240 W 24 VDC / 10 A Bicker UPS backup power supply, supercapacitor

Modern and reliable protection against short-term power failures with Supercapacitors

Are you facing issues with short-term power interruptions or voltage drops in your control cabinets? Avoid costly downtime and data loss. The industrial DC-UPS UPSI-2412DP2, equipped with integrated Supercapacitor-based energy storage, reliably bridges short-term outages and power disturbances, ensuring an uninterrupted 24 VDC power supply at the output.

Key Features

• Stable Power Supply: Ensures uninterrupted 24 VDC power with loads up to 10 A (240 W) even in the event of a mains failure.
• Extremely Long Service Life: Supercapacitors provide up to 500,000 charge/discharge cycles and a lifespan of up to 15 years.
• Maintenance-free operation: Absolutely maintenance-free thanks to Supercapacitor technology.
• Smart Power Management Functions:
  • Power Sharing: Intelligently distributes input power between the connected load and the Supercapacitors – eliminating the need to oversize the AC/DC power supply.
  • Ultra-fast switching: Transition from normal mode to backup mode in less than 600 µs.
  • Installation: Easy DIN rail mounting in a compact, rugged housing.
  • Operating temperature range: From -20 °C to +65 °C.
  • Warranty: 3 years.

• Advanced Management and Diagnostics for Developers and Maintenance Engineers:
  • UPScom Software (free download): Enables comprehensive configuration and real-time monitoring of the DC UPS system.
    • Controlled Shutdown and Reboot: In the event of a power failure, the software ensures a controlled shutdown of connected devices (e.g. industrial PC) to save data and prevent damage. Once power is restored, the system automatically reboots without the need for manual intervention.
    • Script Support: Custom scripts (batch files) can be executed before system shutdown for application-specific processes.
    • Communication Interfaces: USB and RS232 for configuration and data acquisition.
    • E-mail Notifications: Automatic alerts in case of UPS disconnection, system shutdown, or power failure. These preventive measures help minimize or even eliminate downtime.
    • Configurable Parameters: Load sensor, shutdown delay, maximum backup time, minimum charge capacity, and more.

Long-Life Supercapacitors – Maintenance-Free Energy Storage

For uninterruptible DC power supplies, completely maintenance-free Supercapacitors serve as a highly efficient and exceptionally durable energy storage solution with a lifetime of up to 500,000 charge and discharge cycles, designed for short- and medium-term bridging times.

Unlike batteries, which store energy through a chemical reaction, Supercapacitors operate on electro-physical principles and can be charged and made ready for use within a very short time. Under comparable operating conditions, Supercapacitors achieve a service life up to ten times longer than that of conventional lead-acid batteries.

In addition, Supercapacitor-based storage systems excel with high current capability, power density, and outstanding reliability. The long-life Supercapacitor energy storage operates within an extended temperature range and is equipped with integrated cell balancing.

Key Advantages of Supercapacitors over Lead-Acid and LiFePO₄ Batteries

Service Life and Cycle Stability

• Supercapacitors: Up to 500,000 charge/discharge cycles and a lifespan of 10–15 years.
• Lead-acid batteries: Around 500–1,000 cycles, with 3–5 years of service life.
• LiFePO₄ batteries: Typically 3,000–7,000 cycles, lasting 8–12 years. Supercapacitors provide a much longer cycle life than both technologies.

Charging Speed and Availability

• Supercapacitors: Charge within seconds to minutes, immediately ready for use.
• Lead-acid batteries: Require hours to recharge.
• LiFePO₄: Faster than lead-acid, but still tens of minutes to hours. Ideal for bridging short-term power failures.

Temperature Range

• Supercapacitors: Operate reliably from -40 °C to +65 °C (or higher).
• Lead-acid batteries: Performance drops significantly below 0 °C and above 40 °C.
• LiFePO₄: Better than lead-acid, but charging below 0 °C is problematic.

Maintenance and Reliability

• Supercapacitors: Maintenance-free, no liquid electrolyte, robust design.
• Lead-acid batteries: Require monitoring and are prone to sulfation.
• LiFePO₄: Maintenance-free but require a Battery Management System (BMS).

Power and Load Capability

• Supercapacitors: Very high current capability and power density, excellent for peak loads and short backup times.
• Lead-acid batteries: Limited load capacity, performance drops under high currents.
• LiFePO₄: Good load capability, but not as extreme as supercapacitors.

Limitations of Supercapacitors

• Lower energy density: not suitable for long backup durations compared to batteries.
• Higher cost per watt-hour of stored energy.

In summary

• Supercapacitors = unmatched cycle life, ultra-fast charging, high reliability, ideal for short-term backup.
• LiFePO₄ batteries = great balance between longevity, energy capacity, and cost for medium- to long-term backup.
• Lead-acid batteries = low cost, but limited lifespan, heavy, and less efficient.

Power Sharing with Intelligent Input Current Detection

Thanks to the intelligent Power Sharing function, there is no need to oversize the upstream AC/DC power supply. The input power is kept constant and intelligently distributed between the connected load and the charger. With a low output load, more energy flows into the charger; with a higher load, more power is delivered directly to the load. This approach helps save both energy and costs.

Minimum Load Detection

With the help of the integrated load sensor, the DC UPS automatically switches off as soon as the load value falls below the defined threshold (no-load condition). This prevents unnecessary energy consumption.

UPS Module Configuration via UPScom Software

The UPScom software (available as a free download) enables controlled shutdown and disconnection of connected devices during a power failure to prevent data loss or damage.

A responsive web-based user interface (WEB UI) opens directly in the browser, providing full configuration and pre-programming of all DC UPS parameters as well as real-time monitoring, including a battery state-of-charge indicator.

Configurable parameters include, among others:

• Load sensor (mA)
• Shutdown delay
• Maximum backup time
• Minimum charge capacity before system startup
• E-mail notifications

Safe Shutdown and Restart Function for Industrial PCs

In the event of a power failure, the UPS signals the voltage loss via the integrated USB or RS232 interface, allowing a controlled shutdown of the computer system and secure storage of valuable data. Before shutdown, a custom script (batch file) can also be executed to perform application-specific processes.

The integrated restart function of the DC UPS automatically powers the connected IPC back on once voltage is restored—eliminating the need for lengthy on-site service intervention. This is particularly valuable for fully autonomous computer systems operating in remote or inaccessible locations.

E-mail Notification Service

The UPScom software sends e-mail alerts in case of UPS disconnection, system shutdown, or power failure. These preventive measures help to minimize or completely avoid costly downtime.