• Jim Beiersdorff - Director of Engineering, Xtreme Power Conversion

“Edge” computing means something different to everyone.  A couple things that everyone can agree on is that the Edge is creating a shift to UPS and battery designs that save both space and maintenance without compromising the reliability and availability of the network it supports. With the Edge comes space constraints.  Limited space is forcing designers and users to rethink the traditional one-size-fits-all, monolithic UPS designs.  Newer, modular designs are now able to not only fit in the spaces needed by the Edge but are able to provide higher reliability by allowing for redundancy in the same footprint. UPS Battery design is also changing to help fill the needs of the Edge.  Lithium batteries have long been the go-to alternative for maintenance intensive lead acid batteries.  Their ability for longer life greatly reduces the maintenance burden on operators.  They do have their downside, however, and new battery chemistries such as Sodium and Zinc are vying for the attention of those that are less willing to accommodate the lithium battery design needs.  We will explore each of these alternative UPS battery chemistries and how they fit into the Edge’s world and the UPS they support.

–The Edge is influencing datacenter design with new requirements for both smaller space and less maintenance
–Modular UPS is providing an alternative to traditional size-specific UPS boxes
–Lithium batteries are the current go to for alternative batteries, but they do have a downside when it comes to safety
–New Sodium and Zinc battery chemistries are entering the market as alternates to Lithium designs