Patent Description:
Power skids may be used in a variety of applications. For example, power skids may include backup power equipment and be configured to provide power distribution to data centers. Conventional power skids may present a number of challenges to cool equipment mounted on the power skid, connect the equipment, and maintain work clearance space between the pieces of equipment on the power skid.

United States patent application <CIT> discloses a set of modular-critical-power-distribution skids arranged in a redundant power center configuration to supply power to electrical loads in a modular data center facility. The skids are housed in hardened buildings. The uninterruptable power supply is electrically and mechanically connected into the multiple power distribution cabinets, all of which are mounted onto a steel framed support structure, which supports a weight of those uninterruptable power supplies and power distribution cabinets. The environmental control system controls a cooling system for the modular-critical-power-distribution skids. Electrical power from the A-side and B-side connects in a redundant power configuration to electrical loads in the cooling system.

The present invention relates to a power distribution system in accordance with claim <NUM>. The power distribution system includes a power skid configured to be installed in a raised floor configuration. The power skid includes a support structure. The power skid includes a floor coupled to the support structure and located on top of the support structure. The power skid includes one or more enclosing elements disposed along a boundary of the power skid and coupled to the support structure. The power skid is configured for unobstructed access below the floor.

In an illustrative embodiment, the one or more enclosing elements may be configured to at least partially enclose and define a volume within the power skid.

In an illustrative embodiment, the one or more enclosing elements may comprise one or more side walls.

In an illustrative embodiment, the power skid may further comprise an opening configured to allow cool air through the opening and above the floor.

In an illustrative embodiment, the power distribution system may further comprise one or more equipment.

In an illustrative embodiment, the power skid may be configured to provide direct convective air cooling to the one or more equipment.

In an illustrative embodiment, the opening may comprise one or more deflecting surfaces.

In an illustrative embodiment, the one or more deflecting surfaces may comprise one or more air hoses configured to direct the air to the one or more equipment.

In an illustrative embodiment, the opening may comprise an active air flow regulator.

In an illustrative embodiment, a front face of at least some of the one or more equipment may face outwards towards a boundary of the power skid.

In an illustrative embodiment, the power skid may further comprise one or more trays below the floor and coupled to the support structure.

In an illustrative embodiment, the trays may be supported by threaded rods.

In an illustrative embodiment, the power skid may further comprise one or more cables configured to be supported by the one or more trays and transfer power.

In an illustrative embodiment, the one or more cables may be standard type electrical power cables.

In an illustrative embodiment, the power skid may further comprise shared corridor space for switchgear equipment.

The power skid is configured for unobstructed access below the floor. In an illustrative embodiment, at least one of the one or more enclosing elements may be configured to be removably coupled to the power skid to allow for the unobstructed access below the floor.

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and, together with the general description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

The numerous advantages of the invention may be better understood by those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying figures.

Power skids, in general, include a floor constructed to support equipment, such as electrical power distribution and/or back-up power equipment for data centers. Power skids may be modular and installed in the whitespace of a data center, such as in raised floor whitespace using Raised Floor Power Skids (RFPSs).

Conventional power skids have either a minimal floor structure where the floor of the power skid is placed directly on the ground or a raised floor power skid structure with an open design without side-walls, having a supporting structural frame that allows air movement both under the power skid and up through the power skid to cool equipment.

Installing a power skid in an existing or newly constructed data center that has a raised floor has a unique set of challenges. It is contemplated herein that these challenges may include how to cool the equipment mounted on the power skid, how to cable the equipment, and how to place equipment in a serviceability line-up that maintains National Electrical Code (NEC) required work clearances.

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a raised floor power skid with an enclosed design that addresses at least some of these challenges. For example, the power skid may be configured to enclose (e.g., at least partially enclose) a volume with side walls so that cool air travelling below a raised floor whitespace is blocked from entering below the power skid floor and is deflected upward to efficiently cool the equipment above the power skid. Moreover, the present invention is directed to a RFPS that simplifies and improves how equipment is cooled, installed, and serviced. In some embodiments, the present invention fills a desire for power skids configured to be installed in specific, existing whitespace. Such existing whitespace may require particular design constraints and requirements. Benefits of such a power skid may include lower installation costs and longer-term operational efficiencies.

<FIG> illustrate an example of a power skid <NUM> in a raised floor configuration with one or more enclosing elements <NUM> (e.g., side walls).

<FIG> is a power distribution system <NUM> including a power skid <NUM> with enclosing elements <NUM>, in accordance with the present invention. The enclosing elements <NUM> are configured to enclose (e.g., fully enclose, partially enclose, and the like) a volume below a floor <NUM> of the power skid <NUM>. For example, the enclosing elements <NUM> may at least partially enclose the volume, such as substantially enclosing (e.g., <NUM>% enclosed or more, <NUM>% enclosed or more, <NUM>% enclosed or more, and the like). In this regard, relatively small gaps and the like may exist, but generally, the enclosing elements <NUM> may deflect cool air currents from entering inside the power skid <NUM>. Benefits include more efficiently cooling the equipment above the power skid <NUM> and not needing to use more expensive and less flexible plenum rated cabling rated for lower temperatures.

The enclosing elements <NUM> may, as shown, be disposed along a boundary <NUM> (e.g., rectangular boundary) and coupled to the support structure (e.g., support structure <NUM> of <FIG>) of the power skid <NUM>.

The power skid <NUM> includes a floor <NUM> on top of the support structure <NUM> (see <FIG>) and coupled to the support structure <NUM>. For example, the floor <NUM> may be a flat sheet (or multiple flat sheets) of a material (e.g., sheet steel) and may provide structural support for equipment. For example, the floor <NUM> may be <NUM>,<NUM> (<NUM> inch) thick. The floor <NUM> may be thermally conductive (e.g., metal or other material with high thermal conductivity) and thermally coupled to equipment mounted on the power skid <NUM> to aid in dissipating heat.

As noted, the power skid may include one or more enclosing elements <NUM> (e.g., side enclosures, side walls, and the like). For example, the side walls <NUM> may be multiple flat sheets of a material. For instance, the side walls <NUM> may be <NUM>,<NUM> (<NUM>/<NUM> inch) thick and may be steel sheets. The side walls <NUM> may at least partially enclose a volume of air which can be a space for equipment cables. The side walls <NUM> may line up with vertical supports for ease of coupling (e.g., coupling via mechanical fasteners and/or welding).

The power skid <NUM> is configured to allow for clear, unobstructed access under the power skid floor <NUM> (i.e., access to components in the volume <NUM> shown in <FIG>). At least one of the enclosing elements <NUM> may be removably coupled to the power skid <NUM> for egress under the power skid floor <NUM>. For example, the power skid <NUM> may be configured to allow for removably coupled (e.g., hinged) panels (e.g., side panels <NUM>, floor panels (not shown)) for access, maintenance, and the like under the power skid floor <NUM>. In this way, the power skid <NUM> may be configured to comply with NEC working space clearance requirements for user access.

It is noted that the specific thicknesses, relative sizes, materials, and the like shown in <FIG> are provided for illustrative purposes only and those skilled in the art should recognize that a variety of dimensions, materials, and the like may be suitable for implementation in the present invention and may vary as needed. For example, the side walls <NUM> shown in <FIG> may all be the same size or different sizes and may be larger and/or smaller, and there may be more than one side wall in the vertical direction.

<FIG> is the power distribution system <NUM> including equipment <NUM> installed on the power skid <NUM>, in accordance with the present invention.

In embodiments, the power skid <NUM> may be configured such that at least some of the equipment <NUM> is facing outwards. For example, the equipment <NUM> may be conveniently accessible by a user standing just outside the power skid <NUM>. Such a configuration may allow for efficient cooling by cool air being directed to the equipment <NUM> that is facing outwards.

<FIG> is an inside view of a volume <NUM> of the power skid <NUM> with the floor <NUM> and enclosing elements <NUM> hidden from view to illustrate trays <NUM> and cables <NUM> below the floor <NUM>, in accordance with the present invention. The trays <NUM> are configured to support the cables <NUM>. For example, power cables <NUM> may run to and from the power skid <NUM> and may be placed in the trays <NUM> underneath the power skid floor <NUM>.

The power skid <NUM> includes support structure <NUM>, such as metal cross links and the like in a raised floor configuration such that the floor <NUM> is configured to be used in a raised floor environment.

In some embodiments, the power skid <NUM> includes cable openings <NUM>, such as holes cut into the floor <NUM>. The cable openings <NUM> allow for cables <NUM> to be coupled (e.g., electrically and physically coupled) to the equipment <NUM>. For example, the cable openings <NUM> may be aligned to be inside a footprint of the equipment <NUM>.

Benefits of the present invention may include a power skid <NUM> configured to integrate with existing (e.g., specific) raised floor configurations and a corresponding cooling methodology of those raised floor configurations-while helping to mitigate a variety of challenges in doing so.

For example, the power skid <NUM> may be configured to integrate with an existing raised floor cooling configuration, such as via openings and/or ducts configured to direct air that is below the raised floor above the raised floor and towards the equipment <NUM>. The power skid <NUM> may simplify power skid deployment (e.g., whitespace power skid installation) by being compatible with existing cooling configurations of a data center. For instance, users may be able to apply cooling to a power skid <NUM> and mounted equipment <NUM> on the power skid <NUM> due to integration with an existing cooling configuration, thereby reducing cost, speeding up design/installation, improving efficiency, and/or improving cooling performance. The power skid <NUM> may prevent the cooled air from inefficiently cooling the cables <NUM> and portions (e.g., trays <NUM>) of the power skid <NUM> adjacent to the cables <NUM>.

The power skid <NUM> may allow for improved overall air management and may perform and function like an air deflector (e.g., directing air to the equipment <NUM> on the power skid <NUM> and treating the equipment <NUM> as a zone to be directly cooled). For example, the one or more enclosing elements <NUM> and the floor <NUM> may help direct cooled air to the equipment <NUM>. The enclosing elements <NUM> and the floor <NUM> may prevent cool air from inefficiently flowing under the power skid floor <NUM>, providing energy efficiency savings.

Due to less extreme temperatures, the power skid <NUM> may allow for use of standard type electrical power cables in lieu of plenum rated cables. For example, the power skid <NUM> may allow for standard Diesel Locomotive Cables (DLO) and not require thicker and better temperature-rated electrical power cables (e.g., plenum rated or Metal Clad (MC) cables) that are typically required in conventional power skids. This may save material costs, and also simplify installation as higher rated cables may not have a bend radius that accommodates the same footprint as standard type electrical power cables. Thus, labor may be significantly reduced in routing and forming the power cables between the equipment lineups on the power skid <NUM>.

<FIG> is a cross sectional view along a width of the power distribution system <NUM> illustrating air <NUM> being blocked by the enclosing elements <NUM> and being directed up to cool the equipment <NUM> via an opening <NUM>, in accordance with the present invention. In this regard, the power skid <NUM> may be configured to provide direct convective air cooling to the one or more equipment <NUM>.

In some typical whitespace cooling configuration data centers, cool air may flow under the raised floors <NUM>. In embodiments of the present invention, the addition of the enclosing elements <NUM> prevents the cool air <NUM> from inefficiently cooling the underside of the power skid floor <NUM>. For example, the opening <NUM> may allow/direct the cool air <NUM> to raise above the floor <NUM> to cool equipment <NUM> as shown in <FIG>.

The opening <NUM> may be any opening (e.g., one or more openings <NUM> along one or more sides of the power skid such as along all four boundaries <NUM>). The cool air <NUM> may be directed to the equipment <NUM> through any method or element. For example, the opening <NUM> may be proximate to the edge of the power skid <NUM> and defined by the adjacent raised floor <NUM> of the whitespace and/or defined by the power skid <NUM>. For example, the opening <NUM> may be built into the adjacent floor <NUM> and/or built into (e.g., designed) as part of the power skid <NUM>. The opening <NUM> may be any shape (e.g., large opening, slots, holes/perforations, and the like). The opening <NUM> may include deflecting surfaces (not shown) to direct the cool air <NUM> towards the equipment <NUM> (e.g., at an angle relative to the floor <NUM>). The deflecting surfaces may be located above and/or below the floor <NUM>. For instance, the deflecting surfaces may be enclosed ducts or surfaces of individual vents openings <NUM>. By way of another example, enclosed ducts (e.g., air hoses, solid ducts, and the like) may be run from the opening <NUM> to the equipment <NUM> directly (e.g., to an equipment opening near the top of the equipment <NUM>) to efficiently direct the air <NUM> to the equipment <NUM>. The opening <NUM> may include (or be configured to work with) one or more active air flow regulators (not shown) (e.g., to regulate the amount of air <NUM>). The air flow regulators (e.g., pump, fan, and the like) may actively force/push air <NUM> through the opening <NUM> and/or actively/passively constrain the amount of air <NUM> pushed through the opening (e.g., using dynamically adjustable vents, flaps, valves, and the like) and be located proximate to or far from the opening <NUM>.

It is contemplated that such an opening <NUM> allows for unobstructed corridor space (e.g., corridor space <NUM> of <FIG>) between the equipment <NUM> (e.g., due to lack of cooling ducts in the corridor space). For example, an opening <NUM> proximate to the edge of the power skid <NUM> with the outer equipment <NUM> facing outwards may allow for the outer equipment <NUM> to be cooled without obstructing egress in the corridor between the equipment <NUM>.

The power skid <NUM> may include tray support elements <NUM> configured to support the trays <NUM> that are supporting the cables <NUM>.

<FIG> is a cross sectional side view along a length of the power distribution system <NUM> illustrating the trays <NUM> (e.g., first tray 302a and second tray 302b) and the tray support elements <NUM>, in accordance with the present invention. The power skid <NUM> may include any number of trays <NUM> in any arrangement. For example, as shown, the power skid <NUM> may include a first tray 302a positioned lower than a second tray 302b.

In embodiments, the tray support elements <NUM> are any elements configured to support the trays <NUM>, such as, but not necessarily limited to, threaded rods and channels coupled to cross beams and the like, which are vertically aligned and are also coupled to the trays <NUM>.

<FIG> is mounting system <NUM> for a cable <NUM>, in accordance with the present invention. The mounting system <NUM> may include an insulated bushing <NUM> and a lock nut <NUM> on one side. On an opposite side of a mounted element <NUM> (e.g., bracket, plate with a hole for the cable <NUM>, and the like), the mounting system <NUM> may include a chase nipple <NUM>, and a duct seal <NUM>.

<FIG> is a cross sectional view of a cable tray fill layout <NUM>, in accordance with the present invention. As shown, the cables <NUM> may be supported and lay flat in a U-shaped tray <NUM>.

<FIG> is a layout of a power distribution system <NUM> with at least some front faces <NUM> of equipment <NUM> facing outwards, in accordance with the present invention. For example, the power skid <NUM> may include equipment <NUM> (e.g., uninterruptible power supply (UPS) gear) configured to face outwards, which may improve cooling and servicing of the equipment <NUM>.

For example, cable openings (e.g., holes) in the floor <NUM> of the power skid <NUM> may be located in a configuration such that equipment <NUM> installed will be facing outwards.

The power skid <NUM> may include shared corridor space <NUM> for switchgear equipment requirements on a single skid, which may also improve servicing of the equipment <NUM>.

Referring back to <FIG> and <FIG>, the power skid <NUM> is discussed in more detail.

The power skid <NUM> and equipment <NUM> may be pre-wired (e.g., at the factory, before installation, and the like), which may save installation costs and shorten onsite installation time.

The power skid <NUM> may be configured to be installed (e.g., via field installation in a data center) so as to not impede nor obstruct underfloor circuits such as utility cables, generator cables, output circuits to the batteries, PDUs, power circuits, control cabling and/or the like. For example, the power skid may be configured to be placed as such (e.g., by design), such as outer size dimensions providing needed clearance.

The power skid <NUM> may be configured to be fabricated (welded, mechanically fastened, and the like) from metal, such as steel.

In a general sense, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are various vehicles by which processes and/or systems and/or other technologies described herein can be effected (e.g., hardware, software, and/or firmware), and that the preferred vehicle will vary with the context in which the processes and/or systems and/or other technologies are deployed. For example, if an implementer determines that speed and accuracy are paramount, the implementer may opt for a mainly hardware and/or firmware vehicle; alternatively, if flexibility is paramount, the implementer may opt for a mainly software implementation; or, yet again alternatively, the implementer may opt for some combination of hardware, software, and/or firmware. Hence, there are several possible vehicles by which the processes and/or devices and/or other technologies described herein may be effected, none of which is inherently superior to the other in that any vehicle to be utilized is a choice dependent upon the context in which the vehicle will be deployed and the specific concerns (e.g., speed, flexibility, or predictability) of the implementer, any of which may vary.

The herein described subject matter sometimes illustrates different components contained within, or connected with, different other components. It is to be understood that such depicted architectures are merely exemplary, and that in fact many other architectures can be implemented which achieve the same functionality. Likewise, any two components so associated can also be viewed as being "operably connected", or "operably coupled", to each other to achieve the desired functionality, and any two components capable of being so associated can also be viewed as being "operably couplable" to each other to achieve the desired functionality.

Claim 1:
A power distribution system (<NUM>) comprising:
a power skid (<NUM>) configured to be installed in a raised floor configuration, the power skid (<NUM>) comprising:
a support structure (<NUM>);
a floor (<NUM>) coupled to the support structure (<NUM>) and located on top of the support structure (<NUM>); and
one or more enclosing elements (<NUM>) disposed along a boundary (<NUM>) of the power skid (<NUM>) and coupled to the support structure (<NUM>);
characterized in that the power skid (<NUM>) is configured for unobstructed access below the floor (<NUM>).