With the increase in scale of data center servers and power density, the demands on the power supply and distribution system are higher than ever. In this post, I will explore 3 smart features that today’s cloud data centers need alongside the features of each. First, let’s look at the trends.
Trend
1: Integrated Design & Full Link Monitoring
The power density of
a large data center is high. As a result, power supply and distribution
capacity needs to be high, for example, a 3,000 m2 data center requires
a power supply of 1.5 MW. Uninterruptible power systems (UPS) must be connected
in parallel to meet this requirement. However, parallel systems create a large
footprint and complicate construction as many cabinets and cables are required.
For example, a parallel system of 3 UPS requires 14 groups of cables, with installation
taking about 120 person-hours.
Moreover, the power distribution system, UPS, and battery monitoring are separated. This means that when a fault occurs on the power supply link, an alarm storm occurs. So, fault location is difficult and there’s no guarantee that major risks can be proactively isolated.
An Integrated design solution for the power supply and distribution system
- Integrates the UPS input and output cabinets into the UPS.
- Simplifies power configuration, reducing the footprint and installation time.
- Monitors the full power supply and distribution link, enabling quick fault location for higher reliability.
Trend 2: Modular Design for Higher Operation Efficiency and O&M Efficiency
The maximum efficiency of both the high-frequency towerUPS and modular UPS can reach 96% at loads above 50%. However, the UPS load rate is about 20% to 40% in ordinary working conditions. The efficiency of the high-frequency towerUPS is 94% to 95% under ordinary working conditions. However, the efficiency of the modular UPS can reach 96%, because the mainstream modular UPS provides a hibernation feature that can hibernate modules manually or automatically while retaining certain system redundancy. This allows the UPS to be highly efficient – up to 96%.
It’s difficult to expand capacity for the high-frequency towerUPS. Moreover, O&M is complex and requires skilled personnel with – the risks of errors are high. Faults cannot be rectified quickly even when spare parts are available and the system must be maintained by after-sales personnel from the original manufacturer, leading to long system recovery times and increasing the risk of service interruptions.
Trend 3: Lithium Batteries for the UPS
The battery is a key component of the power supply and distribution system, directly affecting its ability to operate. In the UPS field, the proportion of lead-acid batteries is high. However, their short service life, low reliability, low energy density, and large footprint greatly hamper UPS reliability, availability, and flexibility.
Lithium batteries have the following advantages over lead-acid batteries:
- Fewer (or zero) battery replacements are needed during service life, reducing or eliminating the risk of system breakdown due to replacing batteries.
- 75% lighter under the same energy.
- 5 X the discharge rate.
- 4 X (or more) higher charging speeds in multiple major power outage scenarios.
The UPS solution with lithium batteries is becoming preferred by customers because of the advantages, the decrease in the price of lithium batteries, and the increasing cost of lead-acid batteries.
The Solution
To respond to current trends and requirements, Huawei has launched FusionPower – our integrated power supply and distribution solution.
FusionPower works with iPower and SmartLi.
Integration
The FusionPower series UPS integrates the input and output cabinets and UPS. This simplifies power configuration, lowering footprint by 40% and installation hours by 60%. The full-module redundancy design:
- Eliminates single points of failure.
- Issues warnings for key-component failure.
- Proactively trips when the system is abnormal.
iPower
iPower, which simplifies O&M by:
- Providing visualized monitoring for the full power supply and distribution link.
- Accurately locating faults.
- Providing fault waveform recording and analysis functions.
- Checking the health status of vulnerable components, such as fans, capacitors, and batteries, to anticipate potential faults.
- Intelligently detecting fan speed; predicting capacitor lifespan; and detecting the internal resistance, temperature, and the voltage of batteries.
- Analyzing batteries’ state of capacity (SOC) and state of health (SOH).
- Monitoring the temperature function for nodes in the power distribution system to detect the copper bar temperature in real time, providing early warnings to reduce fire risks.
SmartLi
SmartLi is a lithium battery solution that increases data center reliability based on increasing battery reliability. It ensures a long service life, small footprint, simple O&M, and its modular design:
- Features the industry’s only active current equalization technology, allowing new and old battery cabinets to be used together.
- Slashes CAPEX by connecting cabinets in parallel, which controls circulating current to less than 2%.
- Uses the safest cells: lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4).
- Incorporates three-level battery management system (from cell to battery cabinet and then to parallel battery cabinet system).
The time has come for transforming the power supply and distribution system of data centers. Are you ready?
Leave us a comment below and let us know the challenges you face and click the link to find out more about Huawei FusionPower.
Article Source: HuaWei
Disclaimer: Any views and/or opinions expressed in this post by individual authors or contributors are their personal views and/or opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views and/or opinions of Huawei Technologies.
