How To Design A Grounded Power Supply System

In any facility containing critical loads, whether related to life safety or sensitive computer loads vital to facility operation, one of the most important pieces of equipment specified in the design is the uninterruptible power supply (UPS), which uses stored energy to supply power to these critical loads when normal power is lost and a backup power source is starting to supply the building loads.

In the latest issue of Consulting-Specifying Engineer Magazine’s Pure Power, Page Graduate Electrical Engineer Ben Stevens details how to design a grounded power supply system. He argues that while transformerless uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems operate ungrounded during power transfer to a backup source, robust grounding designs can accommodate the requirement of grounded and ungrounded systems.

The article explains the difference between grounded and ungrounded systems, while also clarifying code requirements for ungrounded AC and DC power systems. It also examines how the behavior of ungrounded systems during grounded faults differs from grounded systems and how designers can mitigate the effects. He features our Quarry Run Regional Operations Center as a case study.

To read the full article on the CSE website, click here.