Interconnected Circuit Protection Devices for Datacenter Fault Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In datacenters, a single circuit issue, such as a short circuit, can trigger unnecessary power outages across the facility, making it difficult to identify and restore power due to the automatic activation of open circuit protection devices, which complicates the detection of the source of the error.
Innovation Solution
A network of interconnected circuit protection devices with management components that communicate and strategically open only the minimum number of devices necessary to isolate and address the fault, preventing unnecessary power outages and facilitating quicker fault detection by working up the hierarchy from the lowest affected device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If open circuit protection devices are activated throughout the datacenter to protect against circuit issues, then device safety is improved, but unnecessary power outages occur and fault detection becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the datacenter power system into multiple hierarchical levels (device level, rack level, room level, facility level), where each level has its own circuit protection devices. When a fault occurs, only the specific segment containing the fault is isolated, while other segments remain operational. This selective isolation approach maintains device safety while minimizing unnecessary power outages and reducing downtime for fault detection and resolution.
2Reliability
If open circuit protection devices are activated throughout the datacenter to protect against circuit issues, then device safety is improved, but the source of the circuit error becomes hard to find
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where circuit protection devices at each hierarchical level communicate fault information to management components. The management components analyze this feedback to determine the precise location of circuit errors and selectively activate only the necessary protection devices. This targeted approach maintains device safety while significantly improving fault detection efficiency by providing clear information about the specific source of errors rather than widespread activations.
3Reliability
If circuit protection devices open automatically upon detecting a circuit issue, then circuit safety is improved, but unaffected devices are cut from power unnecessarily
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the datacenter power distribution system into hierarchical segments (device-level, rack-level, room-level, and facility-level protection devices). When a circuit issue is detected, the system activates protection devices only at the specific segment where the fault exists, rather than opening all protection devices throughout the facility. This segmented approach ensures circuit safety while maintaining power supply to unaffected devices, thereby preserving operational continuity and productivity.
4Reliability
If multiple circuit protection devices are opened to address a single circuit issue, then comprehensive protection is improved, but the complexity of restoring power increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and isolates only the specific circuit segment containing the fault by activating protection devices at the precise hierarchical level where the issue exists. Rather than opening multiple protection devices across different levels, the system selectively opens only the necessary devices to isolate the fault. This approach provides comprehensive protection for affected areas while simplifying the power restoration process, as technicians need to restore power to fewer, specifically identified locations rather than systematically checking multiple devices.
Data Source
AI summary
A network of interconnected circuit protection devices in a datacenter that can communicate over a network. Each circuit protection device can have a management component such that each device could know the state of every other device or a centralized management component could know the state of all devices. The states of the protection devices could include, fault or non-fault (e.g., high-current, current-imbalance and high temperature). Using this information, the management component(s) can prevent a single-device failure from triggering circuit-protection devices in other sections of the data center to open. The breaker logic can operate such that if a single device short-circuited and all devices upstream in the power delivery system sensed the short-circuit, then the lowest-level device would open and if the fault was still detected upstream, then the next level device would open.