New Study Shows Flywheel UPS System Seven Times Less Likely To Fail Versus Conventional UPS Battery System

Main Category: Medical Devices
Article Date: 01 Apr 2008 - 13:00 PDT

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According to a new study by MTechnology, Inc., the Active Power (NASDAQ: ACPW) flywheel-based CleanSource® 300 UPS (uninterruptible power supply) system is seven times less likely to fail versus a conventional, double conversion UPS system with batteries during a short power outage.

Commissioned by Active Power, the Reliability Study of Integrated Flywheel UPS System is a quantitative analysis of the in-service reliability of the company's CleanSource 300 UPS system versus a double conversion UPS system with batteries. The study utilizes probabilistic risk assessment (PRA), a formal technique used by the aerospace and civilian nuclear power industry. Both systems were analyzed in conjunction with two classes of utility failure - short outages lasting less than 10 seconds and long outages exceeding 10 seconds. The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) reports 96 percent of all sags and outages last 10 seconds or less. In a short utility outage, the UPS energy storage is sufficient to support the load until the utility is restored. In a long utility outage, the AC source is transferred to a generator.

"We found that demand failures of the flywheel energy storage system are extremely unlikely," said Steve Fairfax, president of MTechnology, Inc. "If the flywheel is operational at the moment an outage occurs, the flywheel will almost certainly function. Conversely, a system supported by an electrochemical battery has a much higher probability of suffering a demand failure in a utility outage. Even with good monitoring and testing practices, it is difficult to predict the performance of the battery during an interruption. The flywheel-based CleanSource UPS is a dynamic electromechanical system so conditions that could lead to failure are relatively easy to detect and repair. Changes in values that determine the system's health can be observed before an outage occurs."

Key findings from the independent study include:

- CleanSource UPS is approximately seven times less likely to fail versus a double-conversion UPS with batteries during a short utility outage.

- The most likely failure mode of a double conversion UPS system with batteries is due to undetected battery failures. Detecting battery cells that will fail on the next demand has proven to be difficult.

- In outages lasting longer than 10 seconds where transfer to standby generator by means of an automatic transfer switch is necessary, CleanSource UPS again performed better than the conventional double-conversion UPS.

Mission critical operations such as healthcare, broadcast and data centers require system performance with no interruptions in service as downtime can prove costly. EPRI reports that system downtime is doubling in cost every year due to power sags, surges and outages across all business sectors. These types of customers require uptime 24 hours a day seven days a week and expect their backup power systems to be extremely reliable.

"We felt the CleanSource UPS system was a more economical solution with lower maintenance than conventional battery-based UPS systems," said Matt Servis, director of Engineering for Vermont based WFFF-TV (FOX) and WVNY-TV (ABC). "Within the first six months of installing the system, it was evident we made the right choice. We had more than 200 power incidents in this timeframe with absolutely no interruption in service to our viewers. The system is just a workhorse. And now after two years of service at the top of Vermont's highest peak, we have not been off the air for even a moment due to power related issues."

"We are excited about the results of the study which further supports our inherently reliable system design," said Jim Clishem, president and CEO of Active Power. "Customers are increasingly focused on reliability and cost savings and we are proud to deliver a system with superior reliability and lower lifecycle cost than any other UPS system available on the market."

For access to the Reliability Assessment of Integrated Flywheel UPS versus Double Conversion UPS with Batteries whitepaper, please visit here.

About Active Power

Active Power (NASDAQ: ACPW) provides efficient, reliable and green critical power solutions and uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems to enable business continuity in the event of power disturbances. Founded in 1992, Active Power's flywheel-based UPS systems protect critical operations in data centers, healthcare facilities, manufacturing plants, broadcast stations and governmental agencies in more than 40 countries. Active Power also offers CoolAir, the only solution that provides both backup power and backup cooling. With expert power system engineers and worldwide services and support, Active Power ensures organizations have the power to perform. For more information, please visit http://www.activepower.com.

About MTechnology, Inc.

MTechnology, Inc. (MTech) has been applying the science of probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) to the problem of high-availability electric power suitable for computers, Internet industries, and other mission-critical facilities since 1996. MTech clients include manufacturers, engineering firms, owners, and users of mission-critical facilities. MTech serves clients across a wide range of industries including corporate data centers, nuclear power, LNG production, biomedical research, proton beam cancer therapy, and fuel cell development.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This release may contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Any forward-looking statements and all other statements that may be made in this news release that are not historical facts are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially. Specific risks include delays in new product development, product performance and quality issues and the acceptance of our current and new products by the power quality market. Please refer to Active Power filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission for more information on the risk factors that could cause actual results to differ.

Active Power, CleanSource and CoolAir are registered trademarks of Active Power, Inc. The Active Power logo is a trademark of Active Power, Inc. All other trademarks are the properties of their respective companies.

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