Redundant power supply device for multi-input IT load

Abstract

A power system for a data center is presented, the power system comprising: a first rack; a first power converter coupled to the first rack first input, the first power converter configured to adjust a first output voltage of the first power converter based on a first portion of the first DC power; a second power converter coupled to the first rack second input, the second power converter configured to provide a second DC power to the first rack and the second rack, the second power converter further configured to regulate a second output voltage of the second power converter based on a first portion of the second DC power and a second portion of the second DC power; a first asymmetric conductive device coupled between the first power converter and the first chassis; and a second asymmetric conductive device coupled between the second power converter and the first chassis.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] At least one example according to this disclosure generally relates to a power system for providing balanced and / or redundant power in a data center or similar environment. Background Technology

[0002] Data centers can house multiple servers or other types of computer systems. These systems may require constant or variable power, depending on their respective load levels. Summary of the Invention

[0003] According to at least one aspect of this disclosure, a power system for a data center is provided, the power system comprising: a first rack having a first rack first input and a first rack second input; a first power converter coupled to the first rack first input and configured to provide a first DC power to the first rack, the first power converter being configured to regulate a first output voltage of the first power converter based at least in part on a first portion of the first DC power associated with the first rack first input; a second power converter coupled to the first rack second input and configured to be coupled to a second rack, the second power converter being configured to provide a second DC power to the first rack and the second rack, the second power converter being further configured to regulate a second output voltage of the second power converter based at least in part on a first portion of the second DC power associated with the first rack second input and a second portion of the second DC power associated with the second rack; a first asymmetric conductive device coupled between the first power converter and the first rack; and a second asymmetric conductive device coupled between the second power converter and the first rack.

[0004] In some examples, the power system further includes a first droop controller coupled to a first power converter and a second droop controller coupled to a second power converter. In some examples, the first droop controller is configured to control the first power converter to regulate a first output voltage at least partially based on a first portion of a first DC power. In some examples, the first droop controller is configured to control the first power converter to regulate the first DC power based on the first output voltage. In some examples, the first droop controller is configured to control the first power converter to decrease the first output voltage as the first DC power increases and increase the first output voltage as the first DC power decreases. In some examples, the second droop controller is configured to control the second power converter to regulate a second output voltage at least partially based on a first portion of a second DC power. In some examples, the second droop controller is configured to control the second power converter to regulate the second DC power based on a second output voltage. In some examples, the second droop controller is configured to control the second power converter to decrease the second output voltage as the second DC power increases and increase the second output voltage as the second DC power decreases. In some examples, the power system further includes a second rack, the second rack including a second rack first input and a second rack second input. In some examples, the power system further includes a third power converter coupled to the second rack and configured to provide a third DC power to the second rack, the third power converter being configured to regulate a third output voltage based at least in part on a first portion of the third DC power associated with a second input of the second rack; a third asymmetric conductor coupled between the second power converter and the second rack; and a fourth asymmetric conductor coupled between the third power converter and the second rack, wherein the second rack includes a second rack first input and a second rack second input, and the second power converter is configured to regulate a second output voltage based at least in part on a second portion of the second DC power associated with the second rack first input. In some examples, the third power converter includes a third droop controller configured to control the third power converter to decrease the third output voltage as the third DC power increases and increase the third output voltage as the third DC power decreases. In some examples, each rack includes a plurality of subracks connected in parallel with each other relative to the power converter.

[0005] According to at least one aspect of this disclosure, a method is provided for providing redundant power to one or more loads in a data center and balancing the power between power sources providing redundant power, comprising: providing a first portion of a first DC power from a first power converter to the first load via a first asymmetric conductive device connected to a first input of the first load; providing a first portion of a second DC power from a second power converter to the first load via a second asymmetric conductive device connected to a second input of the first load; adjusting a first output voltage of the first power converter based on the first DC power by decreasing a first output voltage as the first DC power increases; and adjusting a second output voltage of the second power converter based on the second DC power by decreasing a second output voltage as the second DC power increases.

[0006] In some examples, the method further includes: providing a second portion of the second DC power from the second power converter to the second load via a third asymmetric conductive device connected to the first input of the second load; providing a first portion of the third DC power from the third power converter to the second load via a fourth asymmetric conductive device connected to the second input of the second load; and adjusting the third output voltage of the third power converter based on the third DC power by decreasing the third voltage as the third DC power increases. In some examples, the method further includes providing the first DC power, the second DC power, and the third DC power such that the amounts of DC power provided by the first power converter, the second power converter, and the third power converter are balanced. In some examples, the method further includes controlling the first output voltage using a first droop controller and controlling the second output voltage using a second droop controller.

[0007] According to at least one aspect of this disclosure, one or more non-transitory computer-readable media are provided, which contain instructions for instructing one or more droop controllers, the instructions instructing: a first droop controller to control a first DC power converter to output a first output voltage, determine a first DC power associated with the first output voltage and a first rack, and, in response to determining the first DC power, to provide the first DC power to the first rack via a first asymmetric conductive device, and, in response to an increase in the first DC power, to decrease the first output voltage; and a second droop controller to control a second DC power converter to output a second output voltage, determine a second DC power associated with the second voltage and the first rack, and, in response to determining the second DC power, to provide the second DC power to the first rack via a second asymmetric conductive device, and, in response to an increase in the second DC power, to decrease the second output voltage.

[0008] In some examples, the instructions further instruct a third droop controller to: control a third DC power converter to output a third output voltage, determine a third DC power associated with the third voltage and the second rack, provide the third DC power to the second rack via a third asymmetric conductive device in response to determining the third DC power, and decrease the third output voltage in response to an increase in the third DC power. In some examples, the instructions further instruct a second droop controller to: determine a second portion of the second DC power associated with the second output voltage and the second rack, provide the second portion of the second DC power to the second rack via a third asymmetric conductive device in response to determining the second portion of the second DC power, and decrease the second output voltage in response to an increase in the second DC power. In some examples, a first DC power is provided to a first input of the first rack, and a second DC power is provided to a second input of the first rack, wherein the first DC power decreases as the second DC power increases, and the second DC power decreases as the first DC power increases. Attached Figure Description

[0009] At least one embodiment will now be discussed with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are not intended to be drawn to scale. The drawings are included to provide illustration and further understanding of the aspects and embodiments, and are incorporated in and form part of this specification, but are not intended to be a definition of limitation for any particular embodiment. The drawings, together with the remainder of the specification, serve to explain the principles and operation of the described and claimed aspects and embodiments. In the drawings, each identical or substantially identical component shown in the various figures is denoted by the same reference numerals. For clarity, not every component may be labeled in every figure. In the drawings:

[0010] Figure 1 An example of an electric power system is shown;

[0011] Figure 2 An example of an electric power system is shown;

[0012] Figure 3 A graph based on the example is shown;

[0013] Figure 4 A set of tables based on the example is shown;

[0014] Figure 5 A set of tables based on the example is shown;

[0015] Figure 6 A set of tables based on the example is shown;

[0016] Figure 7 A set of tables based on the example is shown;

[0017] Figure 8 A set of tables based on the example is shown;

[0018] Figure 9 A set of tables based on the example is shown;

[0019] Figure 10 An example of an electric power system is shown;

[0020] Figure 11 The process for providing balanced power, based on an example, is shown;

[0021] Figure 12 An example power system is shown; and

[0022] Figure 13 A graph based on an example is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0023] Data centers can contain numerous loads that consume power. These loads can include servers, server racks, computer systems, routers (and similar switching equipment), etc. In the examples discussed in this article, various loads may require different amounts of power, and / or the power required by a particular load may vary over time depending on factors such as load utilization. However, a given power supply may not be able to provide enough power to every load, or may not be connected to every load. Similarly, when multiple power supplies are connected to a given one (or more) loads, the power supplies can be configured to provide balanced power to the loads. Balanced power does not necessarily mean that each power supply provides the same amount of power to a given load. Rather, in some examples, it means that the power drawn from the power supplies is distributed to the loads in a way that ensures each load receives sufficient power without any power supply being under undue load.

[0024] Examples of power systems discussed in this article include power supplies with droop controllers configured to automatically adjust the output voltage of the power supply. The power supply can be connected to loads, such as server racks, and each load can be connected to two or more power supplies. Since a given load can draw power from two or more power supplies, the load can be equipped with diodes (or other asymmetrical conductors) such that current (and therefore power) drawn from one power supply cannot be supplied to the input of another power supply. A given load can receive power from two or more power supplies simultaneously. For example, a given load may receive X% of its power from a first power supply (where X is a number between 0 and 100) and (100-X)% from a second power supply. The amount of power received from a given power supply can change dynamically depending on the load utilization of the load to which the given power supply is connected. Therefore, in the example above, if the power supply providing X% of the power to the load is no longer able to provide X% of the power, but now provides Y% of the power (where Y is less than X), the second power supply can automatically provide additional power to compensate for the reduction in power provided by the first power supply. In systems with multiple power supplies and multiple loads, the above principles can be extended to any number of loads and / or power supplies, as will be discussed in more detail below.

[0025] Figure 1 A power system 100 for providing balanced power to one or more loads is illustrated according to an example. The power system 100 includes a first power converter 102 (“first converter 102”), a first droop controller 104, a second power converter 106 (“second converter 106”), a second droop controller 108, a first node 110, a second node 112, a server rack 114 (“rack 114”), a first input 116, a second input 118, a first asymmetric conductor 120 (“first diode 120”), a second asymmetric conductor 122 (“second diode 122”), a third node 124, and a power distribution unit 126 (“PDU 126”).

[0026] The power system 100 is configured to provide balanced power to the rack 114 from a first converter 102 and a second converter 106. In some examples, a first droop controller 104 may regulate the output voltage of the first converter 102 based on the power drawn from it, and a second droop controller 108 of the second converter 106 may regulate the output voltage of the second converter 106 based on the power drawn from it. By regulating the output voltage, the first droop controller 104 and the second droop controller 108 may control the amount of power provided by their respective power converters, such that when one power converter (e.g., the first converter 102) cannot provide as much power, the other power converter (e.g., the second converter 106) can then provide additional power.

[0027] The first converter 102 includes a first droop controller 104. The first converter 102 and / or the first droop controller 104 are coupled to a first node 110. The second converter 106 includes a second droop controller 108. The second converter 106 and / or the second droop controller 108 are coupled to a second node 112. The first node 110 is coupled to a first input 116, and the second node 112 is coupled to a second input 118.

[0028] Rack 114 includes a first input 116, a second input 118, a first diode 120, a second diode 122, a third node 124, and a PDU 126. The first input 116 is connected to the first diode 120. In some examples, the first input 116 is connected to the anode of the first diode 120. The first diode 120 is connected to the third node 124. In some examples, the cathode of the first diode 120 is connected to the third node 124. The second input 118 is connected to the second diode 122. In some examples, the second input 118 is connected to the anode of the second diode 122. The second diode 122 is connected to the third node 124. In some examples, the cathode of the second diode 122 is connected to the third node 124. The third node 124 is connected to the PDU 126. In some examples, the third node 124 is connected to the first input of the PDU 126.

[0029] The first converter 102 is configured to provide a first output voltage to the first node 110. Figure 1 In this context, "V1" represents the first output voltage. The first converter 102 can provide DC power to rack 114 and / or first node 110. In some examples, the first converter 102 can be capable of converting from multiple types of power to one or more types of power, including DC power. For example, the first converter can combine the functions of an AC / DC and / or DC / DC power converter, and therefore can be capable of converting AC power to DC power or DC power to DC power.

[0030] The first droop controller 104 is configured to control a first output voltage. The first droop controller 104 can increase or decrease the first output voltage by controlling the first converter 102 to change the first output voltage or by directly changing the first output voltage. The first droop controller 104 can control the first output voltage based on the power drawn from the rack 114 by the first converter 102. In some examples, the power drawn from the rack 114 by the first converter 102 is the power measured or sensed at the first node 110 (in...). Figure 1The power sensed at the first input 116 (represented by "V1"). In some examples, the first droop controller 104 may control the first output voltage based on the output power level of the first converter 102. In some examples, the first droop controller 104 may directly measure the output power level of the first converter 102.

[0031] The second converter 106 is configured to provide a second output voltage to the second node 112. Figure 1 In this context, "V2" represents the second output voltage. The second converter 106 can provide DC power to rack 114 and / or second node 112. In some examples, the second converter 106 can be capable of converting from multiple types of power to one or more types of power, including DC power. For example, the first converter can combine the functions of an AC / DC and / or DC / DC power converter, and therefore can be capable of converting AC power to DC power or DC power to DC power.

[0032] The second droop controller 108 is configured to control the second output voltage. The second droop controller 108 can increase or decrease the second output voltage by controlling the second converter 106 to change the second output voltage or by directly changing the second output voltage. The second droop controller 108 can control the second output voltage based on the power drawn from the rack 114 and derived from the second converter 106. In some examples, the power drawn from the rack 114 and derived from the second converter 106 is the power measured or sensed at the second node 112 (in...). Figure 1 The second output voltage is determined by the second input (represented by "V2") and / or sensed at the second input 118. In some examples, the second droop controller 108 may control the second output voltage based on the output power level of the second converter 106. In some examples, the second droop controller 108 may directly measure the output power level of the second converter 106.

[0033] The first converter 102 can provide X% of the total power supplied to rack 114, while the second converter 106 can provide Y% of the total power supplied to rack 114, where X and Y are numbers between 0 and 100. In some examples, Y may be equal to 100-X. Each converter provides an output voltage V1 or V2. In some examples, the first droop controller 104 may initially provide a high first output voltage, and as the output power of the first converter 102 approaches 100% (e.g., as the first converter 102 reaches full load utilization), the first droop controller 104 may cause the first output voltage to drop to a lower first output voltage relative to the initial high first output voltage. When the output power of the second converter 106 reaches 100%, the second droop controller 108 may similarly cause the second output voltage to drop to a lower voltage. Either or both of the first droop controller 104 and the second droop controller 108 may have a voltage drop characteristic curve (“droop characteristic curve”), which may be a curve showing how the output voltage changes with the output power. In some examples, one or both of the first droop controller 104 and / or the second droop controller 108 may use a power droop control scheme (e.g., instead of a voltage droop control scheme). The power droop may be a curve showing how the output power changes with voltage variations, and each or both of the controllers 104, 108 may have a power droop curve showing how the output power changes with the output voltage.

[0034] As will be discussed in more detail below, the output power of a given power converter can depend on the power drawn by rack 114 and its associated loads. Consequently, if a given power converter is connected to more than one rack 114, the output power of the power converter can depend on the power consumed by the rack to which the power converter is connected.

[0035] Rack 114 can be any type of server rack, computer system, or other type of electronic load, and can be located in a data center or similar space. Rack 114 can hold a number of servers or other computers and may include PDU 126. PDU 126 can be configured to distribute power received from the first converter 102 and / or the second converter 106 to various servers within rack 114. Rack 114 may have a first input 116 and a second input 118. The first input 116 is configured to receive a first output voltage (V1) of the first converter 102, and the second input 118 is configured to receive a second output voltage (V2) of the second converter 106.

[0036] The first diode 120 is an asymmetric conducting device, which can be a diode or any other type of asymmetric conducting device. An asymmetric conducting device is a device that allows current in one direction but not in the opposite direction (subject to breakdown voltage), such as a diode. The first diode 120 allows current to flow from the first converter 102 to the PDU 126, but prevents current from flowing from the PDU 126 to the first converter 102. The second diode 122 is similar to the first diode 120 because it is also an asymmetric conducting device. The second diode 122 allows current to flow from the second converter 106 to the PDU 126, but prevents current from flowing from the PDU 126 to the second converter 106. Therefore, if the first converter 102 or the second converter 106 provides excessive power and / or current for a period of time, then the first diode 120 and the second diode 122 prevent the first converter 102 and / or the second converter 106 from receiving feedback current corresponding to the excessive power and / or current.

[0037] PDU 126 can be a power distribution unit, such as a power board or any other device for distributing power to servers or other loads within rack 114, or a power supply unit (PSU) or other power distribution equipment. PDU 126 receives power from first converter 102 and second converter 106 and distributes the power to the loads. PDU 126 may have internal functionality, such as an internal switch, transformer, or other converter, or it may be as simple as a bus that connects the loads to the power supply (e.g., first converter 102 and second converter 106).

[0038] Figure 2 A power system 200 according to an example is shown. Power system 200 is configured to provide balanced and redundant power to one or more loads. Power system 200 can be coupled with… Figure 1 The power system 100 is similarly configured, and in some examples, it may be... Figure 1 The power system 100 is expanded to include multiple racks and more than two power converters. The power system 200 promotes a high level of redundancy, such that if one or more of the power converters 202, 204, 206, and 208 of the power system 200 fail, all racks 210, 212, 214, 216, 218, and 220 can remain powered.

[0039] The power system 200 includes a first power converter 202, a second power converter 204, a third power converter 206, a fourth power converter 208, a first rack 210, a second rack 212, a third rack 214, a fourth rack 216, a fifth rack 218, and a sixth rack 220. The number of power converters can be arbitrary, therefore... Figure 2The four power converters shown are just one example. Similarly, the number of racks can be arbitrary. Finally, there can be more power converters than racks, the same number of power converters and racks, or more racks than power converters.

[0040] The output of the first power converter 202 is connected to the first input of the first rack 210, the first input of the second rack 212, and the first input of the third rack 214. The output of the second power converter 204 is connected to the second input of the first rack 210, the first input of the fourth rack 216, and the first input of the fifth rack 218. The output of the third power converter 206 is connected to the second input of the second rack 212, the second input of the fourth rack 216, and the first input of the sixth rack 220. The output of the fourth power converter 208 is connected to the second input of the third rack 214, the second input of the fifth rack 218, and the second input of the sixth rack 220.

[0041] A first power converter 202 is configured to provide a first output power to a first rack 210, a second rack 212, and a third rack 214. A second power converter 204 is configured to provide a second output power to a first rack 210, a fourth rack 216, and a fifth rack 218. A third power converter 206 is configured to provide a third output power to a second rack 212, a fourth rack 216, and a sixth rack 220. A fourth power converter 208 is configured to provide a fourth output power to a third rack 214, a fifth rack 218, and a sixth rack 220.

[0042] Each of the first power converter 202, the second power converter 204, the third power converter 206, and / or the fourth power converter 208 may include a corresponding droop controller (e.g., Figure 1 The first droop controller 104). The droop controller can be configured to reduce the output voltage based on the level of output power.

[0043] For example, the first power converter 202 can be configured to provide a maximum of 50 kilowatts (kW) of power per unit time. At a 100% output power level, the first power converter 202 can provide 50 kW of first output power per unit time to the rack to which it supplies power. At a 50% output power level, the first power converter 202 can provide 25 kW of first output power per unit time, and so on, with a 0% power level indicating that the first power converter 202 provides no or almost no first output power. As the first output power level increases from 0% to 100%, the droop controller for the first power converter 202 can decrease the output voltage corresponding to the first output power according to the droop characteristic curve. Each of the other corresponding droop controllers can be configured in a similar manner with their own corresponding droop characteristic curves (which can all be the same, some the same, or all different).

[0044] At various times, as follows about Figures 4 to 9 In more detail, a given rack or power converter may operate offline, suboptimally, or draw relatively less power, thereby releasing power in power system 200 (when the rack is offline or draws less power) or reducing the available power in power system 200 (when the power converter is offline or operates suboptimally). As a result, the power derived from a given power converter may fluctuate, as the given power converter may need to provide more power in response to the rack using more power or another power converter providing less power.

[0045] For example, a first power converter 202 is coupled to a first rack 210, a second rack 212, and a third rack 214, providing a first output power (with a first output voltage) to each of these racks. A second power converter 204 is coupled to the first rack 210, providing a second output power to the first rack 210 with a second output voltage. If the second power converter 204 is offline or suffers some error that reduces the level of its second output power, the first power converter 202 may need to provide additional first output power to compensate for the losses of the second power converter 204. As a result, the first power converter 202 may be able to provide less first output power to the second rack 212 and / or the third rack 214. This, in turn, may allow the third power converter 206 to provide more third output power to the second rack 212, and the fourth power converter 208 to provide more fourth output power to the third rack 214. However, the amounts of the third and fourth output power can thus be altered, resulting in a further change in the proportion of power supplied to a given rack by a given power converter.

[0046] However, with the droop controller providing droop control, the power system 200 can automatically balance the power output so that the total output power level of each power converter is approximately the same. Figure 4-9 This point was discussed further.

[0047] While the above is illustrative, racks can operate at variable load utilization levels (e.g., for a given rack, there may be a range of power consumption between "off" and full-power states). Furthermore, rack load utilization may vary over time. Therefore, the proportions of the first, second, and third output powers distributed across the racks can change at regular or irregular intervals. A droop controller integrated into (or associated with) the power converter can automatically adjust the output voltage corresponding to the first, second, third, and / or fourth output powers based on the droop characteristic curve.

[0048] Figure 3 A graph 300 showing the descent characteristic curve according to the example is shown. Graph 300 includes a first axis 302, a second axis 304, a first trace 306, and a second trace 308.

[0049] The first axis 302 expresses the power converter (e.g.) as a percentage. Figure 1 The output power of the first converter 102) or other power supply starts from 0% and progresses up to 100% or higher.

[0050] The second axis 304 indicates the output voltage between 0 volts (V) and 380V.

[0051] The first trace 306 represents the droop controller (e.g., Figure 1 The descent characteristic curve of the first droop controller 104.

[0052] The second trace 308 indicates the intersection between 100% output power (of the power converter) and the output voltage (of the power converter) corresponding to 100% output power. In this example, 100% output power is achieved at an output voltage of 361V.

[0053] In this example, when the power converter provides relatively little power or virtually no power, the output voltage can be 380V, as indicated by the first trace 306. As the output power of the power converter increases, the droop controller manages the output voltage, causing it to decrease. In this example, the droop characteristic curve is linear and has a slope of 5%. That is, as the output power increases from 0% to 100%, the output voltage decreases by 5%. Therefore, for example, at 50% output power, the output voltage will decrease by 2.5%, and at 90% output power, the output voltage will decrease by 4.5%, and so on. Thus, the output voltage of 361V at 100% output power is 95% of the maximum 380V shown in graph 300.

[0054] Although the droop curve shown is linear, it does not need to be linear. Similarly, while the droop slope shown is 5%, it can be any value. In some examples, the droop slope can be between 0% and 10%.

[0055] Therefore, when the droop controller controls the output voltage of the power converter, the droop controller can reduce the output voltage when the output power is close to 100%, and can increase the output voltage when the output power is close to 0%.

[0056] When multiple power converters are connected to a single load, and Figure 2 Like the first power converter 202, the second power converter 204, and the first rack 210, the droop controller for the first power converter 202 and the droop controller for the second power converter 204 can scale the output power provided by the two power converters so that all the necessary power is available to the first rack 210, while also ensuring that power is shared between the two power converters.

[0057] When a power converter is connected to multiple loads and those loads are also connected to other power converters (e.g.) Figure 2 As shown, the droop controllers associated with those power converters will automatically adjust the output voltage of the power converters as the power sharing between loads (and therefore the ratio of power from any given power converter to any given load) changes. This can have the effect of automatically balancing the power output as load utilization and power output levels change.

[0058] Figure 4 A set of Tables 400 (“Table 400”) is shown according to an example, illustrating the impact of droop control and redundant power connections on a power system with four power sources and six loads. For example, by Figure 4 The described power system can be Figure 2The power system 200. It should be understood that although Table 400 describes a power system with four power sources and six loads, the number of power sources and loads can be arbitrarily large. Table 400 includes a first table 402 and a second table 404.

[0059] Table 402 includes four rows labeled “Source,” “On / Off,” “Output Power Level (%),” and “Output Voltage.” The “Source” row indicates the source (between “1” and “4”), the “On / Off” row indicates whether the corresponding source is on or off, the “Output Power Level (%)” row indicates the percentage of output power provided by the corresponding source, and the “Output Voltage” row indicates the output voltage (in volts) of the corresponding source. A source can be, for example, a power converter, such as the power converter discussed herein. In some examples, the source corresponds to… Figure 2 The power converters (e.g., source 1 is the first power converter 202, source 2 is the second power converter 204, source 3 is the third power converter 206, and source 4 is the fourth power converter 208).

[0060] Table 404, Part 2, has two columns labeled "Load" and "Load Utilization Level (%)". The "Load" column indicates the relevant load for each of the six loads, labeled "A" through "F". The "Load Utilization Level (%)" column indicates how much of the maximum available power of the load is being used. That is, 100% indicates the load is fully utilized, 50% indicates the load is partially utilized, 0% indicates the load is off, and so on. In some examples, the load corresponds to... Figure 2 The racks (e.g., load A is the first rack 210, load B is the second rack 212, load C is the third rack 214, load D is the fourth rack 216, load E is the fifth rack 218, and load F is the sixth rack 220).

[0061] It can be seen that each of loads A through F is at 100% utilization. Each of sources 1 through 4 is on. Under simulated conditions, including minor differences due to the imbalance in cable length between the sources and loads, source 1 operates at 75% output power, sources 2 and 3 operate at 76% output power, and source 3 operates at 77% output power. Each source has an output voltage of 367V (beyond 380V, corresponding to...). Figure 4 (The maximum value of 380V in curve 300). Power supplies 1-4 have approximately equal output power levels and therefore provide power in a balanced manner.

[0062] Figure 5 A set of tables 500 (“Tables 500”) including a first table 502 and a second table 504 is shown. The first table 502 has the same characteristics as... Figure 4The first table 402 has the same rows (source, on / off, output power level, output voltage), and the second table 504 has the same... Figure 4 The second table (404) has the same columns (load, load utilization level). Source and load can also be corresponding to... Figure 2 In and them in Figure 4 The same things in the middle.

[0063] In Table 502, each source 1-4 is turned on. Each source 1-4 has an output voltage of 373V. Sources 1, 2, and 4 have an output power level of 41%, and source 3 has an output power level of 40%. Each load AF is turned on, but each has a different load utilization level. Load A has an 85% load utilization level, load B has a 10% load utilization level, load C has a 70% load utilization level, load D has a 45% load utilization level, load E has a 22% load utilization level, and load F has an 80% load utilization level.

[0064] therefore, Figure 5 This demonstrates that even when different loads are drawing vastly different amounts of power, the output power level of the power source can still be determined by the power system (e.g., Figure 2 The power system balance (200).

[0065] Figure 6 A set of tables 600 (“Tables 600”) including a first table 602 and a second table 604 is shown. The first table 602 has a... Figure 4 The first table 402 has the same rows (source, on / off, output power level, output voltage), and the second table 604 has the same... Figure 4 The second table (404) has the same columns (load, load utilization level). Source and load can also be corresponding to... Figure 2 In and them in Figure 4 The same things in the middle.

[0066] In the first table 602, each power source is connected. In the second table 604, loads B, D, and F are not using any power, while load A is at 100% utilization, load E at 60% utilization, and load C at 30% utilization. As a result, power source 3 has approximately 1% output power and approximately 380V output voltage because the loads connected to power source 3 are not using power. Power source 1 has 31% output power at 375V, power source 2 has 32% output power at 374V, and power source 4 has 40% output power at 375V. This shows that even when multiple loads are disconnected, so that a given power source is not connected to any load currently drawing power, the power system (e.g., Figure 2 The power system (200) can still balance the output power levels between power sources.

[0067] Figure 7 A set of tables 700 (“Tables 700”) including a first table 702 and a second table 704 is shown. The first table 702 has a... Figure 4 The first table 402 has the same rows (source, on / off, output power level, output voltage), and the second table 704 has the same... Figure 4 The second table (404) has the same columns (load, load utilization level). Source and load can also be corresponding to... Figure 2 In and them in Figure 4 The same things in the middle.

[0068] According to Table 702, power supply 4 is off and therefore has a 0% output power level and a 0V output voltage. Power supplies 1-3 are on and each has a 101% output power level and a 362V output voltage. According to Table 704, each load is at 100% utilization. This indicates that even when the power supply is off, the power system (e.g., Figure 2 The power system 200 can also balance the output power levels (and loads) between connected power sources. This illustrates a power system (e.g., Figure 2 The power system (200) has built-in redundancy. Generally, in all cases where only one power source (e.g., a power converter) is offline, all loads (including loads connected to the offline power source) are still supplied with power, and the supplied power is balanced between the power sources.

[0069] Figure 8 A set of tables 800 (“Tables 800”) including a first table 802 and a second table 804 is shown. The first table 802 has a... Figure 4 The first table 402 has the same rows (source, on / off, output power level, output voltage), and the second table 804 has the same... Figure 4 The second table (404) has the same columns (load, load utilization level). Source and load can also be corresponding to... Figure 2 In and them in Figure 4 The same things in the middle.

[0070] According to Table 802, power supply 4 is off and has a 0% output power level at 0V. Power supplies 1-3 are on. According to Table 804, each load is drawing power, but at various utilization levels. For example, load A is at 65% utilization, load B at 75% utilization, load C at 80% utilization, load D at 35% utilization, and loads E and F at 25% utilization. As a result, the output power level of power supply 1 is 55% at 370V, the output power level of power supply 2 is 50% at 371V, and the output power level of power supply 3 is 50% at 371V. This shows that even when the load utilization levels vary between loads, the power system (e.g., Figure 2 The power system (200) can also balance the output power level on the load.

[0071] Figure 9 A set of tables 900 (“Tables 900”) including a first table 902 and a second table 904 is shown. The first table 902 has the same characteristics as... Figure 4 The first table 402 has the same rows (source, on / off, output power level, output voltage), and the second table 904 has the same... Figure 4 The second table (404) has the same columns (load, load utilization level). Source and load can also be corresponding to... Figure 2 In and them in Figure 4 The same things in the middle.

[0072] According to Table 902, power supplies 1 and 4 are off and have a 0% output power level at 0V. According to Table 904, load C is off (but would be at 90% load utilization if it were on), loads A and B, D and E are on and at 90% load utilization, and load F is at 25% utilization. Therefore, the loads on power supplies 2 and 3, which remain on, are unbalanced because load C is off and power supplies 1 and 4 are unavailable to provide power. However, power system 200 can balance the output power levels as much as possible. As a result, power supply 2 has a 103% output power level at 362V, and power supply 3 has a 96% output power level at 363V. This shows that even when multiple power supplies are offline, the power system (e.g., power system 200) can still provide power to most loads and will still provide balanced power to those loads being powered. In this example, the only unpowered load (load C, which corresponds to the third rack 214 of power system 200) is not powered because both power converters (first and fourth power converters 202, 208) to which the third rack 214 is connected are offline. If the third rack 214 is connected to another power source, in some examples it can still receive power, and the power supplied by the power source can remain balanced.

[0073] In short, Figure 4-9 show Figure 2 Power systems 200 and / or Figure 1 The power system 100 can automatically balance the output power levels between power sources (e.g., power inverters or power converters) by using the power system 200 and / or the power system 100’s droop controller, asymmetric conduction device and redundant power topology, regardless of load status (e.g., on or off) or load utilization level, and regardless of power source status (e.g., on or off). Figure 4-9This further demonstrates that power system 200 and / or power system 100 can withstand power source (e.g., power converter) disconnection in most cases without affecting the load, and can continue to provide balanced power from connected and / or active power sources in most cases.

[0074] Figure 10 An example of an electric power system 1000 is shown. The electric power system 1000 contains power from... Figure 1 The system includes a first converter 102, a first droop controller 104, a second converter 106, a second droop controller 108, a first node 110, and a second node 112. Furthermore, the power system 1000 includes a first PDU 1002, a second PDU 1004, a server 1006, a first input 1008, a second input 1010, a power supply unit 1012 (“PSU 1012”), server circuitry 1014, a first asymmetric conductive device 1016 (“first diode 1016”), a second asymmetric conductive device 1018 (“second diode 1018”), and a third node 1020.

[0075] First node 110 is connected to the input of first PDU 1002. Second node 112 is connected to the input of second PDU 1004. The output of first PDU 1002 is connected to first input 1008. The output of second PDU 1004 is connected to second input 1010. First input 1008 is connected to first diode 1016 of PSU 1012. In some examples, first input 1008 is connected to the anode of first diode 1016. Second input 1010 is connected to second diode 1018 of PSU 1012. In some examples, second input 1010 is connected to the anode of second diode 1018. First diode 1016 and second diode 1018 are connected to third node 1020 of PSU 1012. In some examples, the corresponding cathodes of first diode 1016 and second diode 1018 are connected to third node 1020. Third node 1020 may be connected to server circuitry 1014 of server 1006.

[0076] Power system 1000 is usually similar to Figure 1The power system 100 includes converters 102 and 106 connected to corresponding PDUs 1002 and 1004, and diodes 1016 and 1018 connected in parallel to the power supply PSU 1012 of server 1006. Server circuitry 1014 of server 1006 can be configured to perform server operations (e.g., running applications, programs, communications, etc. on server 1006). In some examples, PDUs 1002 and 1004 can be connected to multiple servers and / or multiple racks containing one or more servers. In some examples, converters 102 and 106 can each be connected to more than one PDU. For example, first and second nodes 110 and 112 can each be connected to more than one PDU.

[0077] Figure 11 The process 1100 for balancing power in an electrical system is shown according to an example.

[0078] At action 1102, the first power supply provides a first output voltage to one or more loads. A first droop controller controls the level of the first output voltage. Then, process 1100 continues to action 1104.

[0079] At action 1104, the second power supply provides a second output voltage to one or more loads, including at least one of the loads to which the first output voltage is supplied. A second droop controller controls the level of the second output voltage. Then, process 1100 continues to action 1106.

[0080] At action 1106, the first droop controller and / or the second droop controller detects the output power level of their respective power sources. The first droop controller and / or the second droop controller may adjust the corresponding output voltage of the respective power source based on the corresponding output power levels of the first and second power sources. In some examples, the droop controller may detect or receive a signal indicating the output power level of the respective power source to which the droop controller is connected. In some examples, action 1106 may be a passive function, where the droop controller does not make a definitive determination of whether the power supplied by the power source is balanced, but instead receives an indication of the output power level and then automatically adjusts the output voltage as described with respect to action 1108. If the power is balanced (1106 is yes), process 1100 may return to action 1102 and repeat process 1100. If the power is unbalanced (1106 is no), process 1100 may continue to action 1108.

[0081] At action 1108, the first droop controller can horizontally scale the first output voltage based on the first output power of the first power supply, and / or the second droop controller can horizontally scale the second output voltage based on the second output power of the second power supply. Each droop controller can scale the corresponding output voltage using a droop characteristic curve, for example... Figure 3As shown. In some examples, the droop controller can decrease the corresponding output voltage when the corresponding output power level increases, and can increase the corresponding output voltage when the corresponding output power level decreases. The droop controller can continue to adjust the output voltage until the output power levels of the first and second power supplies are equal or approximately equal (e.g., within + / - 5% of each other). Then, process 1100 can return to action 1102.

[0082] As described above, a droop controller can automatically adjust the output voltage of a power supply (e.g., a converter). Adjusting the output voltage based on the output power level can automatically balance the output power level, since the output power level can depend on the output voltage, and the output voltage can depend on the output power level.

[0083] The converter (such as the first converter 102) can be integrated into an uninterruptible power supply system (“UPS system”). Figure 12 A UPS system 1200 according to an example is shown. The UPS system 1200 includes an uninterruptible power supply 1200 (“UPS1200”), an input 1202, a first UPS converter 1204, one or more internal buses 1206, at least one controller 1208 (“Controller 1208”), a second UPS converter 1210, the first converter 102 and the first droop controller 104, an energy storage device 1212 (“Battery 1212”), and an output 1214.

[0084] Input 1202 is connected to the first UPS converter 1204. The first UPS converter 1204 is connected to the internal bus 1206. The internal bus 1206 is connected to the controller 1208, the first converter 102, and the second UPS converter 1210. The second UPS converter 1210 is connected to the battery 1212. The first converter 102 is connected to the output 1214. The controller 1208 is connected to the first UPS converter 1204, the second UPS converter 1210, and / or the first converter 102 and / or the first droop controller 104.

[0085] Input 1202 is configured to receive input power, for example, from a utility or trunk line, generator, or other power source. Input 1202 may receive input power, which is AC or DC power, but in some examples it will be AC ​​power. A first UPS converter 1204 is configured to receive and process the first input power. In some examples, the first UPS converter 1204 may be an AC / DC converter, a DC / AC converter, an AC / AC converter, and / or a DC / DC converter, but in some examples it will be an AC / DC converter. The first UPS converter 1204 is configured to provide the processed first input power to an internal bus 1206. The internal bus 1206 is configured to route the processed input power to the controller 1208, the first converter 1102, and / or the second UPS converter 1210.

[0086] The second UPS converter 1210 may be an AC / DC converter, a DC / AC converter, an AC / AC converter, and / or a DC / DC converter, but in some examples, the second UPS converter 1210 will be a DC / DC converter. The second UPS converter 1210 is configured to receive processed input power from the internal bus 1206, further process the processed input power to make it acceptable for storage in the battery 1212, and then provide the processed input power to the battery 1212. The second UPS converter 1210 is also configured to receive stored power from the battery 1212 and process the stored power and provide the processed stored power to the internal bus 1206. The battery 1212 is configured to store power and provide the stored power to the second UPS converter 1210.

[0087] The first converter 102 and the first droop controller 104 may function as described above and may draw processed input power and / or processed stored power from the internal bus 1206. The first converter 102 may be a DC / DC converter and / or an AC / DC converter, but in some examples it will be a DC / DC converter.

[0088] Controller 1208 is configured to control the first UPS converter 1204, the second UPS converter 1210, and / or the first converter 102 and / or the first droop controller 104. Controller 1204 can control the processes performed by the first and / or second UPS converters 1204 and 1210. Controller 1208 can also control the droop characteristic curve of the droop controller 104 and the processes performed by the first converter 102.

[0089] Figure 13A graph 1300 illustrates a power droop (or reverse droop) mode for controlling the power output level according to an example. Power or reverse droop is an alternative method for regulating the output voltage and / or power of a power converter. Therefore, any droop controller discussed herein may implement power droop instead of voltage droop or implement power droop in addition to the latter. Graph 1300 includes a first axis 1302 showing the output voltage in volts, a second axis 1304 indicating the output power of a given power converter as a percentage, and a trace 1306 showing the decreasing characteristic curve of the power droop.

[0090] Graph 1300 illustrates that at voltages below a set threshold voltage (640V in this case), the droop controller directs the converter to output 100% power. As the output DC voltage increases, the output power percentage decreases to 0%. For example, trace 1306 is linear and monotonically decreases between 640V and 700V. At 640V (or lower), the output power percentage is 100%, and at 700V (or higher), the output power percentage is 0%. The midpoint between 640V and 700V is 670V, so the output power will be 50% at 670V. At 646V, the output power will be 90% (because 646V is 10% of the path from 640V to 700V). Similarly, at 694V, the output power will be 10% (because 694V is 10% of the path from 700V to 640V). In this particular example, the difference between 700V and 640V is 60V, and therefore every 6V change between 640V and 700V indicates a 10% change in the output power level, since the power drop characteristic curve is linear. However, the power drop characteristic curve does not need to be linear, and in some examples, it can be non-linear (e.g., a step function).

[0091] As mentioned above, the droop controller of a power converter can use voltage droop and / or power droop. When using power droop, the droop controller can receive a signal indicating the output voltage of the power converter and can adjust the percentage of the power converter's output power (e.g., output power level) based on the output voltage. This is a mirror image (but not the same) of the voltage droop controller discussed above that adjusts the output power voltage based on the percentage of output power (e.g., output power level).

[0092] In relation to at least Figure 4-9 In the examples discussed, the load utilization level, output power level, and output voltage can be approximations within + / -5% of the actual values ​​used in testing and simulation.

[0093] In the examples discussed in this article, the power converter may be part of an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system designed to provide uninterrupted power to one or more loads.

[0094] In the examples discussed in this article, the instance of a single rack in the description can alternatively be understood to mean multiple racks connected in parallel with each other relative to power supplies (such as converters). For example, in Figure 2 In the diagram, each of racks 210, 212, 214, 216, 218, and 220 shown may represent a single rack and / or multiple racks connected in parallel with each other relative to their respective power supplies. For clarity, the term "subrack" as used herein may refer to a single rack, and the term "rack" as used herein may refer to a single rack and / or multiple racks connected in parallel as described above.

[0095] The examples of methods and systems discussed herein are not limited in application to the construction details and component arrangements set forth in the specification or shown in the accompanying drawings. The methods and systems can be implemented in other embodiments and can be practiced or performed in various ways. The examples of specific implementations provided herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not restrictive. In particular, actions, components, elements, and features discussed in conjunction with any one or more examples are not intended to exclude similar effects in any other examples.

[0096] Furthermore, the wording and terminology used herein are for descriptive purposes and should not be considered restrictive. Any reference to examples, embodiments, components, elements, or actions of systems and methods mentioned herein in the singular may also cover embodiments including multiple embodiments, and any reference to any embodiment, component, element, or action mentioned herein in the plural form may also cover embodiments including only the singular. References in the singular or plural form are not intended to limit the systems or methods currently disclosed, their components, actions, or elements. The terms "comprising," "including," "having," "containing," "involving," and variations thereof as used herein mean that they cover the items listed thereafter and their equivalents, as well as additional items.

[0097] References to “or” can be interpreted as inclusive, such that any term described using “or” can refer to a single, more than one, or any one of all the terms described. Furthermore, in the event of inconsistencies in terminology between this document and documents incorporated herein by reference, the terminology used in the incorporated feature shall supplement the terminology used in this document; for irreconcilable differences, the terminology used in this document shall prevail.

[0098] Various controllers (e.g., controller 1208 and / or droop controllers 104, 108) can perform the various operations discussed above. Using data stored in associated memory and / or storage devices, controller 1208 and / or droop controllers 104, 108 also execute one or more instructions stored on one or more non-transitory computer-readable media to which controller 1208 and / or droop controllers 104, 108 may be contained and / or coupled, the instructions producing manipulated data. In some examples, controller 1208 and / or droop controllers 104, 108 may contain one or more processors or other types of controllers. In one example, controller 1208 and / or droop controllers 104, 108 is or contains at least one processor. In another example, in addition to or instead of a general-purpose processor, controller 1208 and / or droop controllers 104, 108 also uses application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) customized to perform specific operations to perform at least a portion of the operations discussed above. As these examples illustrate, the operations described herein can be performed using many specific combinations of hardware and software according to the examples of this disclosure, and this disclosure is not limited to any specific combination of hardware and software components. Examples of this disclosure may include computer program products configured to perform the methods, processes, and / or operations discussed above. The computer program product may be or include one or more controllers and / or processors configured to execute instructions to perform the methods, processes, and / or operations discussed above.

[0099] Having described several aspects of at least one embodiment, it should be understood that various changes, modifications, and improvements will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Such changes, modifications, and improvements are intended to be part of and within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Therefore, the foregoing description and drawings are merely exemplary.

Claims

1. A power system for a data center, the power system comprising: The first rack has a first rack first input and a first rack second input; A first power converter is coupled to a first input of a first rack and configured to provide a first DC power to the first rack. The first power converter is configured to regulate a first output voltage of the first power converter based at least in part on a first portion of the first DC power associated with the first input of the first rack. A second power converter is coupled to a second input of a first rack and configured to be coupled to a second rack. The second power converter is configured to provide a second DC power to the first rack and the second rack. The second power converter is also configured to regulate a second output voltage of the second power converter based at least in part on a first portion of the second DC power associated with the second input of the first rack and a second portion of the second DC power associated with the second rack. A first asymmetric conductive device is connected between a first power converter and a first rack; as well as A second asymmetric conductive device is connected between the second power converter and the first rack.

2. The power system according to claim 1, further comprising a first droop controller connected to the first power converter and a second droop controller connected to the second power converter.

3. The power system according to claim 2, wherein, The first droop controller is configured to control the first power converter to regulate the first output voltage based at least in part on a first portion of the first DC power.

4. The power system according to claim 2, wherein, The first droop controller is configured to control the first power converter to adjust the first DC power based on the first output voltage.

5. The power system according to claim 2, wherein, The first droop controller is configured to control the first power converter to decrease the first output voltage as the first DC power increases, and to increase the first output voltage as the first DC power decreases.

6. The power system according to claim 2, wherein, The second droop controller is configured to control the second power converter to regulate the second output voltage based at least in part on a first portion of the second DC power.

7. The power system according to claim 6, wherein, The second droop controller is configured to control the second power converter to regulate the second DC power based on the second output voltage.

8. The power system according to claim 2, wherein, The second droop controller is configured to control the second power converter to decrease the second output voltage as the second DC power increases, and to increase the second output voltage as the second DC power decreases.

9. The power system according to claim 1, wherein, The power system also includes the second rack, which includes a second rack first input and a second rack second input.

10. The power system according to claim 7, further comprising: A third power converter is coupled to the second rack and configured to provide a third DC power to the second rack. The third power converter is configured to regulate a third output voltage based at least in part on a first portion of the third DC power associated with a second input to the second rack. A third asymmetric conductive device is connected between the second power converter and the second rack; as well as A fourth asymmetric conductive device is coupled between a third power converter and a second rack, wherein the second rack includes a second rack first input and a second rack second input, and the second power converter is configured to regulate the second output voltage based at least in part on a second portion of the second DC power, the second portion of the second DC power being associated with the second rack first input.

11. The power system according to claim 10, wherein, The third power converter includes a third droop controller configured to control the third power converter to decrease the third output voltage as the third DC power increases, and to increase the third output voltage as the third DC power decreases.

12. The power system according to claim 1, wherein, Each rack includes multiple sub-racks connected in parallel with each other relative to the power converter.

13. A method for providing redundant power to one or more loads in a data center and balancing the power among power sources providing redundant power, comprising: A first portion of the first DC power from the first power converter is provided to the first load via a first asymmetric conductive device connected to the first input of the first load; A first portion of the second DC power from the second power converter is provided to the first load via a second asymmetric conductive device connected to the second input of the first load; Based on the first DC power, the first output voltage of the first power converter is adjusted by decreasing the first output voltage as the first DC power increases; Based on the second DC power, the second output voltage of the second power converter is adjusted by decreasing the second output voltage as the second DC power increases.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising: A second portion of the second DC power from the second power converter is provided to the second load via a third asymmetric conductive device connected to the first input of the second load; A first portion of the third DC power from the third power converter is supplied to the second load via a fourth asymmetric conductive device connected to the second input of the second load; and Based on the third DC power, the third output voltage of the third power converter is adjusted by decreasing the third voltage as the third DC power increases.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising: The first DC power, the second DC power, and the third DC power are provided such that the amount of DC power provided by the first power converter, the second power converter, and the third power converter is balanced.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising controlling the first output voltage using a first droop controller and controlling the second output voltage using a second droop controller.

17. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media containing instructions for instructing one or more droop controllers, the instructions indicating: A first droop controller controls a first DC power converter to output a first output voltage, determines a first DC power related to the first output voltage and a first rack, and in response to determining the first DC power, provides the first DC power to the first rack via a first asymmetric conductive device, and in response to an increase in the first DC power, decreases the first output voltage. The second droop controller controls the second DC power converter to output a second output voltage, determines a second DC power related to the second voltage and the first rack, and in response to determining the second DC power, provides the second DC power to the first rack via a second asymmetric conductive device, and in response to an increase in the second DC power, decreases the second output voltage.

18. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media according to claim 17, wherein, The instruction further directs the third droop controller: Control the third DC power converter to output a third output voltage. Determine the third DC power associated with the third voltage and the second rack. In response to determining the third DC power, the third DC power is supplied to the second rack via the third asymmetric conductive device, and In response to the increase in third DC power, the third output voltage is reduced.

19. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media according to claim 17, wherein, The instruction further directs the second droop controller: Determine the second portion of the second DC power associated with the second output voltage and the second rack. In response to determining a second portion of the second DC power, the second portion of the second DC power is supplied to the second rack via a third asymmetric conductive device, and In response to the increase in the second DC power, the second output voltage is reduced.

20. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media according to claim 16, wherein, The first DC power is provided to a first input of the first rack, and the second DC power is provided to a second input of the first rack, wherein the first DC power decreases as the second DC power increases, and the second DC power decreases as the first DC power increases.

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