Data center owners and operators have begun to exhibit interest in feeding the technical floor of a data center at an elevated voltage in order to reduce losses. The basic principle of this involves the utilization of IT servers that employ switch mode power supplies (SMPS). Many SMPS powered servers are capable of operating not only either at 50 or 60 cycles, but also over a wide single-phase voltage range (typically from 100 volts alternating current [Vac] up to 240 Vac) without modification.
Generally, higher operating voltage means greater server efficiency. That means that a 50-hertz (Hz) server having a nominal single-phase voltage of 230 V (400 V three phase) or 240 V (415 V three phase) will be more efficient than 60-Hz counterparts operating at either 120 or 208 V. The principles are identical at either voltage.
Data center owners and operators have begun to exhibit interest in feeding the technical floor of a data center at an elevated voltage in order to reduce losses. The basic principle of this involves the utilization of IT servers that employ switch mode power supplies (SMPS). Many SMPS powered servers are capable of operating not only either at 50 or 60 cycles, but also over a wide single-phase voltage range (typically from 100 volts alternating current [Vac] up to 240 Vac) without modification.
Generally, higher operating voltage means greater server efficiency. That means that a 50-hertz (Hz) server having a nominal single-phase voltage of 230 V (400 V three phase) or 240 V (415 V three phase) will be more efficient than 60-Hz counterparts operating at either 120 or 208 V. The principles are identical at either voltage.