Data centre - How to ensure power availability, electrical safety and energy performance? (Expert advice & innovative solutions guide)

Overview

The notes cover source transfer with ATSE and STS, UPS module MTBF, fault containment in 2N systems with STS, insulation monitoring and PUE measurement categories per EN 50600-4-2. The starting point is that 80 % of operators who had an outage judged their most recent major outage preventable and that power is the largest single outage cause; human error accounts for 22 % of unplanned outages.

Transfer switching equipment is certified to IEC 60947-6-1; white-space feeds to busway/RPP can use very fast transfer of 5-8 ms, and STS ratings run 16-1800 A. Modular UPS power modules should exceed 1,000,000 h MTBF; over 15 years a 24-module system may see 11 versus 3 module failures depending on MTBF. Conventional double conversion efficiency is capped near 97 %, while Class 1 smart-conversion modes claim up to 99.1 % while keeping IEC 62040-3 Class 1 transfer.

On energy and regulation, PUE is defined in EN 50600-4-2 with measurement categories PUE1/PUE2/PUE3; PUE3 (IT measured at equipment level) is recommended and the 2020 average PUE was about 1.6. Under the EU EED, from May 2024 operators of data centres with 500 kW or more installed IT must publish annual energy performance data using EN 50600-4, with class 0.5 metering (IEC 61557-12) recommended. New installations are typically designed with about 50 % room for extension; in modular UPS hot scaling, 200 kW plug-in modules are added in under 5 minutes, with a single unit up to 1200 kW and 4 in parallel reaching 4.8 MW.

Key points

1. 80 % of operators with an outage judged the latest major one preventable; power is the largest single cause.
2. Human error accounts for 22 % of unplanned outages.
3. Transfer equipment certified to IEC 60947-6-1; very fast 5-8 ms transfer for busway/RPP feeds; STS 16-1800 A.
4. Modular UPS modules should exceed 1,000,000 h MTBF; over 15 years a 24-module system may see 11 vs 3 failures.
5. PUE per EN 50600-4-2 with categories PUE1/PUE2/PUE3; PUE3 recommended; 2020 average about 1.6.
6. Double conversion capped near 97 %; Class 1 smart modes claim up to 99.1 %.
7. New installations typically designed with about 50 % extension room.
8. EU EED: from May 2024, sites with >= 500 kW IT publish annual energy data; class 0.5 metering recommended.
9. Hot scaling: 200 kW modules added in under 5 minutes; single unit 1200 kW, 4 parallel 4.8 MW.

Using it in design

• In the single-line editor, tag transfer devices as ATSE (IEC 60947-6-1) or STS with a transfer-time field, and suggest STS where the load needs under about 10 ms.
• In the metering planner, place meters according to the chosen PUE category and require class 0.5 accuracy for compliance reporting.
• Flag sites with 500 kW or more IT for EU EED reporting.
• Add module MTBF, a Class 1 eco-mode flag, efficiency and modular expansion steps to the UPS catalogue.

Who should read it

Electrical engineers handling power availability, PUE metering and EU reporting duties in one design.

Related standards

• IEC 60947-6-1
• IEC 62310
• IEC 62040-3
• EN 50600-4-2
• IEC 61557-12
• IEC 60364-4-41
• EU Energy Efficiency Directive 2023/1791

Publication details

Authors

Socomec

Publisher

Socomec

Year

2024

Document number

BOK0159401

Document language

English

Source type

Manufacturer

Access

Free to read

Licence

Copyright retained; citation only — the publisher’s terms apply to the original document

Citation