Monday, March 17, 2008 - 9:05 AM
Convention Center, Second Level, R01 (Ernest N. Morial Convention Center)
08196

Failure Investigations of Electronic Components in Backup Generators

Albert M. Olszewski, Constellation Energy Group; Robert R. Odle, Metallurgical Viability; Richard A. Corbett, Corrosion Testing Laboratories, Inc.

The boon of the Internet and the 24/7 world has created a need for a reliable supply of electricity.  Intermittent electricity can cause a severe consequence for a number of companies, especially those who manage and host information on the Internet.  This paper investigates the catastrophic failures of uninterruptible power supply (UPS) units (i.e. backup generators) that were used by such companies.  In the two cases presented, the failure mechanism was determined by site assessments supported by traditional laboratory techniques.  The failure investigations concluded that air contaminants formed acidic conditions that penetrated holidays and/or degraded the coatings that protected the electrical components (i.e. bus conductors and circuit boards) within the UPS units.  In short, poor air quality and/or control of the UPS environments caused the failure of the backup generators.

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