FEATURE POWER SUPPLIES & MANAGEMENT TALK IS CHEAP – The Debate of Quality vs. Time to Market


Is money a defining factor from a design and manufacturing perspective? With its UPS power solutions in mind, Centiel’s sales manager, Louis McGarry, asks that very question


O


nce upon a time, a consultant could specify a UPS for a project


that would ensure the client got the equipment they wanted, at the right time; everyone lives happily ever after. However, in today’s world, costs are scrutinised: we are seeing more examples of ‘value engineering’ coming into play, sometimes to the detriment of the outcome of the project.


Defining ‘value engineering’, the contractor takes on the spec as a design and build, making a decision on a product which just about adheres to requirements. This usually happens as a result of trying to control costs, coming about due to the inconsistency of keeping to budgets. There is more than one road to Rome,


as they say, and there is always more than one solution. Therefore, the spec will usually name several manufacturers who are suitable to provide an ‘equal and approved alternative’. With the inevitable pressure on the aforementioned budgets, the contractor can be forced into selecting the cheapest option, which may end up costing the client more in running, repair and replacement costs. How would it be then, if the alternative could outperform the spec and still be the most cost-effective way forward? It would be a win-win for client, consultant


28 OCTOBER 2019 | ELECTRONICS


and contractor alike. To achieve this, why not invite manufacturers into the discussion earlier, to pool knowledge resources and come up with workable options which will save client costs over the long term? Talk is cheap, but making mistakes can be costly. A typical example would be the requirement for 100kW N+1 to support a critical load. A better solution for UPS systems could be modular: 6x20kW modules would reduce the overall footprint and downsize the battery requirement from 200KW to 120KW. Furthermore, the six modules would need less switch gear than two standalone UPS systems (which would need paralleled switch gear). Although the resilience level is the same at N+1, the speed in which redundancy is regained is more


Cooperation and collaboration are key to succeeding on the commercial field


than ten times faster than the traditional approach. A loss of redundancy (+1) in a modular system would be the case of losing a 1 x 20kW module. Comparably, with the standalone solution, a loss of redundancy means a loss of 100kW of UPS, which could take up to six hours of repair onsite, or result in replacement. Centiel offers alternative solutions to solve these challenges. The first project was for a London client in the financial district, where the spec was for a full 250kW modular UPS frame, to support a day two load and resilience level of 200kW N+1. It was identified during the early stages of implementation that the load requirements were actually lower than the anticipated day two spec. Centiel advised supplying 4x50kW modules, providing 150kW N+1 to support the actual day one load, reducing the project budget by matching the actual load, while leaving the infrastructure for future growth. The day one power requirement was only for four modules, so the infrastructure was left in place with a spare bay for an additional module within the UPS frame, with the full battery rack and DC isolation unit in place. As the load had increased a year later, the architecture of the modular system allowed for the installation of a fifth module and associated batteries. However, it’s not always about juggling module requirements. The second project was a hospital intensive care installation, where space in the UPS plant room was particularly limited. The UPS weighed about half a tonne, but the amount of batteries needed to support the hospital’s requirement weighed around nine tonnes. Centiel designed bespoke battery racks, optimising the configuration for ease of access and maintenance of both the UPS and batteries. Maximising use of the floor to ceiling space creates a workable area, ensuring there was enough room for the rest of the equipment, all readily accessible to maintenance engineers. The key to the success of these projects was the open and productive discussions between all parties involved, to come up with the best long-term solution for the client, in contrast to a ‘just buy the cheapest’ approach. By working together as trusted advisors, these common commercial challenges can be met with solutions that can outperform the spec, without compromising on performance.


Centiel www.centiel.co.uk / ELECTRONICS


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