Section 14.127 Powering Data Centers

Question 1

Powering Data Centers

Surges

Answer 1

Sudden, small increases in voltage beyond the standard level (e.g. 120V in the US)

Question 2

Powering Data Centers

Spikes

Answer 2

Short-lived voltage increases, often caused by short circuits, tripped breakers, or lightning

Sure protectors

Question 3

Powering Data Centers

Sags

Answer 3

Brief decreases in voltage, usually not severe enough to cause system
shutdown

Line conditioners

Question 4

Powering Data Centers

Undervoltage Events (Brownouts)

Answer 4

Prolonged reduction in voltage, leading to system shutdown

Question 5

Powering Data Centers

Power Loss Events (Blackouts)

Answer 5

Complete loss of power for a period, potentially causing data loss and damage

Question 6

Power Protection Components

Line Conditioners

Answer 6

Stabilise voltage supply and filter out fluctuations

● Mitigate surges, sags, and undervoltage events
● Prevent unexpected system behavior and hardware degradation
● Unsuitable for significant undervoltage events or complete power failures

Question 7

Power Protection Components

Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS)

Answer 7

Provide emergency power during power source failures

● Offer line conditioning functions
● Include battery backup to maintain power during short-duration failures
● Typically supply 15 to 60 minutes of power during a complete power
failure

Question 8

Power Protection Components

Generators

Answer 8

Convert mechanical energy into electrical energy for use in an external circuit through the process of electromagnetic induction

● Backup generators supply power during power grid outages

● Smaller generators for limited applications (e.g., emergency lighting)

● Different Types of Generators:
○ Portable gas-engine generators
○ Permanently installed generators
○ Battery-inverter generators

Question 9

Power Protection Components

Power Distribution Centers (PDC)

Answer 9

Central hub for power reception and distribution

● Includes circuit protection, monitoring, and load balancing
● Integrates with UPS and backup generators for seamless transitions
during power events

Question 10

Considerations for Data Centers

Answer 10

■ Large data centers use rack-mounted UPS for server protection

■ UPS provides line conditioning and battery backup for 10-15 minutes

■ Power distribution units manage load balancing and line conditioning

■ Backup generators are crucial for extended power outages but require startup time

■ Building data centers with redundancy and protections tailored to use cases andbudgets