/off switching
ON, the current flows through the second is repeated 50 times per second. The drain
half of the inverter transformer winding. (D) of all the MOSFETs of one channel is
This switching on/off of the MOSFET connected together and one end of the
channels will start an alternating current in inverter transformer’s bifilar winding is
the bifilar winding of inverter transformer. connected to this connection. Likewise, the
This AC current in the bifilar winding will drain of the MOSFET of the second channel
induce an AC current of 50Hz, in the 220 is also connected together and the other end
and 240v tapings of the transformer. The of the inverter transformer’s bifilar winding
AC voltage output from the transformer is is connected to this connection. The
connected to the normally close of the relay position terminal of the battery is connected
to the output socket. This can be shown by to the centre tapping of the bifilar winding.
the circuit below. This results in the positive supply reaching
drain
of
each

Fig 1.2. Drive/Switching MOSFET transistor through each end of the

Section bifilar winding. Source (S) terminal of each
MOSFET is connected to the negative
The Output Section terminal of the battery through a shunt of
The 50Hz alternating MOS drive signal low value resistance. Because polarity of
reaches each MOSFET channel separately. the 50Hz MOS drive signal at pin-11 and 14
This result in the MOSFET channels being are different, at a time only one channel
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from the output channel remains ON, the connected to the negative terminal of a
other channel stays OFF. 220uf capacitor and the positive terminal is
connected to the cathode of D1. The coil
The Changeover Section energizes in the process and contacts the
The changeover section is used to normally open the relay thereby connected
 Switch on the inverter when the the load to the AC supply. During this
AC mains supply switches off process a 12V signal is sent to the shutdown
and pin of the IC SG3524 to shut down the
 Turn off the inverter when inverter and hence stop its switching
power is through the AC main process. This is shown by the circuit below
source again.

When the UPS receives AC mains supply,

it stops drawing the battery supply, and the
AC mains supply at the UPS input is
directly sent to the UPS output socket. The
change-over circuit adopted for this design
is very simple. It consists of 12V step down
transformer. This change over as the name
implies can be divided into two states i.e
when there is Power supply from AC source
the inverter would be switch off and
When there is no supply it goes back and
switches the inverter.
This process happens like this, when there
is AC supply, the oscillator which is
connected to the output of the normally
close of the relay connects the oscillator
with power sources and the switching
process starts. But when power supply
comes back on, a 12V signal is sent to the
coil of the relay through the diodes D1 and
D2. The common of transformer is
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  To check the AC supply frequency
Fig 1.3 Changeover Circuit of the UPS of inverter output, connect a
frequency meter parallel to the
Test and Analysis output socket
Before a new UPS is assembled, it needs
to be tested properly; its various presets Testing and Setting The Inverter
should be set properly. Section
When testing a UPS, one should test its  Remove the battery wires from this
inverter section (the section which section.
operates on battery supply) first. Next, is  Outer ends of 12-0-12 winding of
the charging section (section which inverter–cum charger transformer
operates on AC mains supply). are connected to the heat sink.
Requirement for the testing inverter Remove these connections from
section: the heat sink. Now, if the battery is
 Connect a fully charged battery to reconnected, MOSFET drains will
the inverter not receive any battery supply.
 A current meter or ampere meter is  Reconnect the battery
required to check the load current  Remove the 3- pin MOSFET drive
and charging current. For this, connector between the mains PCB
connect a 50 Amp Meter in series and the MOSFET PCB.
between the positive terminal of  Do not connect the inverters mains
inverter. supply from reaching the inverter.
 Connect a 0 -300V AC voltmeter Without AC mains supply,
parallel to the inverter output 220V/18V transformer will not
socket. produce the 18V AC supply.

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 Without 18V AC supply, 12V  If the MOS drive voltage is missing
from all the MOSFET gates, then
Regulated DC supply is not check that the 3- pin connector
produced and the charging circuit joining the output plate with MOS
will not operate. drive signal
 Switch on the inverter switch. 12V  If the MOS drive signal is missing
supply from battery will reach pin - from one of the MOSFET gate then
15 of IC (SG3524). check the 22E resistance at the gate.
 If the oscillator section is operating,  If the MOS drive signal is missing
pin -11 and 14 should have equal from all the MOSFETs in one
MOS drive voltage channel, then check the transistors
 To check the MOS drive voltage, set and other components in that
the multimeters at 10V AC range, channel.
and check the voltage between pin –  When proper MOS drive signal is
11 of IC2 ground. Multimeter available at the gate of all the
should show a voltage between 4V- MOSFET transistors of both
5V channels, switch off the inverter
 Voltage at pin – 11 and 14 should be  Remove the battery connection
equal  Reconnect the end points of 12-0-12
 If these voltages are OK then inverter cum-charger transformer to
reconnect the 3-pin connector the heat sinks, i.e. to the MOSFET
between the mains PCB and the drain.
MOSFET  Keeping the inverter on/off switch
 Make sure that the voltage at pin- 11 in off position connect the battery to
and 14 of 1C2 (SG3524) should be the inverter.
equal. If there is difference in the  Connect the voltmeter and
voltage on these pins, or if the MOS frequency meter to the inverter
drive voltage is missing, then there output. Connect two 100W/ 250 V
is some fault in the circuit. bulbs to the UPS output socket.
 If the MOS drive voltage is OK at  Switch on the UPS. If the bulb starts
pin – 11 and 14 of 1C2 then check to glow, the UPS is working
the MOSFET transistor gates for properly. All the components of the
MOS drive voltage. UPS MOSFET transistor, relay,
11
 inverter transformer, changeover 19 Transport
circuit, etc. are working properly. 20 Variable resistor 2
 If the bulb does not glow than check 21 Vero board 2
the inverter transformer for 220V TOTAL COST
AC supply.
 270V tapping of inverter Conclusion
transformer is connected to the It is obvious that UPS are indispensable
N/O-2 terminal of relay. Check the power units in virtually every scale of
AC supply by keeping the establishment. Its features such as
Multimeter in 250V AC range. noiseless working condition, availability of
 storage elements, numerous system
Table 1.0: Bill Of Engineering compatibility etc, have not in any way
Measurement And Evaluation marred its acceptance. This device is really
S/NO Item Specification Quantity in computer
dominating Unit cost establishment
Total cost
but
1 RESISTORS in20 N5 find use in N
no due time will 100 other
many
2 Capacitor 10 uf 2
applications N20it is still under
where N 40
3 Capacitor 0.1uf 6
consideration. N20cost of buying
The N 120
new and
4 Capacitor 47 uf imported
2 ones is
N20very high, itsN
economical
40
5 10000uf 35v capacitor and
2 wise to encourage
N 80 upcoming engineers
N 160
6 MOSFET IRT 3205 to2do more research
N 200and development
N 400 on
7 Transformer step-up design
1 and construction
N 3000 of uninterruptible
N 3000
8 220-12v step-down Transformer power
1 supply systems.
N 500 N 500
9 Relay 2 N 300 N600
10 Connecting Wires Recommendation
N 250 N250
11 A digital multi meter 1
I strongly N 900 a restructuring
recommend N 900 in our
12 A voltmeter 1
department’s N 150 condition.
project N150I think
13 AC socket 1
conducting thisN100 N will
project in group 100 give a
14 Transistor BC557B 3 for wider
room N 50and in-depthN50research,
15 Battery IC 1
sharing N 3000
of ideas N3000
between group members
16 SG3524 IC 1 taking and
and N 600 N600
non-execution of infant
17 Opto coupler 4N35 1
projects N 250
or better N250
still low-grade projects.
18 Rocker on/off switch 1 N 50 N50
References
12
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