US 2016/0109916 A1Published application

Method and apparatus for sustainable scale-out datacenters

AssigneeUniversity of Florida Research Foundation, Inc.

InventorsTao Li, Chao Li

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Abstract

Embodiments relate to a method and apparatus for providing additional power supply to a datacenter receiving power from a power distribution unit (PDU) that provides utility power. The additional power supply can be provided by a renewable power source, such as one or more solar panels. Embodiments can add additional energy storage capacity with the additional power supply and can add additional server(s) with the additional power supply. Embodiments can incorporate a power control hub that controls the delivery of either AC power received from the PDU, or AC power converted from DC power received from the renewable power source and/or DC power received from additional energy storage devices that provide the additional storage capacity to the additional server(s), to the additional server(s).

Claims9

Dependent claims

A datacenter, comprising:

a plurality of power control hubs (PCH's), wherein each PCH of the plurality of PCH's is configured to connect to one or more power distribution unit (PDU) such that the each PCH receives PDU AC power from the one or more PDU;
a corresponding plurality of server clusters, wherein each server cluster comprises at least one server, wherein each server cluster of the plurality of server clusters is connected to a corresponding PCH of the plurality of PCH's;
a corresponding plurality of energy storage devices (ESD's), wherein each ESD of the plurality of ESD's is connected to a corresponding PCH of the plurality of PCH's;
and
a corresponding plurality of renewable power supplies (RPS's), wherein each RPS of the plurality of RPS's is connected to a corresponding PCH of the plurality of PCH's,
wherein each PCH of the plurality of PCH's comprises:
a switch;
a converter/inverter, wherein the converter/inverter is configured to:
(i) receive ESD DC output power from the corresponding ESD, convert the ESD DC output power to ESD AC output power, and provide the ESD AC output power to the switch;
and/or
(ii) receive RPS DC output power from the corresponding RPS, convert the RPS DC output power to RPS AC output power, and provide the RPS AC output power to the switch,
wherein the switch is configured to switchably either:
(a) provide the PDU AC power to the corresponding server cluster when the switch is in a first switch position;
or
(b) provide the RPS AC output power and/or the ESD AC output power to the corresponding server cluster when the switch is in a second position;
and
a controller, wherein the controller is configured such that,
when the switch is in the first switch position, the controller switches the switch from the first switch position to the second switch position if a first at least one criterion is met, and
when the switch is in the second switch position, the controller switches the switch from the second position to the first position if a second at least one criterion is met.

16 more elements

A datacenter, comprising:

at least one server cluster, wherein each server cluster of the at least one server cluster comprises at least one server, wherein the at least one server cluster is configured to connect to one or more power distribution unit (PDU) such that the at least one server cluster receives PDU AC power from the one or more PDU;
a corresponding at least one energy storage device (ESD), wherein power from each ESD of the at least one ESD is provided to the corresponding server cluster of the at least one server cluster;
a power control hub (PCH), wherein the PCH is configured to connect to one or more additional PDU such that the PCH receives PDU AC power from the one or more additional PDU,
a renewable power source (RPS), wherein the RPS is connected to the PCH;
an additional server cluster, wherein the additional server cluster comprises at least one additional server;
an additional ESD, wherein the additional ESD is connected to the PCH;
wherein the PCH comprises:
a switch;
a converter/inverter, wherein the converter/inverter is configured to:
(i) receive ESD DC output power from the additional ESD, convert the ESD DC output power to ESD AC output power, and provide the ESD AC output power to the switch;
and/or
(ii) receive RPS DC output power from the RPS, convert the RPS DC output power to RPS AC output power, and provide the RPS AC output power to the switch,
wherein the switch is configured to switchably either:
(a) provide the PDU AC power to the corresponding server cluster when the switch is in a first switch position;
or
(b) provide the RPS AC output power and/or the ESD AC output power to the corresponding server cluster when the switch is in a second position;
and
a controller, wherein the controller is configured such that,
when the switch is in the first switch position, the controller switches the switch from the first switch position to the second switch position if a first at least one criterion is met, and
when the switch is in the second switch position, the controller switches the switch from the second position to the first position if a second at least one criterion is met.

17 more elements

A method of providing power to a datacenter, comprising:

providing at least one server cluster, wherein each server cluster of the at least one server cluster comprises at least one server, wherein the at least one server cluster is configured to connect to one or more power distribution unit (PDU) such that the at least one server cluster receives PDU AC power from the one or more PDU;
providing a corresponding at least one energy storage device (ESD), wherein power from each ESD of the at least one ESD is provided to the corresponding server cluster of the at least one server cluster;
providing a power control hub (PCH), wherein the PCH is configured to connect to one or more additional PDU such that the PCH receives PDU AC power from the one or more additional PDU;
providing a renewable power source (RPS), wherein the RPS is connected to the PCH;
providing an additional server cluster, wherein the additional server cluster comprises at least one additional server;
providing an additional ESD, wherein the additional ESD is connected to the PCH;
wherein the PCH comprises:
a switch;
a converter/inverter, wherein the converter/inverter is configured to:
(i) receive ESD DC output power from the additional ESD, convert the ESD DC output power to ESD AC output power, and provide the ESD AC output power to the switch;
and/or
(ii) receive RPS DC output power from the RPS, convert the RPS DC output power to RPS AC output power, and provide the RPS AC output power to the switch,
wherein the switch is configured to switchably either:
(a) provide the PDU AC power to the corresponding server cluster when the switch is in a first switch position;
or
(b) provide the RPS AC output power and/or the ESD AC output power to the corresponding server cluster when the switch is in a second position;
and
a controller, wherein the controller is configured such that,
when the switch is in the first switch position, the controller switches the switch from the first switch position to the second switch position if a first at least one criterion is met, and
when the switch is in the second switch position, the controller switches the switch from the second position to the first position if a second at least one criterion is met.

17 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/886,843Filed 19 Oct 2015
Priority: 17 Oct 2014
Published: 21 Apr 2016
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

H02J 9/062
With automatic change-over , e.g. UPS systems: for AC powered loads
H02J 7/35
Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other DC sources, e.g. providing buffering: with light sensitive cells
G06F 1/26
Details not covered by groups G06F3/00 - G06F13/00 and G06F21/00: power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof
Y02B 10/70
Integration of renewable energy sources in buildings: hybrid systems, e.g. uninterruptible or back-up power supplies integrating renewable energies