The ultimate challenge working in a live facility is not just replacing the existing control system, but thoroughly testing the new system without exposing the critical load to unplanned outages.
April 15, 2020
This article is presented in two parts and its purpose is twofold. In Part 1 we propose a simplified plan that breaks down the controls upgrade process into manageable parts, and positions facility owners to minimize risk by effectively planning and executing the equipment installation, including thorough commissioning, without jeopardizing ongoing data center operations.
While valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) batteries have long been the mainstay for power backup with UPSs, they have their challenges — they’re unpredictable and require frequent replacements, and they also have precise cooling requirements and a large footprint, to name a few.
Consistent access to energy is key for mission critical entities that bear the responsibility of enabling industrial and digital infrastructure to operate continuously. As battery technology has evolved to cater to the industrial-specific energy demands of power grids, data facilities, solar and wind farms.
Traditionally, mission critical facilities have been willing and able to rely on centralized power plants owned and operated by utilities. These centralized utilities have controlled the transmission and distribution of power along with generating electricity at plants powered by coal, nuclear, natural gas, and hydro.
Over the last 30 years, the IT industry — data centers in particular — has seen the pendulum swing from centralized to decentralized and back again. Is it any wonder why mission critical operations are so driven by the latest buzzword of the day?
This latest generation regenerative electronic load (ELR) combines its high-efficiency programmable DC load with an equally efficient inverter (regenerative) output stage, returning up to 95% of the energy used in the test back to the AC grid.
Critical power environments often rely on highly trained professionals to maintain worker safety while protecting facility equipment. “Safety by design” describes a comprehensive approach, incorporating practical and feasible electrical distribution saftey designs.
While this is the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, it is only the second annual International Data Center Day. So, how do we reconcile the Earth Day goals to mitigate climate change and pollution with the general perception that massive data centers are consuming terawatt hours of energy and creating a negative evironmental impact?
In recent years, the IoT, ever-escalating data requirements, and ongoing cloud adoption have contributed to a shift away from traditional, enterprise data center facilities. Instead, many organizations are adopting new approaches — all of which afford numerous benefits but, at the same time, create critical challenges.
In advanced battery systems, the quality of the power electronics helps determine the quality of the final product, its level of functionality, and its reliability. This is emphasized in the latest battery power management and charging systems that use wide-bandgap semiconductors and improved power topologies. In such advanced electronics, if the safety systems do not work quickly and reliably, the entire battery system can suffer a catastrophic failure that could seriously impact the product and its user.