This document discusses power delivery challenges in modern data centers. Data center power requirements are increasing as computing power demands grow. Servers are using more power per rack, exceeding existing capacity. Efficiency improvements are needed through higher density zones, improved UPS systems, and moving to higher voltage distribution of 400V instead of 480V. This can help data centers better support future power needs while improving efficiency and reducing costs.

1. Power Delivery in Today’s Data Center
On-Demand Architecture for
Network Critical Physical Infrastructure
Kevin P. Burke, P.E.
Critical Systems Manager – Southeast Region
Kevin.Burke@schneider-electric.com
704-821-0524
All content in this presentation is protected – © 2008 American Power Conversion Corporation

2. Agenda
● Present State of Affairs, Glimpse of the Future for
Data Center Power Requirements.
● Efficiency Improvements and Path to Savings
● Higher Voltage Options for Data Center Distribution
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3. IT Changes and Mechanical/Electrical Load Impacts
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4. High Density Computing
35
Per Rack Power Density (KW)
30
25 Max per-rack IT Load
20
15
Data Center rated
10 rack power capacity
5
0
Year
IT Loads are greatly exceeding rated capacity!
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5. Needs for the Future Now!
● Support for Higher Density Loads.
● High Density Zones
● kW per Rack vs Watts per Ft2
● Higher Overall Building Efficiency.
● Improved Efficiency of Every Aspect of Data Center
Power Consumption.
● Green Solutions.
● Reduced Environmental Impact
● Reduce – Recycle - Reuse
● Rapid Deployment and Relocation.
● Changing Face of Economy
• Mergers & Acquisitions
• Compaction, Consolidation
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6. A standardized way to specify density Specifying
Density
Traditional Same 500 kW data center – but different “average
way density” depending on how calculated:
746 watts/ft2
Ambiguous
179 watts/ft2 • Include access area around
racks?
• Include back-room area?
119 watts/ft2
• Consider total mains power
consumption ?
189 watts/ft2
White paper
120
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7. A standardized way to specify density Specifying
Density
Traditional Same 500 kW data center – but different “average
way density” depending on how calculated:
746 watts/ft2
Ambiguous
179 watts/ft2 • Include access area around
racks?
• Include back-room area?
119 watts/ft2
• Consider total mains power
consumption ?
189 watts/ft2
A better way Total IT power
5 kW/rack = # of racks
● Eliminates the ambiguities of watts/ft2
White paper
● Allows different densities for different areas
120 of the data center
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8. 1 Spread the load
Cooling strategies: 2 Supplemental cooling
3 High-density zone
High-density zone 4 Whole room
● A “mini data center”
with its own cooling
● Contributes no heat to ● Hot/cool air circulation localized within
rest of data center
the zone by short air paths and/or
● Works with existing containment
room-based cooling
● Achieves optimal efficiency
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9. High Efficiency UPS
● Most UPS Manufacturers
are Striving for Higher
Efficiencies in Standard
Designs Today.
● On-Line UPS modules
available with efficiencies
as high as 96% at 100%
Load.
● Flatter Efficiency Curves At
Lighter Loads.
● More “Right Sized”
Designs.
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10. Efficiency Savings through Scalability
● Parallel for capacity or ● Parallel for capacity or
redundancy redundancy
● 4000 amps system bus ● 4000 amps system bus
● 4 X 800 kVA/720 kW UPS ● 2 X 1600 kW Scalable UPS
● Average load of 40 – 60% ● Average load of 40 – 60%
● UPS load at 50-55% has ● UPS sized to ~ 80% of load
Efficiency ranges from 91% with an efficiency of around
to 94% 97%
● At a loading of 55%, a 2880 kW ● At a loading of 1600 kW (50%
system (1600 kW load), with an system load), each module can be
efficiency of 91% will have kW initially populated to 1000 kW.
losses of 158 kW ● Each module, loaded to 80%, with
● At a kWh rate of $0.07, 158 kW of an efficiency of 97% will have
losses translates to $96,886 per system kW losses of 49 kW.
year ● At a kWh rate of $0.07, 49 kW of
losses translates to $30,047 per
year.
6 points of efficiency improvement saves $66,839 per year in electrical costs
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11. UPS Load vs. Capacity
Day 1 Capacity for Day 1 Loads
Day 2 Capacity for Day 1 Loads Day 2 Capacity for Day 2 Loads
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12. Typical North American Data Center
Power Distribution
 Standard Configuration Utilizes
PDUs to Transform UPS voltage to
Server Power Supply Voltages
 480 VAC, 3 Phase, 3 W + G to
208Y/120 VAC.
 Overall Rating of PDUs Can be 1.5
to 3 Times the System Rating.
 Even the Best PDUs Have
Efficiency Losses Associated With
Them.
 Weight and Footprint
Considerations in the Data Center
White Space.
 Heat Losses Associated with XFMR
 208Y/120 VAC. Five Conductors, A,
B, C, N, G, Higher Amperage
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13. Typical 400 VAC Data Center
Power Distribution
 400 VAC Configuration Utilizes no
PDUs to Transform UPS voltage to
Server Power Supply Voltages
 400Y/230 VAC, 3 Phase, 4 W + G
to Rack.
 Distribution More Closely Sized to
the System Rating.
 Single Autotransformer or 400 VAC
UPS System can be used.
 Greatly Reduced Weight and
Footprint Considerations in the
Data Center White Space.
 No or Reduced XFMR Heat Losses
 400Y/230 VAC. Five Conductors, A,
B, C, N, G, Lower Amperage
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14. Questions?
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