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)

Imagine you’re filling a balloon with air, and suddenly you blow too much air into it very quickly. The balloon expands rapidly, which could cause it to burst if it can’t handle the pressure. In electronics, a surge can damage equipment if it’s too strong.

Question 2

Powering Data Centers

Spikes

Answer 2

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

Sure Protectors

It’s like a quick, sharp puff of air into the balloon. It’s over so quickly that you might not notice it, but it can still cause damage to electronic components.

Question 3

Powering Data Centers

Sags

Answer 3

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

Line conditioners

Imagine if, while filling the balloon, you suddenly stop blowing air for a moment. The balloon slightly deflates but doesn’t completely lose its shape. In electronics, sags can cause devices to malfunction or reset.

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