# Presentation: 007095

## DATA CENTER RESEARCH AT THELAWRENCE BERKELEY NATIONAL LABORATORY 7x24 EXCHANGE 2004 FALL CONFERENCE

- Steve Greenberg
- segreenberg@lbl.gov

- Sponsored by: Public Interest Energy Research (PIER)California Energy Commission and administered by
- California Institute for Energy Efficiency (CIEE)

- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

- DATA CENTER RESEARCH AT THELAWRENCE BERKELEY NATIONAL LABORATORY 7x24 EXCHANGE 2004 FALL CONFERENCE

- 10-18-04

## Acknowledgements

- California Energy Commission
- Pacific Gas and Electric Company
- 7 x 24 Exchange
- Uptime Institute
- Critical Facilities Round Table
- EYP Mission Critical Facilities
- Rumsey Engineers
- RMI
- E Source
- Industry Partners (Too many to name all)

- Overview

## Energy Intensive High-tech Buildings

- Overview

## We also operate data centers...

- Overview

## Why Look at Data Centers?

-   Utilities were receiving requests for     unrealistic power densities
-   A lot of misinformation was circulating
-   Large continually operating base loads
-   Other High-Tech buildings energy efficiency opportunities were very large
-   Technology improvements are transferable to other building types

- Overview

## Electricity Flows in Data Centers

- local distribution lines

- to the building, 480 V

- HVAC system

- lights, office space, etc.

- UPS

- PDU

- computer racks

- backup diesel generators

- computer
- equipment

- uninterruptible
- load

- Overview

## Current Data Center Research Activities

-  Benchmarking and Best Practices
- Load intensity
- Performance Benchmarks
- Self-benchmarking Protocol
-  Investigate UPS Efficiency Improvement
-  Investigate Power Supply Improvement
-  Demonstration Projects
-  Technology Transfer

- Overview

## Current Benchmarking Work 

- Current Benchmarking Work

- Benchmarking

-   	Benchmark (measure) energy use in 6-10 	additional data centers
-   	Solicit additional benchmarks
-   	Identify and analyze better performing systems 	and document in “Best Practices” summary
-   	Develop self-benchmarking protocol

## Data Center Benchmarking

- Benchmarking

- Both LBNL and Uptime Institute found average IT equipment loading at ~25 W/ft2

## Projecting Computing Load When Fully Loaded  (W/Sq.Ft. of electrically active floor space)

- Projecting Computing Load When Fully Loaded** ** (W/Sq.Ft. of electrically active floor space)

- Benchmarking

## Data Center Benchmarking

- Benchmarking

## Chiller Comparison

- Benchmarking

- Average 0.75

## Total Chilled Water System Efficiency

- Benchmarking

- Average 1.69

## Several Sources
Heaters
Battery chargers
Transfer switches
Fuel management systems
Heaters alone (many operation hours) use more electricity than produced by the generator (few operating hours)
May be possible to eliminate heaters, batteries, and chargers

- Standby Generation Loss

- Several Sources
- Heaters
- Battery chargers
- Transfer switches
- Fuel management systems
- Heaters alone (many operation hours) use more electricity than produced by the generator (few operating hours)
- May be possible to eliminate heaters, batteries, and chargers

- Benchmarking

## Common Findings

- Benchmarking

- Humidity Control and CRAC unit fighting
- Lighting Control
- Air side Economizing
- Variable Speed Drives – pumps, chillers, fans
- Control strategies - setpoints, cooling tower staging
- High ceilings important with Underfloor (thermal stratification)
- Air management common problem
- Low UPS loading

## Follow-up Audits

- Benchmarking

- 	We are contacting prior benchmark sites:
- 	7 sites interviewed to date
- 	60 total measures recommended, ranging from O&M lighting 		to new UPSs or chillers
- 	20 completed, 7 planned
- 	No estimates of savings to date

## Conclusions from follow-up:

- Benchmarking

- Further follow-up with other centers and estimated savings will be pursued

- Measures weren’t completed for various reasons, from
- economic downturn to operational constraints

- Savings difficult to estimate (instrumentation, masking)

## General Recommendations

- Benchmarking

- Benchmark to know where you stand
- Life-cycle cost analysis
- Facilities partnership with IT professionals
- Evaluate Load Spreading vs Compaction

## Available benchmark data?

-   	Sources of other benchmark data?
-   	Please contact LBNL:
- - Steve Greenberg: segreenberg@lbl.gov
-  Bill Tschudi: _[wftschudi@lbl.gov](mailto:wftschudi@lbl.gov)_
-  Project site: http://hightech.lbl.gov

- Benchmarking

## Future Direction

- Develop concensus on performance benchmarks, collect data, quantify energy savings potential
- Incorporate other industry benchmark data

- Benchmarking

## Current Work on UPSs

- 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 efficiency specification for UPSs 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

## UPS System Benchmarking

- UPS Systems

## Progress Update

- UPS Systems

- Completed technical review of efficiency versus load (based on specification) for current generation static and inertial UPS topology.

***Based on review of more than 100 static UPS models***

## UPS Measured Performance

***Sample of 12 field measurements.***

- UPS Systems

## Measuring UPS efficiency to show impact of “high efficiency” option.

- UPS Systems

- Measured Result

- Manufacturer Spec

***On average, existing high efficiency modes can make a 4 to 5 % difference in UPS efficiency.***

## Analyzing UPS performance in “high efficiency” option.

- UPS Systems

***In “high efficiency” mode, there can be one cycle ***
***(16.6 msec for 60 Hz) of voltage deviation on the output of the UPS.  Power supplies downstream of the UPS can ride through this.***

## Progress Update

- UPS Systems

- Researching high efficiency inertial units currently available in the market.

***Quoted efficiencies are in the 96% range and higher; we will be collecting field/lab test data to quantify the efficiency of inertial UPS systems; advantages of non-battery alternatives could also be significant based on manufacturer spec.***

- Caterpillar

- Pentadyne

- Piller

## Labeling

- Efficiency and Reliability
- Data collection protocol.
- Technical review of efficiency versus load (based on specification) for current generation static and inertial UPS.
- Simplified calculation tools for comparing AC powering versus DC powering and evaluation of cost savings for higher efficiency UPS.
- Testing of UPS to show impact of “high efficiency” option on static UPS
- Coordinating with International labeling effort for quality & efficiency.

- UPS Systems

- Possible UPS Efficiency Labeling Criteria

## Progress Update: UPS Q/E Matrix

- UPS Systems

## Future Direction

- UPS Systems

- Sponsor for rack level demonstration of DC powering architecture
- Sponsor for high efficiency static or rotary UPS technology demonstration
- Identify “host” for UPS Q/E matrix in US
- Participate in European Code of Conduct meeting and any potential IEC standard activity for harmonizing UPS efficiency standard

## Current Power Supply Work 

- Power Supplies

- Current Power Supply Work

- Document 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

## Power Supplies in IT Equipment

- Power Supplies

## Power Supplies in IT Equipment

- Power Supplies

## Progress Update: Server Power Supply Efficiency  Lab Test Setup

- Power Supplies

- Electronic Load Banks

- Yokogawa Digital Power Meter

- Fluke 41 Power Harmonic Analyzer

- Power Supply Load Test  Fixtures

- Server Power Supply

- Computer Interface

## Progress Update: Sample Power Supply Test Report

- A consistent test protocol, loading guideline & test report format will allow more visibility on power supply efficiency

- Power Supplies

## Progress Update: How Loaded are the Server Power Supplies?

- Power Supplies

## Progress Update: Power Supply Loading Versus Redundancy

- Power Supplies

**Versus**

## Power Supply Efficiency

- Developed loading guidelines and test protocol for testing AC/DC power supplies for 1U, 2U and pedestal servers.
- Calculation tool for evaluating impact of improving power conversion process efficiency at rack level.
- Coordination with Server System Infrastructure (SSI) members to adopt loading guidelines and recommend higher efficiency levels for server power supplies.
- Evaluate “real life” server PS loading level and processor usage activity for servers.

- Power Supplies

## Power Supply Efficiency

- Power Supplies

- Very Low Processor Activity...

- ...does not relate to very low power consumption

*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*

## Future Direction

- Power Supplies

- A more focused and broader assessment of:
- Server activity profile based on application/server type
- Correlation of server activity and power consumption
- Develop industry interest and support for benchmarking for energy efficiency
- Develop efficiency guidelines based on performance metrics

## LBNL’s Role in Demonstrations

-   	Scoping demonstrations of technologies or 	strategies to improve energy efficiency in high-	tech buildings
-  	Showcase New/Emerging or Under-utilized 	Technologies or Approaches

- Demonstrations

##    	Potential demonstrations for Data

- Demonstrations

-    	Potential demonstrations for Data
- 	    Centers:
-   	Airflow visualization 	via 	helium bubbles
-   	Combined Heat and Power
-   	UPS efficiency 	improvement

## LBNL portal

- Technology Transfer

- Website:
- http://hightech.lbl.gov

## Thank youQuestions?

- Thank youQuestions?

- 10-18-04