Generators Serving Small Data Center | Critical Facilities

Generators Serving Small Data Center | Critical Facilities - These generators serve a small data center giving the data center backup emergency power in the event of a loss of utility. Most data centers have redundant power from the utility and backup generators. In other words, the utility will provide two sources of utility power from two different power stations or sub-stations so if one source station loses power for whatever reason the system automatically transfers to the backup source of power or the other power or substation.

Generators Serving Small Data Center | Critical Facilities | Electrical System

The transfer typically takes place through large switchgear systems that will switch from one source to the other source. Automatic transfer switches will offer a delayed transfer so there will be a small amount of time when there will not be any main power supply when the transfer takes place from one utility to the other utility. This is where UPS systems fill in the temporary loss of power from one utility to another or from utility to generator power.

A data center equipped with a static transfer switch (as opposed to an automatic transfer switch) will not have a temporary loss of power from the utility to the utility. The static transfer switch has a switchover time in microseconds so the transition is very fast. So fast that a computer cannot read the loss in power so the core load – the computers in the data center – never even blink and keep on working almost as if nothing happened without the UPS back system.

EPO Switch Interruption

The key is to keep the servers running at all times unless the EPO switch is pushed. Power through a UPS system (batteries) and backup power systems including backup utility and/or back generators along with the correct switchgear or switching systems will keep the power running all the time – again unless the EPO switch is pressed. The power will continue with the emergency generators when a loss of utility is experienced as long as the emergency generators have a fuel source that is filled up as needed and that the generators are in good mechanical order.

Generators Serving Small Data Center | Critical Facilities | Mechanical and Electrical Systems

The point is that in a data center environment (especially for financial institutions)you have a critical facility where it is very important to keep the servers up and running which means you need several backup systems and often times backup systems for the backup systems. From the electrical system to the mechanical system a critical facility needs to stay up and running even if things go awry with any one system. Another aspect of a critical facility is to have competent operators for the electrical and mechanical systems along with a great maintenance plan.

Some of this is all a part of the HVAC and Electrical Commissioning

Generators Serving Small Data Center | Critical Facilities

Resource: The Fundamentals of HVAC Direct Digital Control