Reliability and Energy Efficiency

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Reliability and Energy Efficiency Not Mutually
Exclusive

• William Tschudi
• Principal Investigator
• Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

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Acknowledgements

• California Energy Commission
• Pacific Gas and Electric Company
• Uptime Institute
• Critical Facilities Roundtable
• Rumsey Engineers
• RMI
• E Source
• Power Supply Manufacturers Association
• Industry Partners (Too many to name all)
• Subcontractors
• EYP Mission Critical Facilities, Ecos
  Consulting, EPRI-PEAC

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Energy Intensive High-tech Buildings
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We Also Operate Data Centers
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Why Research Data Centers?
Overview

• Utilities were receiving requests for unrealistic
  power densities
• A lot of misinformation was (is?) circulating
• Large continually operating base loads
• We saw large energy efficiency opportunities in
  other High-Tech buildings
• Technology improvements are transferable to other
  building types

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Prior Data Center Research
Overview

• Research roadmap for the CA Energy Commission
• Participation in design charrette organized by
  Rocky Mountain Institute
• Energy benchmarking and case studies for 14 data
  centers
• Market assessment in CA

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Current Data Center Research Activities

• Benchmarking and Best Practices
• Investigate UPS Efficiency Improvement
• Investigate Power SupplyImprovement
• Develop performance metrics computing
  horsepower and energy use
• Demonstration Projects
• Technology Transfer

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Energy Benchmarking
Benchmarking

• Benchmark (measure) energy use in 6-10 additional
  data centers
• Energy intensity and end-use
• System and component efficiency
• Efficiency improvement suggestions
• Solicit additional benchmarks from other sources
• Identify and analyze better performing systems
  and document in Best Practices summary
• Develop self-benchmarking protocol

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Electricity Flows In Data Centers

HVAC system
local distribution lines
lights, office space, etc.
uninterruptible load
UPS
to the building, 480 V
computer equipment
PDU
computer racks
backup generators
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IT Equipment Loading
Benchmarking
Both LBNL and Uptime Institute found average IT
equipment loading at 25 W/ft2
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Projecting IT Load When Fully Loaded
Benchmarking
(W/Sq.Ft. of electrically active floor space)
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Data Center Benchmarking
Benchmarking
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Chiller Comparison
Benchmarking
Average 0.75
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Total Chilled Water System Efficiency
Benchmarking
Average 1.69
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UPS System Benchmarking
Benchmarking
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Standby Generation Loss
Benchmarking

• Several load sources
• Heaters
• Battery chargers
• Transfer switches
• Fuel management systems
• Heaters alone (many operating hours) use more
  electricity than ever produced by the generator
  (few operating hours)
• Opportunity may be to reduce or eliminate
  heating, batteries, and chargers

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Standby Generator Heater
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No Impact on Reliability
Benchmarking

• Chiller and pumping efficiency
• Use of lighting controls
• Variable speed drives pumps, chillers, fans
• Free cooling
• Improved UPS efficiency

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Improved Reliability and Energy Performance
Benchmarking

• Better match systems to their loads
• Improve humidity control and eliminate CRAC unit
  fighting
• Water side economizers
• Better control strategies setpoints, cooling
  tower staging
• Better thermal stratification high ceilings and
  properly sized underfloor
• Air management delivering air where its
  needed

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General Recommendations
Benchmarking

• Benchmark to know where you stand
• Life-cycle cost analysis
• Facilities partnership with IT professionals
• Evaluate load spreading vs. compaction

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Available Benchmark Data?
Benchmarking

• Sources of other benchmark data?
• Please contact LBNL
• Steve Greenberg segreenberg_at_lbl.gov
• Bill Tschudi wftschudi_at_lbl.gov

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Future Direction
Benchmarking

• Develop consensus on performance benchmarks,
  collect data, quantify energy savings potential
• Incorporate other industry benchmark data

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Data Center Power Delivery
Power Dist 98 - 99
UPS 88 - 92
Power Supply 68 - 72
dc/dc 78 - 85
HVAC 1,200W / 1 Ton (76)
US Annual Energy Consumption of 30TW-h flows
through this inefficient delivery path
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Cost of Power Delivery
Power Path Efficiency Power (kW) MW-h Cost
Load Cooling 3.1 113 8,500
Loads Systems (x100) (not including dc/dc ac/dc) 9.8 113 8,500
x 85 Dc/dc 2.1 109 8,200
x 70 Power supply 5.1 109 8,200
x 90 UPS 1.9 109 8,200
x 98 Distribution 0.4 109 8,200
x 76 Delivery Cooling 3.0 109 8,200
Total 40 Total 222 16,700
Source EPRI PEAC
Total efficiency 40Cost of power delivery
8,200 / 100
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Improvements in Cost of Power Delivery
Power Path Efficiency Power (kW) MW-h Cost (k)
Load cooling 3.1 113 8.5
Loads Systems (x100) (not including dc/dc ac/dc) 9.8 113 8.5
x 85 Dc/dc 2.1 109 ? 62 8.2 ? 4.7
x 70 ? 85 Power supply 5.1 ? 2.1 109 ? 62 8.2 ? 4.7
x 90 ? 94 UPS 1.9 ? 0.9 109 ? 62 8.2 ? 4.7
x 98 Distribution 0.4 ? 0.3 109 ? 62 8.2 ? 4.7
x 76 Delivery Cooling 3.0 ? 1.7 109 ? 62 8.2 ? 4.7
Total 40 ? 51 Total 222 ? 175 16.7 ? 13.2
Source EPRI PEAC
Annual cost reduced by 3,500 / 100
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UPS Activities
UPS Systems

• Determine the range of current UPS efficiencies,
  highlight more efficient designs, and provide a
  means for comparing their total cost of ownership
  (TCO).
• Propose a new UPS labeling scheme that could be
  considered by Energy Star and other third -party
  efficiency labeling organizations.
• Conduct a scoping study to analyze the energy
  efficiency savings potential and performance of
  a complete DC power architecture for data
  centers.

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UPS Efficiency and Loading
UPS Systems
Manufacturers data for efficiency versus load
for current generation static and inertial UPS.
Based on review of more than 100 static UPS models
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UPS Measured Performance
UPS Systems
Sample of 12 field measurements.
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Measuring UPS Efficiency - High Efficiency
Option
UPS Systems
Measured Result
Manufacturer Spec
Source EPRI PEAC
On average, existing high efficiency modes can
make a 4 to 5 difference in UPS efficiency.
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Analyzing UPS Performance in High Efficiency
Option
UPS Systems
Source EPRI PEAC
In high efficiency mode, there can be one cycle
(16.6 msec for 60 Hz) of voltage deviation on
UPS output. Power supplies downstream of UPS can
ride through this.
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Research of Inertial Units
UPS Systems
Caterpillar
Pentadyne
Piller
Quoted efficiencies are in the 96 range and
higher we will be measuring actual performance
in field/lab tests
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Labeling
UPS Systems
Efficiency and Reliability Coordinating with
International labeling effort addressing quality
efficiency.
Possible UPS efficiency labeling criteria
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Labeling will consider non-energy,reliability
issues
UPS Systems
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Power Supply Activities

• Measure efficiencies of current server power
  supplies
• Field testing to document achievable energy
  savings
• Recommend new efficiency levels to Server System
  Infrastructure Initiative (SSI) for consideration
• Assess other PS saving opportunities in DC
  applications

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Power Supplies Can Be Much More Efficient
Without Affecting Reliability Performance

• The nations 3.1 billion power supplies waste
  about 3 to 4 of the entire U.S. electricity bill
• Worst designs are 30 to 50 efficient
• Designs already exist in the market that can
  bring power supply efficiencies to the range of
  75 to 93 with big non-energy benefits
• More efficient designs will be developed if there
  is incentive.

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A consistent test protocol using a standard
loading guideline test report format will allow
more visibility on power supply efficiency
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Server Power Supply Efficiency Test Data
Current Market
95th Percentile
efficiency
Median
power supply loading
Source EPRI PEAC
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Importance of a Flat Power Supply Efficiency Curve
More design focus on efficiency when lightly
loaded is needed
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Goals of the Power Supply Task

• Long term
• Move the market towards widespread adoption of
  energy efficient PS in data centers
• Create an energy efficiency labeling program such
  as ENERGY-STAR for server power supplies

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Power Supplies in IT Equipment
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Power Supplies in IT Equipment
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Server Power Supply EfficiencyLab Test Setup
Electronic Load Banks
Fluke 41 Power Harmonic Analyzer
Yokogawa Digital Power Meter
Computer Interface
Power Supply Load Test Fixtures
Server Power Supply
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Performance Metrics
Overall Computing Efficiency
does not relate to very low power consumption
Very Low Processor Activity
Most of the time the GHz processor is doing
activities that can be done by a MHz processor
but the input power consumption is not changing
much
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Performance Metrics -limited activity includes

• An assessment of
• Server activity profile based on
  application/server type
• Correlation of server activity and power
  consumption
• Work with Intel, AMD, IBM, HP, and potentially
  others to reach consensus on metrics for some
  applications.
• Develop efficiency guidelines based on
  performance metrics

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LBNLs Role in Demonstrations
Demonstrations

• Scoping demonstrations of technologies or
  strategies to improve energy efficiency in
  high-tech buildings
• Showcase new/emerging or under-utilized
  technologies or approaches

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Currently Planned Demonstrations
Demonstrations

• Heat removal from servers without fans
• DC powering rack of servers
• Air management improvements (PGE)

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Conclusion

• Many strategies to improve energy performance in
  a data center can be implemented with no impact
  on reliability in fact, many will actually
  improve reliability and lower capital cost.
• Major industry firms are interested in supporting
  efficiency (and reliability) improvement.
• If you want more efficient data centers ask
  for them.

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Thank You

• Questions?
• Bill Tschudi, Principal InvestigatorLawrence
  Berkeley National Lab510.495.2417wftschudi_at_lbl.g
  ov
• http//hightech.lbl.gov