Learn how we’re providing power protection for critical equipment at the UK’s answer to the Large Hadron Collider particle accelerator.
Based in Oxfordshire, Diamond Light Source is the country’s foremost synchrotron science facility. More than 7,000 industry and academic researchers make use of the government-funded lab every year.
It is home to a particle accelerator known as a synchrotron, which is half a kilometre in circumference. It acts like a massive microscope and turns electrons into light beams more than 10 billion times brighter than what the sun produces.
Thirty-one of these intense rays – known as ‘beamlines’ – are directed into laboratories where they are used to conduct research. This varies from medical science through to preserving historical artefacts. But while the applications differ, the importance of a robust power supply remains the same.
As you can imagine, the beamlines are extraordinarily precise. This is only achieved after being calibrated through several pieces of equipment. Even the slightest interruption to the power requires re-calibration, which can take up to a fortnight. That’s damaging downtime where the beamlines can’t be used for vital work.
A Multi Sentry UPS Solution
Having been plagued by a series of UPS failures over the years, Diamond Light Source desired improved power protection for critical equipment, so it upgraded its existing units to more than 40 of Riello UPS’s Multi Sentry uninterruptible power supplies provided by authorised reseller Specialist Power Systems.
The dual conversion online UPS was chosen in part thanks to its open protocol communications, which enables staff onsite to monitor loads and battery autonomy.
At such a busy facility, which is home to more than 600 staff, a swift installation was a necessity. It was initially thought that a six-month timescale would be required. However, the works were actually completed in around half the anticipated time (three months) resulting in both cost savings and reduced downtime at the facility.
Read the full case study over on the ScientistLive.com website (click here)
