DC Power Demonstration

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DC Power for Data Centers a demonstration
Open House Presentation Summer 2006 Sun
Microsystems Newark, CA
My Ton Ecos Consulting Brian Fortenbery EPRI
Solutions Bill Tschudi Lawrence Berkeley
National Laboratory
Sponsored by California Energy Commission
(CEC)-Public Interest Energy Research
(PIER), California Institute for Energy
Efficiency (CIEE).
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Open House Agenda
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Thomas Edison
My personal desire would be to prohibit entirely
the use of alternating currents. They are as
unnecessary as they are dangerous. I can
therefore see no justification for the
introduction of a system which has no element of
permanency and every element of danger to life
and property.
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California Energy Commission Public Interest
Energy Research High-tech Buildings Project
Objectives

• Research, develop, and demonstrate, innovative
  energy efficient technologies
• 10-year initiative focusing on high-tech
  industries e.g. data centers
• Help move the market to more efficient
  technologies
• Research and demonstration projects include
  technology transfer

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DC Demonstration Timeline

• Stakeholders first met Fall 2005
• Kick-off meeting April 2006
• Equipment assembly May 2006
• Initial Team Open House June 7, 2006
• Public Open House events June 21,
• July 12, 26 Aug 9, 16
• End date August 16, 2006

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Industry Partners Made it Happen
Equipment and Services Contributors

• Alindeska Electrical Contractors
• APC
• Baldwin Technologies
• Cisco Systems
• Cupertino Electric
• Dranetz-BMI
• Emerson Network Power
• Industrial Network Manufacturing (IEM)

• Intel
• Nextek Power Systems
• Pentadyne
• Rosendin Electric
• SatCon Power Systems
• Square D/Schneider Electric
• Sun Microsystems
• UNIVERSAL Electric Corp.

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Other Partners Collaborated
Stakeholders

• Morrison Hershfield Corporation
• NTT Facilities
• RTKL
• SBC Global
• TDI Power
• Verizon Wireless

• 380voltsdc.com
• CCG Facility Integration
• Cingular Wireless
• Dupont Fabros
• EDG2, Inc.
• EYP Mission Critical
• Gannett
• Hewlett Packard

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Data Center Power Use

• Data center power use nationally is large and
  growing.
• Two studies estimated data center energy use
• 2004 EPRI/Ecos estimated 14.8 TWh
• 2000 Arthur D. Little estimated 10.1 TWh
• 0ne terawatthour 1,000,000,000 kilowatthours or
  
• one million megawatthours
• Saving a fraction of this energy is substantial

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Typical Data Center Power Use
50 Power Efficiency
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Source Intel Corp.
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Power Consumption 100 W System Load
Load 100W
Total 275W
VR 20W
PSU 50W
Server fans 15W
UPS PDU 20W
Room cooling system 70W
Source Intel Corp.
source Intel Corporation
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• This demonstration focuses on reducing power
  delivery and conversion losses observed in our
  prior work

Power Supplies in IT equipment
Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS)
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UPS and Power Supply efficiency

• We observed a wide range of performance from the
  worst to the best
• Our original goal was to move the market to the
  higher performing systems
• Incentive programs, labeling, education programs
  were all options and still are

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Data Center Power Delivery System
DC/DC 78 - 85
Power Dist 98 - 99
UPS 88 - 92
Power Supply 68 - 72
The heat generated from the losses at each step
of power conversion requires additional cooling
power
HVAC Power for cooling can equal or exceed the
direct losses
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Then we asked the question
Could some of the conversion steps be eliminated
to improve efficiency? Could a demonstration be
devised to measure actual savings?
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DC Demonstration - Objectives
The demonstrations original objectives were to
show a rack level solution

• DC powered server equipment exists in the same
  form factor or can readily be built from existing
  components
• DC powered server equipment can provide the same
  level of functionality and computing performance
  when compared to similarly configured and
  operating AC server equipment
• Efficiency gains from the elimination of multiple
  conversion steps can be measured by comparing
  traditional AC delivery to a DC architecture
• DC system reliability is as good or better than
  AC system reliability

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The project team rapidly defined additional
objectives

• Demonstration of 380 V. DC distribution at the
  facility level compared to conventional AC
  systems
• Demonstration of other DC solutions (48 volt
  systems)
• Evaluation of safety considerations
• Demonstrate ability to connect alternative energy
  solutions (PV, fuel cells, etc.)

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What the demonstration included

• Side-by-side comparison of traditional AC system
  with new DC system
• Facility level distribution
• Rack level distribution
• Power measurements at conversion points
• Servers modified to accept 380 V. DC
• Artificial loads to more fully simulate data
  center

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Additional items included

• Racks distributing 48 volts to illustrate that
  other DC solutions are available, however no
  energy monitoring was provided for this
  configuration
• DC lighting was included!

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Typical AC Distribution Today
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Facility-Level DC Distribution
380V.DC
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Rack-Level DC Distribution
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The layout you will see
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Details

• Safety was reviewed by a committee of the
  partners. No significant issues were identified.
  Only concern was whether fault currents would be
  large enough to trip protective devices.
• All distribution equipment is UL rated for DC
  applications

• No commercially available DC connector
  exists in a size convenient for use with servers
• Reliability should be improved fewer
  potential points of failure. Eliminating heat
  sources should help.
• Final report will address safety and applicable
  codes and standards

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Measured Results

• Facility level overall efficiency improvement
• 10 to 20
• Smaller rack level overall efficiency improvement
  but other benefits include
• Thermal benefits
• Smaller power supply in server
• Transition strategy for existing centers

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AC system loss compared to DC
9 measured improvement
2-5 measured improvement
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Implications could be even better for a typical
data center

• Redundant UPS and server power supplies operate
  at reduced efficiency
• Cooling loads would be reduced.
• The UPS system used in the AC base case system
  performed better than benchmarked systems
  efficiency gains could be higher.
• Further optimization of conversion
  devices/voltages is possible

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Data Center Power Delivery System
XFMR 98 - NA
UPS 87 - 92
Power Supply 90 - 92
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Data Center Power Delivery System
Power Dist 98 - NA
UPS 85 - 92
Power Supply 73 - 92
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Results

• What does 15 increase in efficiency mean
• to the bottom line?

Actual mileage will vary
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Results

• What does 15 increase in efficiency mean
• to the electrical power grid?

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See the results on-line

• Actual results
• Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
• websites for more information
• http//hightech.lbl.gov/
• http//hightech.lbl.gov/dc-powering/

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Additional Information

• Project Coordination Contacts
• My Ton, Ecos Consulting mton_at_ecosconsulting.com
• Brian Fortenbery, EPRI Solutions
  bfortenbery_at_eprisolutions.com
• Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
• Bill Tschudi, Principal Investigator
• wftschudi_at_lbl.gov
• Dr. Evan Mills, Press and publicity contact
• emills_at_lbl.gov
• THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST!