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Mobile WebSiteAs companies leverage the massive amounts of data generated by other forces such as mobile computing and the Internet of Things (IoT) to drive competitive advantage, the role of data centers has never been more important, as system uptime is increasingly important to business success. Business disruption not only affects productivity, but also causes significant financial and reputational losses that affect market position.
Although the generator provides backup power in the event of short-term power disturbances, optimal equipment uptime requires a reliable power distribution system, with switching devices being the most important. Switching devices consist of electrically isolated switches, fuses, and circuit breakers that control, protect, and isolate electrical equipment, which is directly related to the reliability of the power supply and power the entire data center facility. In many cases, the power supply to the grid and diesel generators is passed through and controlled by the switching device. Therefore, the downtime of the switchgear means the downtime of the data center.
The importance of switchgear is becoming increasingly prominent
Historically, especially in the data center field, switchgear has primarily provided short-circuit protection, making it a relatively passive part of the overall facility infrastructure. Device administrators only interact with the device in the event of a failure, which is rare. But these are officially changing.
With the explosive growth of data consumption and the expansion of the physical and computational scale of data centers (the United States leads the world in the number of hyperscale data centers), the need for active energy protection and electrical reliability is growing stronger, which makes the whole Data centers (including switchgear) have become more interactive and adaptable. With advances in new technologies such as automatic conversion capabilities, switchgear can (and must) handle more electrical operations and must operate successfully when required to operate. For example, when severe weather causes a power outage, the switchgear is responsible for automatically reconfiguring the distribution line to switch from the grid to an auxiliary source of electricity, the generator.
Then, with enormous power, you have to bear huge responsibilities. But this paradigm shift is difficult. There are very few switching devices traditionally used, and many data center facility managers, if any, may not be aware of or address the importance of device switching. As the US data center facility infrastructure ages rapidly, business budgets tighten, staff and support numbers decrease, and ongoing switchgear maintenance is being delayed, putting the performance of the grid at risk. This can create the possibility of failure, interruption or arc flash problems throughout the data center facility.
The necessity of maintenance
Since electrical switching equipment is generally considered a low maintenance product, it is often the most overlooked component of a power distribution system. However, like any manually manufactured device, the switchgear also faces certain operational limitations and requires regular maintenance to avoid failure. Just as people provide services for cars or airplanes, switchgear must also be maintained, and its life cycle is proportional to its environment and how it is handled.
Huge electrical energy can not only pass, but also can be effectively routed and rerouted through switchgear. This puts stress on electrical components, especially in environments where the temperature is not ideal, such as when the temperature exceeds the optimal performance area, the air quality is poor, or the equipment is exposed to excessive humidity (notably, despite the data center The rack and server environment is heavily regulated, and switchgear is typically located in other parts of the data center facility and typically does not have the same level of environmental control. Depending on the type of switchgear, some technologies may be more susceptible to the environment (air-insulated switches are the most susceptible, inert gas-insulated and shielded solid-insulated switches are least affected).
When developing a switchgear maintenance plan, first determine what is included in the repair: the environment around the equipment and the responsibilities of the equipment. Typical issues include:
Is there any air pollutant?
Is there a corrosive environment?
Is there a possibility of rodent entry?
Does the temperature and humidity meet the requirements?
How often is the switch switching?
What is the current on the device? How close is the rating of the device?
What level of current is being switched?
Switching equipment innovation increases reliability, saves time and money
As the industry continues to evolve, successful companies should view switching devices as a competitive advantage, enabling them to provide the highest levels of power availability while saving time and money.
Recent innovations in switch design have enabled data center personnel to install and operate medium voltage networks with continuous performance and lower risk. For example, the introduction of shielded solid-insulated switchgear (2SIS) technology in the United States provides unprecedented reliability and safety by providing protection against internal arcing by encapsulating solid materials in a main circuit component of a shielded insulation. This design greatly reduces the possibility of damage to the system, protects the live conductor from dust, moisture, humidity and other environmental factors that may cause malfunction, reducing the risk of electric shock, arc flash hazard, and arcing hazard to maintenance personnel.
Equipment costs are also a key factor that can be offset by a commitment to adopting newer equipment. Modern infrastructure allows the use of smaller devices to provide the same power in a smaller space. Modern technology is also highly modular, requiring less maintenance and less complex maintenance, significantly reducing associated costs. In addition, when the power infrastructure is replaced, it is possible to evaluate the increased distribution voltage, which also saves costs (reducing cable size, reducing cable length, reducing conduit/tray, and reducing installation effort).
in conclusion
Switching equipment is often the most undervalued component of any power distribution and backup system in a data center. However, as aging electrical equipment requires maintenance, putting critical data center performance at risk, can data center facility managers really ignore this often overlooked component to ensure uptime?
The impact of data center power failures can cost companies a variety of ways, although backup systems such as uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) and generators provide backup power when primary power is required to be turned off or a single point of failure occurs, modern switching equipment is The core and soul of a reliable power network must be properly maintained.
