A UPS Engineer’s Insight: IP54; UPS For Water Treatment
Leading power protection solutions provider, Secure Power Ltd is renowned industry wide for delivering specialist projects for niche industry sectors. Here, one of the company’s most experienced UPS (uninterruptible power supply) engineers, Dave Moxam shares his knowledge of working with water treatment sites.
“We thought we would put a spotlight on water treatment works because they are not often talked about and despite being highly critical establishments, very little is known about their inner workings!
“The visually imposing network of pipes to obtain water from its source is overwhelming when you are stood in the middle of it all. It was not until then that I appreciated the process that is required to not only collect water from its source but to then treat it, store it and deliver it to houses, offices, manufacturing sites and pretty much every other type of facility you can think of. I was given a brief glimpse into the sophisticated nature of a water treatment facilities when I gained my EU SR card, which demonstrates specific safety protocols and understanding for utilities sites and is a requirement for site access.
“To think that the water we require every day is wholly reliant on the performance of a water treatment plant adds pressure to our role in ensuring that the facility is able to operate 100% effectively in order to maintain its reserves.
“For example, a power outage or power anomaly could affect the water treatment site’s filtration and purification systems if they are not supported by a reliable backup power source such as a UPS system; without one, pumps and filters would stop functioning, tanks would empty and water would stop being distributed and not to sound too dramatic – this could have a serious threat to not only infrastructure but life.
“Water treatment sites are incredibly complex facilities and extra care and consideration needs to be given to preserving secondary power systems including UPS, which need to be shielded from dirt, dust, oil and potential of splashing water. Extensive planning goes into the deployment of any emergency power solution for a water treatment site, with particular attention given to establishing the correct logistics. Physical obstacles such as gridded flooring, difficult access and additional requirements for raised plinths to raise the UPS solution above water are all key considerations.
“To protect UPS solutions in particular, specialist Ingress Protection (IP) 54 rated enclosures are used as they are capable of housing the units and offer the required levels of resistance to the varying onsite threats.
“Water treatment sites are not straightforward but thankfully Secure Power knows exactly what is needed for the smooth integration of an emergency power supply and also how to effectively maintain it. Our comprehensive emergency power protection strategies safeguard critical applications through custom designed IP54 solutions, fully compliant with WIMES 3.07."
So, what exactly is an IP54 rated solution and what does it do?
The size of UPS units typically used to provide backup power within a water treatment works will vary from smaller rackmount 3kVA units, such as the Riello SDH 3000VA all the way through to multiple 100kVA transformer-less monolithic UPS systems, such as the Riello MST 100kVA. These UPS units and corresponding battery boxes are then housed together (for smaller units) or separately (larger units), within an IP54 rated enclosure made from either aluminium, carbon steel or stainless steel.
Client-specific features such as viewing windows, fans and ventilation, DC isolators, hinges, latches and locks can all be built into the enclosure design as appropriate. Where required Secure Power may also work with organisations to custom-design and manufacture an IP54 UPS to satisfy more demanding site restrictions, for example where access or space-saving issues may demand a more tailored approach.
Items with IP ratings are graded on their ability to protect an item from solid-state particles such as soil or dust and liquid particles such as water. The first number in the sequence represents the protection level offered from solid-state particles and is usually graded from 0 – 6, with 0 being not dust proof and 6 fully dust proof. The second number in the sequence represents the items ability to protect against liquid and is ranked from 0 – 9, with 0 being not waterproof through to 9 being fully waterproof - to the point it can be installed in water and still maintain full protection levels.
An IP rating of 54 categorises the item as being (5) ‘protected against a quantity of dust that could interfere with the normal operation of the product but not fully dust tight’ while also offering ‘complete protection against solid objects. The 4 rating advises that the item assures protection ‘against water splashing from any angle’.
With extensive knowledge of the complex requirements presented within a water treatment works environment, Secure Power is expertly placed to offer the technical guidance and bespoke solution to suit any scale of project. We understand the complexities facing the utilities industry in improving energy efficiency, lowering carbon emissions and reducing operating costs and will work with our clients to find the best-fit solution to match their needs and budget.
Secure Power has been providing critical power solutions for over a decade and has an industry wide reputation for delivering first class backup power services. With preventative maintenance at the core of its business, Secure Power has its own team of engineers, available nationwide, 24/7. The company offers a wide range of UPS end-to-end project management solutions alongside ongoing maintenance and service works, battery testing, removal and relocation. For more information about Secure Power’s backup power protection services please get in touch with a member of our team on 0800 080 3118.