Power Backups as a Solution to Outage Problem

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Body
Conclusion
Works Cited

Introduction

Statement of the problem

There have been power outages in the company in the past four weeks. The power outages have hurt my ongoing project. It is a project from one of the main contractor key clients, Terrapin Control Systems. The problem is that the project involves the tasting of two switches in two different controlled conditions. One is tasted inside a freezer, while another is put in an oven. The oven and freezer are running for fourteen hours a day, and a timer controls the duration of the process. The power outages provide faulty results, and the project has thus lagged behind the scheduled time by two days. Unless there is a solution to the situation, the project will be late.

Aim

Power backups will help solve this technical problem. They will provide emergency power in case of outages.

Body

Available Options

There could be another technician for the night shift instead of the timers. However, this will not deal with the prevailing challenge entirely. A technician will not be able to handle the outages alone, and thus, the problem will not be solved.

In light of the current situation, it is necessary to find an alternative power source. It is crucial to acquire power back up. The pull back up will provide emergency power to run the project in case of an outage (Lannon).

There are various types of power backups that can be acquired. The most common one is a portable or stationary generator. Either of the two generators will have to be run from outdoors. This implies an extra cost for security, and in the case of the stationary generator, installation costs a lot. They will also need fuel to run and pose a threat of carbon monoxide. These generators have a lagged response to the outages that may lead to defaults (Hordeski). However, they are more permanent than batteries and can produce power for an extended period if the outage lasts for long.

Another option is a photovoltaic cell with a backup battery. This will be a perfect source of green energy with zero maintenance costs. This option is, however, not a perfect one. This is because it will produce power only on sunny days (Hordeski). If there are clouds or rainy days, it will not be able to serve the purpose.

Another good source of green energy with zero cost is a wind generator with a backup battery (Hordeski). The installation cost is relatively high for this option. This process will also take quite some time before it is fully functional. However, we do not have any spare time. Considering the location of the company, it will not be viable to install the wind generator. This is because the company will be totally dependent on the wind. The generator will thus not be able to produce sufficient power to charge the battery.

Another option is to have a DC-AC power battery with an inverter and a charger.

The cost of installation is low. The maintenance cost is negligible since the company’s electricity mains charge the battery. It also provides a relatively quick response to the event of an outage as compared to the work of a generator. There are variations of the batteries which can supply power in terms of duration (Hordeski). They range from those providing for two to the ones working for twelve hours. Thus, the use of the batteries which supply for six hours is reasonable since the outages do not last long.

Battery with a charger and an inverter

Having one batter with a capacity of 10kw will be ideal for serving the oven and freezer compared to two small ones (5kw each) for each machine, respectively. It will be cheaper to buy a more powerful battery instead of two smaller units. The installation cost will also be considerably reduced. However, in case of failure, it affects the two machines; however, such a situation is not likely to happen.

The battery can either be leased for the remaining six weeks or purchased. There are dealers who can supply the batteries either on the lease or for purchase. Usually, the lease option is monthly. The company will thus have to rent a shower for two months. The prevailing rate is at $80 per month for the generator required. This is inclusive of all other expenses for installation and delivery (Rozenblat). The cost of buying a similar battery is $ 4500, transport, and installation costs inclusive (Rozenblat). The lease cost for six months will cover the purchasing price for the storm. The battery has an estimated operating life of five years. Since the company will have other similar projects in the future, it is more profitable to purchase the storm than to lease it in the long run.

Conclusion

The battery’s cost of $4500 is spread in five years that it will operate. Failure to do this will attract a penalty of $1000 a day for the contractor for failing to meet the deadline. It will also lower the company’s image. It is thus crucial to acquire a battery.

Works Cited

Horodecki, Michael Frank. Emergency and Backup Power Sources: Preparing for Blackouts and Brownouts. USA: The CRC Press, 2005. Print.

Lannon, John M. Technical Communication: Foundations of Academic Writing: Engineering. London: Pearson Longman, 2010. Print.

Rozenblat, Lazar. The Basics of Backup Power: Reviews and Comparison of Different Systems for Home and Commercial Use. 2011. Web.

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