Power is everything in electronic and mechanical systems, but you need to cut down utility bills whenever possible. In an article for data storage industry portal Server Watch, writer Paul Rubens explains:
Electricity is the lifeblood of the data center, and most need more and more every year. That’s because more powerful and more numerous servers mean more electrical energy is required to keep them running. As most of that energy is turned into heat, even more electricity is required to cool the operating environments to acceptable levels. More data processing and archiving also means more data storage is required, and guess what: Storage systems need electricity too — both to power them, and to dissipate the heat they generate.
A data center is one of the prime assets a medium or large company may have. However, something’s amiss when part of its machinery breaks down and compromises your information as a result. Part of the power solutions may include erecting a new flexible current transformer set-up with support from a company such as Aim Dynamics.
Flexible current transformers or Rogowski coils are fundamentally the same as split-core current transformers in the sense that they do not have to physically tap directly inside a circuit. The most prominent feature of an FCT is that the Rogowski coils are soft – making them easier to install in areas with little room – and they are wrapped in colored linings.
Up to three FCT can be linked to a single transducer, but the specifications will depend on evaluations of the data center’s power grid. Transducers are special electric boxes that convert the AC power supply into DC voltage. According to Rubens, shifting into DC power for data center machinery triggers a significant energy loss, warranting the use of transformers that are at least 90% efficient to address the wastage.
Submetering in a data center may provide some advantages into cutting down power expenses, especially when various systems are linked by FCTs. In this way, you can identify sections of the data center that are online at unnecessary hours. Rubens states that a software audit even helps because it will identify active machines that are not part of any process, then shut them down.
Data centers consume a lot of power to keep their servers at peak performance. All you need are some creative measures to reduce the bill.
(Source: 8 Simple Ways to Slash Your Data Center Electricity Bill, Server Watch)