By Jonathan Duncan, VP Anglophone Africa, Secure Power Solutions at Schneider Electric
Jonathan Duncan.
Datacentre operators and owners continue to enhance power usage effectiveness (PUE) with several technologies that allow for improved efficiency. Cooling forms a critical part of improved PUE planning, and integrating innovations such as electronically commutated (EC) fans and variable speed drives (VSDs), are making important inroads in optimising operations.
However, an important factor to consider is that both EC fans and VSDs (in cooling systems) can lead to harmonic distortion, thus negatively affecting electrical distribution equipment.
Harmonic distortion is caused by nonlinear devices such as ECs, VSDs and other power electronic devices like fluorescent lighting. These devices present nonlinear loads which then result in a current waveform that is not proportional to the applied voltage, and causes reactive power within an electrical distribution system.
In the case of EC devices, its rectified/inverter package draws a distorted AC current waveform which effects a nonlinear load. Similarly, VSDs use pulse width modulation (PWM) to control the speed of the motors and may result in the generation of a nonlinear load and additional harmonic distortion in the electrical power network.
Without proper harmonic mitigation, nonlinear loads will distort the AC power distribution upstream and can cause significant issues within a facility, such as:
• Increased power losses.
• Overheating of equipment.
• Damage to power-sensitive devices like motors and transformers.
• Power factor decrease with an increase in currents and voltage distortion.
• Premature wear on filtering devices as employed within switch mode power supplies like IT equipment.
Monitor and control
To take advantage of the benefits that come with technologies such as VSDs and EC devices, organisations should measure and control harmonic distortion to ensure optimal performance, and avoid possible long-term damage to equipment.
Fortunately, there are solutions available, such as passive filters, tuned for specific harmonic orders or Active Filters (AF). These are electronic devices that inject adaptative counter-harmonics to neutralise targeted harmonics, either stemming from one or several loads.
Using a system extended PLC (SE PLC) can be very effective in coordinating the operation of VSDs in cooling systems. These SE PLCs are programmed to monitor and control the VSDs to provide more efficient performance of the cooling network. This allows for real-time adjustments to be made to the VSDs, to optimise the performance of the cooling system.
Schneider Electric recommends organisations monitor their facility’s overall power quality to detect abnormal harmonic levels timeously. This can be done locally through adapted power monitoring devices, or globally on a large network through power management software and power reliability services.
Five data centre trends to watch in 2025
IT in Manufacturing
Any innovation that comes out in 2025 – whether it’s flying cars, highly advanced AI or a breakthrough medical treatment – will be built on the back of an equally innovative IT foundation driven by data. Data that needs to be stored, managed and made accessible in the data centre, in the cloud or at the edge. Is it too much of a stretch to say the future of humankind is dependent on data storage? We don’t think so.
Read more...Recovering from a cyberattack
IT in Manufacturing
While many organisations have invested heavily in frontline defence tools to try to keep out bad actors, they have spent far less time and money preparing for what happens when the criminals eventually get in. And they will get in.
Read more...The value of proactive maintenance management Schneider Electric South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
Maintenance has come a long way from the days when we waited for things to break, and thanks to the ever-increasing capabilities of technology, predictive maintenance has become a viable solution for keeping equipment running smoothly and efficiently around the world.
Read more...Pinpointing pipeline occurrences in seconds, not hours Schneider Electric South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
At any given moment, thousands of kilometres of critical assets flow through pipelines that cross veld, mountainous areas, dense forests, and even busy streets. Surprisingly, many of these pipelines operate either unmonitored or with scant oversight, leading to missed opportunities for operational continuity and efficiency.
Read more...Next-generation AI-enhanced electronic systems design software Siemens South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
Siemens Digital Industries Software has launched the latest advancement in its electronic systems design portfolio. The next-generation release takes an integrated and multidisciplinary approach, bringing a unified user experience that delivers cloud connectivity and AI capabilities to push the boundaries of innovation in electronic systems design.
Read more...Spatial computing and AI – where no man has sustainably gone before Schneider Electric South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
Some will argue that we now live in a sci-fi world where we dream of electric sheep, and today’s technology – unlike HAL – can provide us with the answers we seek. To the realist it might seem a bit implausible, but when you start using terms like ‘spatial computing realises sustainable AI’ it doesn’t seem that far-fetched.
Read more...Changeover switch between two power supplies Schneider Electric South Africa
Electrical Power & Protection
Schneider Electric South Africa has unveiled the Resi9 Changeover Switch product range which provides the perfect solution to switch manually between two power supplies or circuits.
Read more...Partial discharge monitoring solution for MV switchgear Schneider Electric South Africa
Electrical Power & Protection
Schneider Electric South Africa has unveiled its PowerLogic PD100 Partial Discharge Monitoring Solution, designed to be installed on MV switchgear to detect anomalies early, to prevent unplanned downtime.
Read more...Safeguarding DCS today and tomorrow Schneider Electric South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
Today’s distributed control systems (DCS) are highly intelligent, converging OT and IT in a centralised manner that allows for simplified management and coordination of operations. It is technology evolution at its finest, but with a caveat, cybersecurity challenges.
printer friendly version