Double Conversion On-Line UPS | Line Interactive UPS |
| This is the most common type of UPS above 10kVA. The block diagram of the Double Conversion On-Line UPS, illustrated in Figure 5, is the same as the Standby, except that the primary power path is the inverter instead of the AC main. | The Line Interactive UPS, illustrated in Figure 2, is the most common design used for small business, Web, and departmental servers. In this design, the battery-to-AC power converter (inverter) is always connected to the output of the UPS. Operating the inverter in reverse during times when the input AC power is normal provides battery charging. When the input power fails, the transfer switch opens and the power flows from the battery to the UPS output. With the inverter always on and connected to the output, this design provides additional filtering and yields reduced switching transients when compared with the Standby UPS topology. In addition, the Line Interactive design usually incorporates a tap-changing transformer. This adds voltage regulation by adjusting transformer taps as the input voltage varies. Voltage regulation is an important feature when low voltage conditions exist, otherwise the UPS would transfer to battery and then eventually down the load. This more frequent battery usage can cause premature battery failure. However, the inverter can also be designed such that its failure will still permit power flow from the AC input to the output, which eliminates the potential of single point failure and effectively provides for two independent power paths. This topology is inherently very efficient which leads to high reliability while at the same time providing superior power protection. |
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| Symmetra, SmartUPS | Smart-UPS, Back-UPS Pro, and Matrix |
| Excellent voltage conditioning, ease of paralleling | High reliability, High efficiency, Good voltage conditioning |
| Low efficiency, Expensive under 5kVA | Impractical over 5kVA |
| Well suited for N+ 1 designs | Most popular UPS type in existence due to high reliability, ideal for rack or distributed servers and/ or harsh power environments |