Power distribution unit (PDU) for optimizing power distribution to multi-psu ict devices such as servers and network switches

Abstract

A power distribution unit (PDU) for distributing power to electrical devices, such as servers and network switches, arranged in a data center rack is provided. The PDU module includes a three-phase switch and a decoupling switch, and is configured to connect with the controller. The PDU module may also include a controller. Furthermore, a computer-implemented method for distributing three-phase power in a rack system is provided, where the rack system includes a power distribution system for powering electrical equipment and configured to be fed using a three-phase power source. The computer-implemented method is to control the imbalance between the three live wires.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a Power Distribution Unit (PDU) module, a power bar including one or more PDU modules, and a power distribution system including a plurality of power bars. The present invention also relates to the use of the above components. Background Art

[0002] Centralized data centers for servers, network switches, and other information and communication technology (ICT) devices have been in use for many years. A typical centralized data center contains a large number of ICT equipment racks that require power. A Power Distribution Unit (PDU) is a device commonly used to distribute power from a power input to the ICT devices stored in the racks.

[0003] However, existing PDU implementations provide sub-optimal power consumption and typically introduce network security vulnerabilities.

[0004] Today's racks house multi-PSU (PSU stands for Power Supply Unit) servers. The power distribution to these multi-PSU servers is also sub-optimal, resulting in sub-optimal power consumption of the racks. A power distribution system with a three-phase inlet and hard-wired single-phase sockets inherently introduces current imbalance into the power distribution network of a computer room. Phase imbalance results in idle capacity in both power and ICT. In addition, the imbalance introduces upstream heat loss in the cables all the way to the uninterruptible power supply (UPS). The UPS also gets hotter because it has to compensate for the imbalance introduced at the rack level. Moreover, considering that the load imbalance changes over time with the changes in the information technology (IT) workload, improvements are needed to take into account this situation that changes over time with the IT workload.

[0005] Therefore, based on the above situation, a new technology that can optimize power consumption and limit network security vulnerabilities is needed. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To this end, the present invention provides a number of improvements to the prior art.

[0007] In one embodiment of the present invention, a computer-implemented method for distributing three-phase power in a rack system is provided, wherein the rack system includes a power distribution system for powering electrical devices and configured to be fed by a three-phase power source, the power distribution system includes at least one power strip, the power strip includes at least three sockets, a plurality of power sensors for measuring the voltage and current of each socket, and a plurality of phase switches for switching the live wires of the plurality of sockets, the method includes:

[0008] · Receiving the voltage value and current value of each socket,

[0009] · Calculating the power of each socket based on the received voltage value and current value,

[0010] · Recording the calculated power of each socket and the corresponding phase setting,

[0011] · Calculating the power load imbalance based on the calculated power and phase setting of each socket to obtain the calculated load imbalance,

[0012] · Calculating the individual power calculation value of each socket through an iterative process, in which the load imbalance is calculated for a hypothetical combination of multiple phase settings,

[0013] · Selecting the hypothetical combination with the lowest load imbalance as the best case,

[0014] · Comparing the load imbalance of the best case with the calculated load imbalance, and

[0015] · If the load imbalance of the best case is lower than the calculated load imbalance, sending an instruction to the plurality of phase switches to set the plurality of phase settings to the plurality of phase settings of the best case.

[0016] By balancing the power consumption of the three phases, the power margin can be maximized and the idle capacity can be eliminated. At the same time, the upstream heat loss is reduced.

[0017] In one embodiment of the present invention, a power distribution system is provided, the power distribution system includes a processor configured to execute an imbalance correction method.

[0018] In one embodiment of the present invention, a computer program is provided, the computer program includes instructions that, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to execute multiple steps of the imbalance correction method.

[0019] In an embodiment of the present invention, another computer-implemented method for distributing power in a rack system is provided, wherein the rack system includes a power distribution system for powering a multi-PSU electrical device and fed by at least two power sources, the power distribution system includes at least two power strips, the power strip includes at least one socket, a power sensor for measuring voltage signals and current signals of each socket, and a decoupling switch for switching the live wire leading to the socket to on or off, the method includes:

[0020] · Receiving voltage signals and current signals of each socket,

[0021] · Applying power quality measurement to the received signals to determine the trigger of a power failure,

[0022] · If it is determined that the trigger of a power failure of the socket connected to the multi-PSU device, determine another socket connected to the multi-PSU device, and

[0023] · Sending an instruction to the other socket to switch the decoupling switch to the on state.

[0024] In an embodiment of the present invention, a power distribution system is provided, the power distribution system includes a processor configured to execute the above power failure correction method.

[0025] In an embodiment of the present invention, a computer program is provided, the computer program includes instructions that, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to execute multiple steps of the power failure correction method.

[0026] In an embodiment of the present invention, a power distribution system that overcomes the disadvantages in the prior art is provided.

[0027] The advantage of this system is that the system can switch between phases for a complete socket module or a single socket. For example, the C13 module can switch all sockets of the module, while the C19 module can switch a single socket of the module.

[0028] This system also has the following advantage: the controller can be configured to perform load imbalance correction.

[0029] Most importantly, this system has the following advantage: the system provides the ability of dynamic load redistribution at the ICT device level.

[0030] In an embodiment of the present invention, a PDU module is provided, the PDU module includes:

[0031] · An input end configured to be coupled to a power source to receive three-phase power from the power source;

[0032] · A plurality of power lines coupled to the input terminal, the plurality of power lines being configured to carry the three-phase power;

[0033] · A plurality of sockets, each socket being coupled to two of the plurality of power lines to receive power from one of the three phases of the three-phase power, each socket being configured to be coupled to an electrical device to supply power to the electrical device. Preferably, each socket is provided with a power sensor configured to sense parameters of the power supplied to the socket. The sensed parameters can be used to adjust the power delivered to the socket.

[0034] The PDU module includes a controller coupled to the power sensor.

[0035] In one embodiment, the PDU module further includes a data connector configured to receive data from an external device (such as other PDU modules coupled to the same power source). As will be described in an alternative embodiment below, a plurality of PDU modules can be inserted into a power strip. In this case, the data connector can be coupled to some or all of the plurality of PDU modules. The data connector can be provided, for example, in a dedicated gateway module inserted into a power strip, and the data connector can be configured to receive data from an external device (such as a PDU module provided on another power strip coupled to another power source).

[0036] In one embodiment, the PDU module further includes a controller. As will be described in a preferred alternative embodiment below, a plurality of PDU modules can be assembled into a power strip. In this case, the controller can be centralized for some or all of the plurality of PDU modules. The controller can be provided, for example, in a dedicated gateway module provided in the power strip, and the gateway module is, for example, the same gateway module including a centralized data connector.

[0037] According to a first improvement of the present invention, the PDU module includes a plurality of features of claim 2. Thus, the PDU module further includes at least one phase switch configured to selectively couple each socket to two of the plurality of power lines to select the phase delivered to the socket. Preferably, the three-phase power lines include a neutral line and three live lines. Preferably, only the live lines are switched by the phase switch, i.e., the neutral line is not switched. For example, this can provide a PDU module operating in a star configuration (instead of a delta configuration), where the socket operating voltage is taken between the live line and the neutral line.

[0038] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the phase switch is further configured to selectively decouple the socket from the power line. To this end, preferably, the phase switch includes a switching component and a decoupling component. The switching component performs the switching between the above-mentioned power lines. The decoupling component interrupts the power line. This enables a "break before make" arrangement, thereby enabling "hot swapping".

[0039] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a phase switch is provided for each socket to select the phase delivered to each socket. However, alternative solutions are also possible. For example, a phase switch may be provided for a group of sockets to select the phase delivered to the group of sockets. For example, the group of sockets are all the sockets on the PDU module. Alternatively, for example, only the switching component may be shared by the group of sockets, and each socket may be provided with its own decoupling component, for example.

[0040] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the parameters measured by the power sensor of the socket indicate the load on the socket, and the parameters are also referred to as load parameters. Preferably, the load parameter is the current consumed by the socket. Preferably, the controller is configured to monitor the load parameters of a plurality of sockets within the PDU module, and is also configured to operate at least one phase switch based on the monitored load parameters. Preferably, the controller determines the total load on each phase based on the load parameters, and wherein the controller is further configured to operate at least one phase switch to improve the load balance of the three phases. Improving the load balance of the three phases has many advantages. There is particularly an advantage when power is supplied to the PDU from a power source through the mediation of an uninterruptible power supply (UPS). In this case, the load imbalance continuously charges the UPS with a smaller load phase while discharging the UPS with a larger load phase. Preferably, the controller maintains a list of sockets, the phases delivered to the plurality of sockets, and the load parameters of the plurality of sockets, and wherein the controller uses the list to determine which sockets should be switched in phase, and wherein the controller operates the phase switch accordingly. Preferably, the controller determines the highest load phase and a plurality of lower load phases, and uses the list to determine which sockets should be switched from the highest load phase to one of the plurality of lower load phases. Preferably, the list further includes the priorities of the plurality of sockets, and the priorities indicate the importance of the reliable operation of the plurality of sockets. The controller is preferably arranged to switch those sockets with a higher priority status to a more stable phase. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the controller is configured to receive phase load information via a data connector, the phase load information is related to the load of three phases of at least one external device coupled to the same power source, and the controller is further configured to operate at least one phase switch based on the received phase load information. Preferably, the external device coupled to the power source is another PDU module coupled to the same power source. This embodiment is particularly advantageous when dealing with a power strip including a plurality of PDU modules, as will be further explained below.

[0041] According to a second improvement of the present invention, for example, the PDU module of the first improvement of the present invention as described above includes a plurality of features of claim 13. In the second improvement, the power sensor is capable of sampling the load parameters at the microsecond level, and the controller is adapted to enable an oscilloscope to view a graphical representation of the parameters in the time domain and / or the frequency domain. The representation preferably includes a representation of the harmonics of the parameters.

[0042] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the controller is arranged to identify anomalies in the time domain and / or frequency domain representation of a parameter. This embodiment implements a fault prediction system. The fault prediction system uses a graphical representation of a reference oscilloscope view of a correctly operating PSU (power supply unit) of an electrical device and compares these references with a graphical representation of a real-time oscilloscope view of the parameter. If the difference between these representations becomes significant, or when they develop rapidly, this may be an indication of wear of the electrical device or wear of the PDU module. The above-mentioned reference oscilloscope view graphical representation may be, for example, a snapshot taken when the electrical device or the PDU module enters service, or may be, for example, a snapshot obtained from a library of known electrical devices and PDU modules. For example, this comparison can be done by machine learning.

[0043] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the controller is arranged to compare the measured parameter with reference data retrieved from the cloud in order to allow, for example, the identification of anomalies in the time domain and / or frequency domain representation of the parameter based on machine learning, where the measured parameters of the PDU module and preferably the measured parameters from other PDU modules are stored in the cloud.

[0044] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the parameter measured by the power sensor is the current delivered to the socket. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the input of the PDU module further includes a voltage sensor, which is arranged to measure the voltage between multiple power lines at the microsecond level, and wherein the controller is adapted to enable the oscilloscope to view the graphical representation of the voltage in the time domain and / or frequency domain, and these graphical representations preferably include the representation of the harmonics of the parameter, that is, to make the necessary corrections to the analysis based on the above-mentioned power sensor.

[0045] According to one aspect of the present invention, for example, the PDU module of the first improvement and / or the second improvement of the present invention as described above includes a plurality of features of claim 17, that is, the PDU module is integrated into a power strip. The power strip includes an elongated frame that is arranged to be mounted to a data center rack in a 0U configuration or a 1U configuration. Preferably, it is vertically mounted in a 0U configuration. The frame is also referred to as a "backbone". The power strip includes at least one PDU module as described above mounted on the frame. The power strip allows the PDU module to be releasably mounted on the frame in a modular manner. For example, it enables a PDU module including a C19 socket to be interchangeable with a PDU module including a C13 socket. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the controller and / or the data connector are mounted on the power strip in a releasable manner, for example. Preferably, the power strip includes a data connector and / or a controller shared by all PDU modules in the power strip. The centralized data connector and the centralized controller are preferably provided in a dedicated gateway module. The gateway module is preferably releasably mounted on the frame in a modular manner. Preferably, the gateway module has ports for connecting to environmental sensors such as temperature sensors and humidity sensors. The environmental sensors provide information about the environmental conditions within the data center to the controller. For example, these conditions may affect the graphical representation of load parameters in an oscilloscope view and are therefore preferably taken into account when comparing the graphical representation with a reference.

[0046] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the power strip further includes at least one network switch module having a plurality of network ports, and the at least one network switch module is releasably mounted on the frame. Thus, the modularity of the power strip extends beyond the ability to releasably accommodate one or more PDU modules and preferably extends to the ability to releasably receive network switch modules. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the power strip includes a plurality of PDU modules. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the frame includes a power inlet connected to a power source. Each module mounted on the frame (i.e., those as described above) receives power from the power inlet.

[0047] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the frame includes a power bus. The modules mounted on the frame are connected to the power bus to transfer power from the power bus to the modules. Preferably, the modules can be inserted into the frame where the power contacts of the modules automatically contact the power bus.

[0048] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the frame includes a data bus through which the modules can exchange data. Preferably, the data bus communication is Ethernet communication. This allows the modules to communicate in a point-to-point manner rather than in a master-slave manner. Preferably, the modules can be inserted into the power strip where the data contacts of the modules automatically contact the data bus.

[0049] According to a further improvement of the present invention, a power consumption reduction is provided by a tightly coupled power distribution system, which includes: a first power strip as described above, which is arranged to couple a group of electrical devices to a first three-phase power supply; and a second power strip as described above, which is arranged to couple the same group of electrical devices to a second three-phase power supply, wherein the group of electrical devices includes two physically different power inlets, wherein the first power inlet is connected to the first three-phase power supply, and the second power inlet is connected to the second three-phase power supply. Therefore, this redundant power delivery system is a multi-feed system, such as a dual-feed system, wherein the rack is provided with multiple (e.g., two) independent power supplies, and wherein the electrical devices have multiple (e.g., two) power inlets, and each power inlet is served by a separate power strip. Such a multi-feed system can ensure that the electrical devices are basically always powered, but since some circuits are implemented as multiple circuits to provide redundancy, redundant power consumption is introduced, and the load is too weak during operation, resulting in even lower efficiency.

[0050] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the system includes a power switching controller, which is arranged to switch between: powering the electrical devices in the group of electrical devices using the sockets provided on the first power strip; powering the electrical devices in the group of electrical devices using the sockets provided on the second power strip. Preferably, the switching includes dividing the power transmission to the electrical devices between the sockets provided on the first power strip and the sockets provided on the second power strip according to a division scheme. Preferably, the division scheme includes powering the electrical devices completely through the sockets (referred to as main sockets) provided on one of the first power strips, and disabling the sockets on the second power strip. This embodiment ensures that the electrical devices consume the least amount of power. This of course results in a redundancy risk, which can be controlled by providing a quick switch from a faulty socket to a working socket on another power strip. Therefore, an embodiment includes switching to power the electrical devices completely through another socket (referred to as a standby socket) on the first power strip and the second power strip when a main socket failure is detected.

[0051] In an embodiment, all the sockets of the first power strip are main sockets, and all the sockets of the second power strip are standby sockets. To ensure a very quick switch, the first power strip and the second power strip are directly connected by a data connector (preferably a data cable) to increase the speed at which the power switching controller can switch the sockets for powering the electrical devices. This avoids having to route the signal from the first power strip to the second power strip through an external network. By not routing through an external network, network security is also improved at the same time.

[0052] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the power switching controller is provided in one of the first power strip or the second power strip, that is, not provided in both the first power strip and the second power strip. This makes the redundant power delivery system less expensive. Preferably, the power switching controller is provided in the gateway module of the power strip. To maximize the switching speed, the switching controller is implemented in the PDU module including the main socket. The controller monitors power parameters at the microsecond level, continuously checks time-domain and frequency-domain measurements (including harmonics), and alerts the PDU module including the standby socket in a point-to-point manner when an anomaly is detected.

[0053] Another object of the present invention is to provide a data center rack including at least one power strip as described above, in which at least one PDU module as described above is installed, or at least one redundant power delivery system as described above.

[0054] Another object of the present invention is to provide a method including the use of the PDU module as described above, or the power strip as described above, the power distribution system as described above, or the data center rack as described above. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0055] The present invention will be further elaborated through the following description and drawings.

[0056] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a power strip according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0057] Figure 2 shows the power strip from Figure 1 with multiple modules removed from the frame.

[0058] Figure 3A shows Figure 1 and Figure 2 the frame outline of the frame of the power strip shown in

[0059] Figure 3B shows a cross-section of the frame outline according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0060] Figure 4A is a schematic diagram of the wiring of a PDU module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0061] Figure 4B is an alternative wiring of a PDU module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0062] Figure 4C is yet another alternative wiring of a PDU module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0063] Figure 5A 、 Figure 5B 、Figure 5C , Figure 5D , Figure 5E , Figure 5F respectively show graphical representations of the load parameters of a reference PSU, a healthy PSU (power supply unit), and a faulty PSU in the time domain.

[0064] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a power distribution system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0065] Figure 7 shows a flowchart of a load imbalance algorithm that can be executed by a controller 17 of the power distribution system 60.

[0066] Figure 8 shows an exploded view of the frame of a power strip.

[0067] Figure 9 shows a PDU module in a three-dimensional view.

[0068] Figure 10 shows a dual-PSU server with a decoupling switch in four different states.

[0069] Figure 11 shows the power consumption of an algorithm-controlled dual-PSU server according to an embodiment of the present invention over a 48-hour period.

[0070] Figure 12 shows the efficiency of the PSU at each load percentage on the x-axis on the Y-axis of the graph.

[0071] Figure 13 , Figure 14 and Figure 15 show the difference in heat loss between a conventional system without imbalance correction and a system with imbalance correction according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0072] Figure 16 , Figure 17 , Figure 18 and Figure 19 show a computer-implemented method for fault detection according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0073] Figure 20 shows the detection of the expected zero-crossing time deviation of the voltage curve over time. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0074] The present invention will be described with reference to specific embodiments and certain drawings, but the present invention is not limited thereto and is only limited by the claims. The described drawings are merely schematic and non-limiting. In the drawings, for the purpose of illustration, the sizes of some elements may be exaggerated and not drawn to scale. The sizes and relative sizes do not necessarily correspond to the actual reduction in the practice of the present invention.

[0075] In addition, the terms first, second, third, etc. in the specification and claims are used to distinguish similar elements and are not necessarily used to describe an order or a temporal order. Where appropriate, these terms may be interchanged, and embodiments of the present invention may be operated in other orders different from those described or shown herein.

[0076] In addition, the terms top, bottom, above, below, etc. in the specification and claims are used for descriptive purposes and are not necessarily used to describe a relative position. Where appropriate, the terms used may be interchanged, and embodiments of the present invention described herein may be operated in directions different from those described or shown herein.

[0077] In addition, although referred to as "preferred", the various embodiments should be construed as exemplary ways of implementing the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention.

[0078] The term "comprising" used in the claims should not be construed as limited to the elements or steps listed thereafter; it does not exclude other elements or steps. It should be construed as specifying the presence of the recited features, integers, steps or components, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps or components or combinations thereof. Thus, the scope of the expression "a device comprising A and B" should not be limited to a device consisting only of components A and B, but for the purposes of the present invention, the only recited components of the device are A and B, and the claims should also be construed as including equivalents of these components.

[0079] In addition, in the context of the present specification, the terms "imbalance" and "unbalance" are used as equivalent terms having the same meaning.

[0080] Figure 1 FIGS. 1 to 3 show a power strip 2. The power strip includes an elongated frame 3 which is arranged to be mounted to a data center rack in a 0U configuration (0U is equivalent to "not mounted in a slot reserved for 19-inch rack-mountable devices and thus not using the unit U of a 19-inch rack"). The frame 3 is also referred to as a "backbone". The power strip includes a plurality of PDU modules 1 mounted on the frame 3.

[0081] As Figure 4AAs specifically shown, each PDU module 1 includes an input terminal 5 configured to be coupled to a power supply to receive three-phase power from the power supply. A plurality of power lines (51, 52, 53, 54) are coupled to the input terminal 5, and the plurality of power lines (51, 52, 53, 54) are configured to carry three-phase power. The plurality of power lines are three live lines (51, 52, 53) and one neutral line 54. A plurality of sockets 6 are coupled to two of the plurality of power lines to receive power from one of the three phases of a three-phase power supply. In Figure 4A an embodiment, the socket 6 is coupled to one of the three live lines (51, 52, 53) and the neutral line 54. Each socket 6 is configured to be coupled to an electrical device (such as Figure 6 the server shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2 to power the electrical device. Each socket 6 is provided with a power sensor 30 configured to sense parameters of the power supplied to at least one socket 6. The sensed parameters can be used to adjust the power delivered to the socket 6. The power sensor 30 may include a current sensor 8, a voltage sensor 9, or both. The PDU module 1 further includes a microcontroller 17 coupled to the power sensors 8, 9. The microcontroller 17 is also connected to a data port 18 configured to be connected to a second controller 22 via a data connection. In particular, the controller 22 is centralized for all PDU modules 1 and is provided in a dedicated gateway module 12, which can be a separate module attached to the frame 3 as shown in Figure 2 . As shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2 , the power strip is modular, allowing the PDU module 1 to be releasably mounted on the frame 3 in a modular manner. For example, the PDU module 1 including a C19 socket can be interchanged with the PDU module including a C13 socket. In addition, the gateway module 12 can also be releasably mounted on the frame in a modular manner. In an alternative embodiment, the gateway module is not modular but assembled on the frame. In yet another alternative embodiment, the processor 22 can be provided in the PDU module or the frame. Figure 1 and Figure 2 The frame 3 of the embodiment of Figure 8 includes a power inlet 11 connected to or configured to be connected to a power supply 11. The modules 1, 12 mounted to the frame 3 (i.e., those described above) receive power from the power inlet 11 when positioned and releasably mounted on the frame 3. The frame 3 includes a power supply. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 8 , the frame 3 includes a plurality of power contact printed circuit boards (PCBs) 28 connected to the power supply and including pin contact receivers 23 for receiving the pin contact 25 components of the PDU module 1. Figure 9The pin contact 25 is shown above. A plurality of power contact PCBs 28 are interconnected to form a power bus 33. The frame 3 further includes a plurality of data PCBs 24, which include data connector receivers 27 configured to connect with mating data connectors 26 that are part of the module 1. Figure 9 The mating data connector 26 is shown. When the PDU module 1 is correctly installed, the pin contacts 25 of the PDU module 1 are connected to the pin contact receivers 23, and the data connector 26 of the PDU module 1 is connected to the data connector receiver 27 of the PCB.

[0082] The module 1 mounted on the frame 3 is connected to the power bus 33 to transmit power from the power bus 33 to the module. The power bus 33 may include a series of printed circuit boards 28 configured to connect with these PDU modules 1 when the PDU modules 1 are releasably mounted to the frame 3. As Figure 2 Specifically shown, the module 1 can be mounted on the frame 3 where the power contacts 25 of the module 1 automatically contact the power bus 33.

[0083] Figure 3A The frame profile 32 is shown, which is part of the frame 3 of the power strip 2. The frame profile 32 includes an elongated groove 14 arranged to mount the frame 3 to a data center rack. By providing the groove 14, rather than using elements that penetrate the frame such as screws, the risk of short circuits is reduced.

[0084] Figure 8 An alternative structure of the frame of the power strip according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. According to an embodiment of the present invention Figure 8 The frame 3 includes a frame profile 32 having a specific cross-section. Figure 3BThe cross-section of the frame profile 32 is shown in more detail. The frame profile 32 has a bottom wall 91, and two outer side walls 92, 93 stand upright on the bottom wall 91 to form a generally U shape. Each outer side wall 92, 93 has two upright walls 94, 95 inside the U shape, and the two upright walls 94, 95 form U-shaped grooves 102, 103 on each outer side wall. The frame profile 32 further includes a partition wall 96. The partition wall 96 includes grooves 106, 107 on each side opposite to the grooves in the outer walls. The groove 106 in the partition wall 96 is opposite to the groove 102 in the outer wall 92. The positions and dimensions of the two grooves 106 and 102 are set to receive the power contact PCB 28. The groove 107 in the partition wall 96 is opposite to the groove 103 in the outer wall 93. The positions and dimensions of the two grooves 107 and 103 are set to receive the data PCB 24. The partition wall 96 separates the power part 104 from the data part 105. This avoids interference of data signals by power lines, power strips or power connections.

[0085] Figure 4A For Figure 1 the wiring schematic diagram of the embodiment of the PDU module 1 in the power strip 2 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. The PDU module 1 includes a plurality of phase switches 29, and the plurality of phase switches 29 are configured to selectively couple each socket 6 to two of the plurality of power lines (51, 52, 53, 54) so as to select the phase delivered to the socket 6. In particular, the three-phase power lines include a neutral line 54 and three live lines 51, 52, 53, wherein only the live lines are switched by the phase switches 29, that is, the neutral line 54 is not switched, as Figure 4A shown in the embodiment of. The phase switches 29 are also configured to selectively decouple the sockets from the power lines. For this purpose, the phase switches 29 include a switching component 15 and a decoupling component 16. The switching component of the phase switch 29 is also referred to as a three-phase switch 15 in the context of the present application. The decoupling component of the phase switch 29 is also referred to as a decoupling switch 16 in the context of the present application. The switching component 15 performs the above-mentioned switching between the live lines 51, 52, 53. The decoupling component 16 interrupts the live lines. This enables a "break before make" arrangement, so that "hot swapping" can be performed. In Figure 4A the embodiment of, the decoupling switch 16 is located between the output contacts of the three-phase switch 15 and the socket 6. In an alternative embodiment, the position of the decoupling component 16 relative to the switching component 15 can be different. In one embodiment, the decoupling component 16 can be located before the switching component 15. For Figure 4A the first three sockets 6 starting from the left in, a phase switch 29 is provided for each socket 6, and each phase switch 29 includes a switching component 16 and a decoupling component 15 so as to select the live line (if any) delivered to each socket 6. For Figure 4AThe last three sockets 6 starting from the right side provide a phase switch 29 for this group of sockets 6 to select the phase to be delivered to this group of sockets 6. However, each of the last three sockets 6 starting from the right side includes a separate decoupling component 16, such that the phase switch in this configuration includes a switching component 15 and three decoupling components 15, that is, one switching component 15 for a group of sockets, and the number of decoupling components 15 corresponds to the number of sockets in this group. As Figure 4A shown, the power sensor 30 includes a voltage sensor 9 and a current sensor 8 for each of the first three sockets on the left side. For Figure 4A the last three sockets starting from the right side in, the power sensor 30 includes a current sensor 8 for each socket 6 and a voltage sensor 9 shared by all three sockets 6. The controller 17 is configured to monitor the load parameters of the sockets 6 within the PDU module 1, that is, the voltage from the voltage sensor 9 and the current from the current sensor 8, and the controller 17 is also configured to operate at least one phase switch 29 based on the monitored load parameters. The controller 17 can also determine the total load on each phase based on the load parameters, and is also configured to operate at least one phase switch so as to improve the load balance among the three phases, that is, to make the loads on the three phases as equal as possible. Figure 4B shows an alternative wiring of the PDU module, where each socket has a three-phase switch 15 and a decoupling switch 16. In Figure 4B it, each socket 6 also has a voltage sensor 9 and a current sensor 8. Figure 4C shows another wiring of the PDU module, where there is only one three-phase switch 15 and one decoupling switch 16 for each socket. In Figure 4C it, all sockets have one voltage sensor 9, and there is one current sensor 8 for each socket 6.

[0086] Figure 5A 、 Figure 5B 、 Figure 5C 、 Figure 5D 、 Figure 5E 、 Figure 5F respectively show graphical representations of the load parameters of the reference PSU, the healthy PSU (power supply unit), and the faulty PSU in the time domain. The microcontroller 17 is arranged to detect the differences between the graphical representations and determine the fault from the detected differences. Figure 5A shows the curves of the healthy current and voltage varying with time. Figure 5D shows the curve of the faulty current in the same time domain. Figure 5B and Figure 5C show the current harmonics of the healthy PSU. Figure 5B shows the current amplitude. Figure 5C shows the current phase. The illustration of the same graphical representation of the faulty PSU is in Figure 5EThe current amplitude is shown in, Figure 5F and the current phase is shown in Figure 5F . The controller 17 is configured to detect the difference between these graphical representations.

[0087] Figure 6 FIG. Figure 1 shows a power distribution system 60 for powering a multi-PSU (PSU stands for power supply unit) device 61 in a rack system. The power distribution system 60 includes two power strips 62, 63, called PDU A and PDU B respectively, each power strip having slots for receiving modules. In one embodiment, the power strips 62, 63 are Figure 1 and Figure 2 type power strips. Each power strip includes power feeds 64, 65. The power feeds 64, 65 supply power to the outlets. Figure 6 The first function of the embodiment of Figure 6 is to operate as a redundant power distribution system. The redundant power distribution system includes: a first power strip 62 (PDU A) that is arranged to couple a set of electrical devices 61 to a first three-phase power supply 64 through a first PSU 66 of the set of electrical devices 61; and a second power strip 63 (PDU B) that is arranged to couple the set of electrical devices 61 to a second three-phase power supply through a second PSU 67. If one of the two power feeds 64, 65 fails, the other can take over.

[0088] Figure 5A 、 Figure 5B 、 Figure 5C 、 Figure 5E 、 Figure 5D 、 Figure 5E 、 Figure 5F FIG. Figure 6 shows a graphical representation of an oscilloscope view of the change in the load parameters of the PSU of the electrical device, where the load parameter is the load parameter at the corresponding output terminal 6 of the PDU module 1. The first PSU 66 is connected to the first three-phase power supply 64, and the second PSU 67 is connected to a different second three-phase power supply 65. Thus, the present power distribution system is a dual-fed power system, where the rack is provided with two independent power supplies 64, 65, and where the electrical device 61 has two PSUs 66, 67, each PSU being connected to a separate power strip. This dual-fed power system ensures that the electrical device is basically always powered. When one power supply is cut off, the other power supply connected to the same electrical device can be used as a backup power supply. The power distribution system 60 includes a gateway controller 22 located in one of the two power strips. In Figure 6In an embodiment, the controller is provided in the power strip PDU A. The controller 22 is arranged to switch between powering the electrical device 61 in the set of electrical devices using the socket 68 provided on the PDU A and powering the electrical device 61 in the set of electrical devices using the socket 69 provided on the PDU B. The switching includes dividing the power delivery to the electrical devices between the socket provided on the first power strip and the socket provided on the second power strip according to a partitioning scheme, which includes powering the electrical devices entirely through the socket provided on the PDU A (referred to as the main socket). This embodiment ensures that the power wasted by the standby socket is minimized. This may of course lead to a risk of redundancy. In the present invention, this is controlled by providing a quick switch from the faulty or failing socket on the power strip PDU B to the working socket. Some embodiments of the present invention include switching to power the electrical devices entirely through the sockets of the PDUB when a main socket failure is detected, and the PDU B can be regarded as a kind of standby socket. In one embodiment, all the sockets of the PDU A are main sockets, and all the sockets of the PDU B are standby sockets. To achieve a very quick switch, the PDU A and the PDU B are directly connected to each other through a data connection 20 implemented as a data cable in Figure 6 In an embodiment, the data connection 20 between the two power strips 62, 63 is directly connected to each other through a data connection 20 implemented as a data cable. The data connection 20 between the two power strips 62, 63 improves the speed at which the controllers 17, 22 switch the sockets powering the electrical device 31. The data connection 20 avoids having to route the signal from the first power strip to the second power strip through an external network. By not routing through an external network, the network security is also improved at the same time. As described above, the gateway controller 22 is only located in the gateway module 12 provided in the PDU A, that is, the gateway controller 22 is not located in both the PDU A and the PDU B at the same time. Therefore, in Figure 6 In an embodiment, the controller for the PDU B is omitted. This is shown in Figure 6 by a gateway module without a controller. This makes the redundant power distribution system less expensive.

[0089] In an embodiment of the present invention, the power distribution system 60 is configured to minimize the load imbalance between the phase lines of the three-phase power feeder. In a three-phase system, the current imbalance is, for example, the maximum deviation of any phase current from the average value divided by the average current. Since the electrical devices connected to the power distribution system 60 are single-phase loads, an imbalance may occur due to the uneven distribution of the single-phase loads over the three phases. Figure 7 A flowchart of the load imbalance algorithm that can be executed by the controller 22 of the power distribution system 60 is shown.

[0090] In the first step, for each socket, the controller calculates the power based on the measured values received from the voltage sensor 9 and the current sensor 8 in the power distribution system 60, and the controller 22 records the corresponding phase setting for each socket.

[0091] In the second step, based on the calculated power consumption and the information on the phase settings of each socket, calculate the power load imbalance to obtain the calculated load imbalance. The power load imbalance of a three-phase system can be calculated by dividing the maximum deviation of any phase power from the average power by the average power.

[0092] In the third step, calculate the individual power of each socket through an iterative process in which the load imbalance is calculated for a combination of assumed phase settings. To this end, for each socket, obtain an exhaustive list of all possible combinations of phase settings by cycling through the phase settings 1, 2, and 3 corresponding to the live wires 51, 52, and 53 in Figure 4A respectively.

[0093] In the fourth step, select the combination with the lowest calculated load imbalance and mark it as the best case.

[0094] In the fifth step, compare the load imbalance of the best case with the load imbalance calculated in the second step. And, if the load imbalance of the best case is lower than the calculated load imbalance (the "yes" case), the controller sends an instruction to the phase switch 29 to set the phase setting to the phase setting of the best case. However, if the load imbalance of the best case is not lower than the calculated load imbalance (the "no" case), no change is made.

[0095] By performing this method in the power distribution system, the load imbalance can be minimized and the power can be utilized in the most efficient way. As a result, the rack using the power distribution system 60 consumes less energy.

[0096] This imbalance correction method can be performed by a power distribution system having one power strip and one power supply feeder for the power strip, or by a power distribution system having two power strips and two power feeders for the two power strips.

[0097] These power distribution systems can continuously monitor the power consumption based on each socket. In an embodiment of the present invention, the above power imbalance correction can be performed once a day at a set time.

[0098] In a power distribution system having two power strips for powering an electrical device with two PSUs, unbalance correction is performed on the outlets of the two power strips, but the controller can be configured to perform unbalance correction on each power strip at different time points. This ensures that the electrical device is never powered off, as one of the two PSUs is always connected to a power source. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the controller can be configured to perform unbalance correction on all outlets of the two strips simultaneously and switch the two outlets of the two PSUs connected to the electrical device (such as a server) at different time points. Similar to the previous embodiment, this ensures that the electrical device is never powered off, as one of the two PSUs is always connected to a power source.

[0099] By permanently balancing the power consumption of the three phases, the power margin is maximized and idle capacity is eliminated. At the same time, upstream heat losses are reduced.

[0100] Figure 13 、 Figure 14 and Figure 15 shows the difference in heat losses between a conventional system without unbalance correction and a system with unbalance correction according to an embodiment of the present invention. The reduction in heat losses (HLr) can be defined as the difference between the heat losses (HLt) caused by load imbalance in a hard-wired conventional power distribution system and the heat losses (HLi) caused by load imbalance in a power distribution system with unbalance correction according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0101] HLr = HLt - HLi

[0102] It has been measured that by using a power distribution system according to an embodiment of the present invention that performs the unbalance correction method according to an embodiment of the present invention, the load imbalance can be improved from a load imbalance of more than 150% to 50%. As Figure 15 shown, this reduction in imbalance corresponds to a reduction in upstream heat losses from approximately 10% to approximately 1%.

[0103] Figure 2 shows that a PDU module 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is releasably mounted to a frame 3. Once assembled, the frame includes slots for receiving the modules. The PDU module 1 to be installed will be positioned in the slot such that Figure 9 the contact pins 25 shown cooperate with the contact pin receivers 23, and the data connector 26 cooperates with the data connector receiver 27.

[0104] The contact pins 25 connected to the contact pin receivers 23 transmit alternating current, which can be bidirectional. The data connector 26 connected to the data connector receiver 27 transmits direct current (DC) from the backbone (i.e., the assembled frame without the inserted module) to the modules 1, 12 on the one hand and is configured for bidirectional data communication to and from the modules on the other hand.

[0105] The module, PDU module 1, and / or gateway module 12 are releasably mounted to the frame by a snap mechanism. When the module is placed in position, the snap locks the module in the correct position.

[0106] In one embodiment of the present invention, the power distribution system 60 is configured to save the energy consumed by a dual-PSU server. This is achieved by performing the following method:

[0107] · In the first step, all PSUs are connected for a first predetermined time. The first predetermined time is preferably between 10 minutes and 50 minutes, more preferably between 20 minutes and 40 minutes, and most preferably 30 minutes. The controller 22 sends instructions to the microcontrollers 17 in the different modules 1 to set all the decoupling components 16 of the plurality of phase switches 29 to the closed state. This is shown in Figure 10 which shows a dual-PSU server with the decoupling switch 16 in 4 different states. After the first step, the dual-PSU server is in the Figure 10 top state, where the decoupling switches on both sides are in the ON state.

[0108] · In the second step, the power consumption of each socket is measured, and the power signal of each socket and thus the power signal of each PSU is received by the microcontroller 17 in the PDU module.

[0109] · In the third step, the microcontroller 17 performs a sanity check on the power supply signals of all PSUs by applying a standard power quality measurement definition to the signals of all PSUs, which is but not limited to IEEE1159-1995. This sanity check is performed because, if all PSUs are classified as "healthy", disconnecting the PSUs will not affect the server power requirements. When a PSU enters its first operation, it assumes its health by recording its signal, which is confirmed by the operator by feel.

[0110] · In the fourth step, one of the two PSUs in each dual-PSU server is disconnected for a second predetermined time. The second predetermined time is preferably between 15 hours and 30 hours, more preferably between 20 hours and 25 hours, and most preferably 23 hours 30 minutes. This is shown by the Figure 10 second state in which the right PSU is in the OFF state and the left PSU is in the ON state.

[0111] · In the fifth step, once the second predetermined time has elapsed, the first, second, and third steps are performed again. This includes the Figure 10 third state of the dual-PSU server shown in where both PSUs are in the ON state again.

[0112] · In the sixth step, the fourth step is performed again, but now the other PSU out of the two PSUs of each dual-PSU server is disconnected for a second predetermined time. This is Figure 10 the fourth state in which the left PSU is in the OFF state and the right PSU is in the ON state. The method can be continuously performed until the health check determines an unhealthy PSU.

[0113] The advantage of controlling the power supplied to the dual-PSU server according to the above steps is that this results in lower power consumption for each dual-PSU server. This is shown in Figure 11 which Figure 11 shows the power consumption at two PSUs and the combined power consumption during a 48-hour period of an embodiment, where the first predetermined time and the second predetermined time have the most preferred values, i.e., the first predetermined time is 30 minutes and the second predetermined time is 23 hours 30 minutes. Within the first 30 minutes, both PSUs are connected and the power consumption is at the level shown as segment 1P. After 30 minutes, the power consumption drops, corresponding to the fourth step in the above method. As shown in segment 2P, one of the two PSUs is disconnected and the power consumption is lower. After the second predetermined time of 23 hours 30 minutes, both PSUs are again connected to the power supply, corresponding to the sixth step in the above method, because both PSUs are connected to the power supply again for 30 minutes. This is shown by segment 3P in Figure 11 which. After the predetermined 30-minute period of segment 3P in Figure 11 which, so after a total of 24 hours 30 minutes, the other PSU out of the two PSUs is now disconnected from the power supply and the power consumption drops again for 23 hours 30 minutes, corresponding to the sixth step in the above method. This is shown by segment 4P in Figure 11 which.

[0114] Figure 12 The efficiency of the PSU at each load percentage on the x-axis is shown on the y-axis of the graph. The curve shows that the efficiency of the PSU varies based on the load percentage and increases by increasing the load in the range between 0% and approximately 50%. Given that PSUs typically do not operate above 50% load, mostly in the range of 10% to 30%, in the above method shown in Figure 11 by transferring the load of the PSU disconnected from the power supply, the power supply kept connected to the power supply is pushed to a higher efficiency. As shown in Figure 12 assuming that when both PSUs are connected to the power supply, the load percentage of both PSUs is 15%, by disconnecting one PSU, the load will increase from 15% to 30%, which will result in the efficiency increasing from 90% to 93%.

[0115] In addition, by implementing the above method, there is an additional advantage that the circuits and sectors of the disconnected PSU also do not consume energy.

[0116] This method can be extended to servers with more than two PSUs. In this case, at least two PSUs can remain active, one PSU on each power feeder, thus maintaining the redundancy.

[0117] Figure 16 、 Figure 17 、 Figure 18 and Figure 19 shows a fault checking method according to an embodiment of the present invention, which prevents downtime by monitoring the emergency switching on and off of the PSU based on power quality phenomena.

[0118] In Figure 16 , four dual-PSU servers 161, 162, 163, 164 are shown, all of which are connected to two power feeders. Thus, the four PSUs on the right are connected to power feeder A, and the four PSUs on the left are connected to power feeder B. For all sockets 6 connected to the PSU, the decoupling components 16 of the phase switch 29 are closed, and thus all PSUs are in the 'ON' state as Figure 16 shown. In this case, the dual-PSU servers cannot evenly balance the power consumption on their PSUs. The PSUs on the right consume 0.8 A, while the PSUs on the left consume 0.2 A. As a result, one of the two PSUs in each server cannot operate efficiently.

[0119] As Figure 17 shown, in the same configuration as Figure 16 , multiple PSUs can be disconnected from the power feeder by opening the decoupling components 16 of multiple phase switches 29. When the decoupling components 16 are opened and the PSUs are thus not connected to the power feeder, Figure 17 shows the 'OFF' state. For the dual-PSU server 161, the left PSU 175 is set to the 'OFF' state, while the right PSU 171 remains in the 'ON' state. For server 162, the left PSU 176 is in the ON state, and the right PSU 172 is in the OFF state. For server 163, the left PSU 177 is in the OFF state, and the right PSU 173 is in the ON state. For server 164, the left PSU 178 is in the ON state, and the right PSU is in the OFF state. By disconnecting one of the two PSUs of the dual-PSU server, the power consumption of the remaining connected PSU will increase to 0.95 A. As Figure 17 shown, by dividing the multiple PSUs in the ON state into two power feeders A and B, the total consumption at the two power feeders is 1.9 A. Compared with Figure 16Compared with the case where all PSUs in [the system] are in the ON state, a 5% reduction in power consumption is achieved by disconnecting one of the two PSUs of a dual-PSU server.

[0120] However, when operating a dual-PSU server with only one of the two PSUs connected to the power supply, there is a risk that if one of the two power feeds fails, the server will lose power. In Figure 18 is shown Figure 17 the situation when power feed line B fails. In this case, servers 162 and 164 are no longer connected to the power supply.

[0121] To avoid Figure 18 such a situation, in an embodiment of the present invention, power quality measurement is performed so that an emergency turn-on of PSUs 172 and 174 can be performed by closing the decoupling component 16 of the phase switch 29 in the corresponding socket 6, as Figure 19 shown.

[0122] For power quality measurement, the power quality definition of IEEE 1159-1995 can be used:

[0123]

[0124] In an embodiment of the present invention, the IEEE definition of power quality measurement can be applied to current, total harmonic distortion, and power factor to create a trigger. These quality measurements are performed by the microcontroller 17 in the PDU module. When the controller 17 determines a trigger, the microcontroller 17 instructs the sockets of the 'healthy' power feed to close the decoupling components of all PSUs in the OFF state. Thus, before the power feed fails, the server enters Figure 19 the situation where all PSUs are in the ON state under a healthy power feed. A trigger may be excessive total harmonic distortion. Another trigger may be a sudden increase, decrease, or interruption in current. Yet another trigger may be a sudden drop in power factor. Another trigger may be a deviation in the detected expected zero-crossing time of the voltage. This is shown in Figure 20 shown. Figure 20 shows an alternating current (AC) voltage curve varying with time. The AC voltage curve has a zero-crossing point 201, which occurs every 10 milliseconds (ms) for 50 Hertz (Hz) and every 8.33 milliseconds for 60 Hz, and has extremely low jitter. In Figure 20Among them, the zero crossing point 201 is the zero crossing point during normal operation. As shown by the zero crossing point 202, the zero crossing point can be detected later in time than expected. As shown by the zero crossing point 203, the zero crossing point can be detected earlier in time than expected. The delayed zero crossing point 202 or the earlier zero crossing point 203 are both triggers for power loss. When such a trigger is detected, an instruction will be sent to the controller of the socket of the alternative healthy power feeder to set all sockets to the ON state. This prevents the multi-feed server from being disabled when operating in the energy-saving mode, in which one of the two PSUs is decoupled from the power feeder.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for distributing three-phase power in a rack system, wherein, The rack system includes a power distribution system for powering electrical equipment and configured to be fed by a three-phase power supply. The power distribution system includes at least one power strip, and the power strip includes at least three sockets, a plurality of power sensors for measuring the voltage and current of each socket, and a plurality of phase switches for switching the phase of the live wire of the socket. The method includes: · Receiving the voltage value and current value of each socket, · Calculating the power of each socket based on the received voltage value and current value, · Recording the calculated power of each socket and the corresponding phase setting, · Calculating the power load imbalance based on the calculated power and the phase setting of each socket to obtain the calculated load imbalance, · Calculating the individual power calculation value of each socket through an iterative process, in which the load imbalance is calculated for a hypothetical combination of multiple phase settings, · Selecting the hypothetical combination with the lowest load imbalance as the best case, · Comparing the load imbalance of the best case with the calculated load imbalance, and · If the load imbalance of the best case is lower than the calculated load imbalance, sending an instruction to the plurality of phase switches to set the plurality of phase settings to the plurality of phase settings of the best case.

2. A power distribution system, including a processor configured to execute the method according to claim 1.

3. A computer program, including instructions that, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to execute multiple steps of the method according to claim 1.

4. A computer-implemented method for distributing power in a rack system, wherein, The rack system includes a power distribution system for powering multi-PSU electrical equipment and fed by at least two power supplies. The power distribution system includes at least two power strips, and the power strip includes at least one socket, a power sensor for measuring the voltage signal and current signal of each socket, and a decoupling switch for switching the live wire leading to the socket to on or off. The method includes: · Receiving the voltage signal and current signal of each socket, · Applying power quality measurement to the received signals to determine the trigger of a power failure, · If the trigger of a power failure of the socket connected to the multi-PSU device is determined, determining another socket connected to the multi-PSU device, and · Sending an instruction to the another socket to switch the decoupling switch to the on state.

5. A power distribution system, including a processor configured to execute the method according to claim 4.

6. A computer program, including instructions that, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to execute multiple steps of the method according to claim 4.

7. A power distribution unit (PDU) module for distributing power to electrical equipment arranged in a data center rack, such as servers and network switches. The PDU module includes: · An input end configured to be coupled to a power supply to receive three-phase power from the power supply; · Multiple power lines coupled to the input terminal, the multiple power lines being configured to carry the three-phase power, and wherein the multiple power lines include three live wires and one neutral wire; · Multiple sockets, each socket being coupled to at least two of the multiple power lines so as to receive power of one of the three phases from the three-phase power by connecting to one of the three live wires and the neutral wire, each socket being configured to be coupled to an electrical device so as to supply power to the electrical device, wherein each socket is provided with at least one power sensor, and the at least one power sensor is configured to sense parameters of the power supplied to at least one socket; wherein the PDU module is configured to be connected to a gateway controller such that the gateway controller is connected to the at least one power sensor, and wherein the PDU module further includes at least one three-phase switch and at least one decoupling switch, wherein at least one of the three-phase switches is configured to selectively couple the phase contacts of each socket to one of the three live wires, and wherein the at least one decoupling switch is configured to selectively decouple the phase contacts of each socket from the live wires.

8. The PDU module according to claim 7, wherein, A three-phase switch is provided for each socket to select the live wire connected to each socket.

9. The PDU module according to claim 7, wherein, A three-phase switch is provided for a group of sockets to select the live wire connected to the group of sockets.

10. The PDU module according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein, A decoupling switch is provided for each socket to decouple each socket from the live wires.

11. The PDU module according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein The parameters measured by the power sensor of the socket indicate the load on the socket, and the parameters are also referred to as load parameters. Preferably, the load parameter is the current consumed by the socket. The controller is configured to monitor the load parameters of the multiple sockets within the PDU module and is also configured to create instructions based on the monitored load parameters to operate the at least one three-phase switch and the at least one decoupling switch. The PDU module is configured to receive the instructions from the gateway controller to control the three-phase switch and the decoupling switch.

12. The PDU module according to claim 11, wherein, The controller is configured to determine the total load on each phase based on the load parameters. The controller is also configured to create instructions to operate the at least one three-phase switch and the at least one decoupling switch to increase the load balance among the three phases. The PDU module is configured to receive the instructions from the gateway controller to control the three-phase switch and the decoupling switch.

13. The PDU module according to any one of claims 7 to 12, wherein, The controller is configured to maintain a list of sockets, the phases delivered to the multiple sockets, and the load parameters of the multiple sockets. The controller is also configured to use the list to determine which sockets should switch phases. The controller is configured to create instructions to operate the three-phase switch accordingly.

14. The PDU module according to any one of claims 7 to 13, wherein, The controller is configured to determine a highest load phase and a plurality of lower load phases, and is configured to use the list to determine which outlets should be switched from the highest load phase to one of the plurality of lower load phases.

15. The PDU module according to any one of claims 7 to 14, wherein, The list further includes priorities of the plurality of outlets, the priorities indicating the importance of reliable operation of the plurality of outlets.

16. The PDU module according to any one of claims 7 to 155, wherein, The controller is configured to receive phase load information via a data connector, the phase load information being related to the loads of three phases of at least one external device coupled to the power supply, and the controller is further configured to operate at least one phase switch based on the received phase load information.

17. The PDU module according to any one of claims 7 to 16, wherein, The power sensor is capable of sampling the parameters at the microsecond level, and wherein the controller is adapted to enable an oscilloscope to view a graphical representation of the parameters in the time domain and / or the frequency domain, the graphical representation including a representation of harmonics of the parameters.

18. The PDU module according to any one of claims 7 to 17, wherein, The controller is arranged to identify anomalies in the time domain and / or frequency domain representation of the parameters.

19. The PDU module according to any one of claims 7 to 18, wherein, The controller is arranged to compare the measured parameters with reference data retrieved from the cloud in order to allow anomalies in the time domain and / or frequency domain representation of the parameters to be identified based on machine learning, in the cloud there being stored the measured parameters of the PDU module and preferably also the measured parameters from other PDU modules.

20. The PDU module according to any one of claims 7 to 19, wherein, The parameter measured by the power sensor is the current delivered to the output, and wherein the input of the PDU module further includes a voltage sensor arranged to measure the voltage between the plurality of power lines at the microsecond level, and wherein the controller is adapted to enable an oscilloscope to view a graphical representation of the voltage in the time domain and / or the frequency domain, the graphical representation including a representation of harmonics of the parameters.

21. A power strip, comprising an elongate frame arranged to be mounted to a data center rack in a vertical 0U configuration or a horizontal 1U configuration, the power strip further comprising at least one PDU module according to any one of the preceding claims 7 to 21, the PDU module being mounted on the frame.

22. The power strip according to claim 21, wherein, At least one of the PDU modules is removably mounted on the frame, thereby forming a modular power strip.

23. The power strip according to any one of claims 21 to 22, wherein The power strip further comprises at least one network switch module having a plurality of network ports, the at least one network switch module being removably mounted on the frame.

24. The power strip according to any one of claims 21 to 23, wherein, The power strip includes a plurality of PDU modules.

25. The power strip according to any one of claims 21 to 24, wherein, The controller is mounted on the power strip.

26. The power strip according to any one of claims 21 to 25, wherein The frame includes a power inlet connected to the power supply, and wherein the plurality of modules mounted to the frame receive power from the power inlet.

27. The power strip according to any one of claims 21 to 26, wherein, The frame includes a power bus, and wherein the plurality of modules mounted on the frame are connected to the power bus to transfer power from the power bus to the plurality of modules.

28. A power distribution system for powering a multi-PSU ICT device, the power distribution system comprising: The first power strip according to any one of the preceding claims 21 to 27, the first power strip being arranged to couple the multi-PSU ICT device to a first three-phase power supply; and the second power strip according to any one of the preceding claims 21 to 27, the second power strip being arranged to couple the same multi-PSU ICT device to a second three-phase power supply, wherein the multi-PSU ICT device includes two physically distinct power inlets, wherein a first power inlet is connected to the first three-phase power supply and a second power inlet is connected to the second three-phase power supply.

29. The power distribution system according to the previous claim, wherein, The system includes a gateway controller arranged to switch between powering the multi-PSU ICT device using sockets provided on the first power strip and powering the multi-PSU ICT device using sockets provided on the second power strip.

30. The power distribution system according to the previous claim, wherein, The switching includes dividing the power delivery to the multi-PSU ICT device between the sockets provided on the first power strip and the sockets provided on the second power strip according to a partitioning scheme.

31. The power distribution system according to the previous claim, wherein, The partitioning scheme includes: fully powering the electrical device through a socket called the main socket provided on one of the first power strip and the second power strip; and when a failure of the main socket is detected, switching to fully powering the electrical device through a socket called the standby socket provided on the other of the first power strip and the second power strip.

32. The power distribution system according to the previous claim, wherein, All sockets in the first power strip are main sockets, and all sockets of the second power strip are standby sockets.

33. The power distribution system according to any one of claims 28 to 32, wherein, The first power strip and the second power strip are directly connected by a data connector to increase the speed at which the controller can switch the sockets powering the ICT device, the data connector preferably being a data cable.

34. The power distribution system according to the preceding claims, wherein, The gateway controller is provided in one of the first power strip or the second power strip.

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