Power shelf for computer servers

• US 10,238,000 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2016
• Issued: 03/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sarti, Pierluigi
• Primary Examiner(s): Connolly, Mark A
• Application Number:
  US15/377,957
• Publication Number:
  US 20170094829A1
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/189 Power distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/263 Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC G06F1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/30 Means for acting in the event of power-supply failure or interruption, e.g. power-supply fluctuations for resetting only G06F1/24
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1492 having electrical distribution arrangements, e.g. power supply or data communications

Abstract

At least one embodiment of this disclosure includes a power shelf for serving a power zone within an IT equipment rack. The power shelf includes: a DC bus configured to provide DC power to rack-mounted equipment within the power zone; multiple pairs of backup battery units (BBUs) and power supply units (PSUs), wherein the multiple pairs include at least a redundant pair, such that voltage and power is supplied through the DC bus sufficient to power the rack-mounted equipment even when one of the multiple pairs is inoperative; and a power circuit, in each PSU of each of the multiple pairs, configured to rectify an AC phase from an external multi-phase AC power source, wherein the power circuit is configured to draw power from one of the BBUs paired to the PSU when the PSU fails to provide power sufficient to power the rack-mounted equipment.

Claims

1. A power supply circuit comprising:

an AC-to-DC circuit configured to convert an alternating current (AC) phase from multi-phase AC inputs to a direct current (DC) at a shared voltage node;

a DC interface to connect with a backup battery unit (BBU);

an asymmetric conductance component having a terminal electrically coupled to the shared voltage node;

a step-up converter electrically coupled, in series, between the DC interface and the asymmetric conductance component;

a bulk capacitor electrically coupled between the shared voltage node and an electric ground to hold power for at least one cycle of the AC phase;

a first DC-DC converter configured to draw power from the shared voltage node to supply power to load in an information technology (IT) equipment rack; and

a second DC-DC converter electrically coupled to the shared voltage node.

2. The power supply circuit of claim 1, wherein the power supply circuit is capable of seamlessly drawing power from either the BBU or the AC phase without disrupting consistency of power supplied to the IT equipment rack.

3. The power supply circuit of claim 1, wherein the AC-to-DC power interface includes a rectifier circuit in series with a power factor correction (PFC) module.

4. The power supply circuit of claim 1, further comprising a battery charger component electrically coupled to the BBU via the DC interface and the shared voltage node, wherein the battery charger component is connected in parallel to the step-up converter and the asymmetric conductance component.

5. The power supply circuit of claim 1, wherein the asymmetric conductance component is a diode.

6. The power supply circuit of claim 1, wherein the second DC-DC converter is a droop-share converter.

7. The power supply circuit of claim 1, further comprising a power supply logic unit configured to control a current flow through the step-up converter.

8. The power supply circuit of claim 7, wherein the power supply logic unit is coupled to the DC interface to determine an operational electrical property of the BBU.

9. The power supply circuit of claim 7, wherein the power supply logic unit is configured to draw a constant current through the step-up converter in response to receiving a command for battery testing.

10. A method of supplying power to load in an information technology (IT) equipment, comprising:

converting an alternating current (AC) phase from multi-phase AC inputs to a direct current (DC) at a shared voltage node;

holding power for at least one cycle of the AC phase at a bulk capacitor electrically coupled between the shared voltage node and an electric ground;

interfacing, via a DC interface, with a backup battery unit (BBU);

drawing power, via a first DC-DC converter, from the shared voltage node to supply power to load in an IT equipment rack; and

drawing auxiliary power, via a second DC-DC converter, from the shared voltage node.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein drawing power, via the first DC-DC converter, from the shared voltage node further comprises down-stepping a DC voltage of the power drawn.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the BBU includes a set of batteries connected in series.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising charging the BBU when the AC phase is providing power.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising drawing power from the BBU when the AC phase is not providing power, without disrupting consistency of power supplied to the IT equipment rack.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein drawing power from the BBU when the AC phase is not providing power further comprises discharging the BBU for a set amount of time.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein drawing power from the BBU when the AC phase is not providing power further comprises up-stepping a DC voltage of the BBU.

17. A power supply system comprising:

an AC-to-DC circuit configured to convert an alternating current (AC) phase from multi-phase AC inputs to a direct current (DC) at a shared voltage node;

an asymmetric conductance component having a terminal electrically coupled to the shared voltage node;

a first converter electrically coupled between a DC interface and the asymmetric conductance component;

a bulk capacitor electrically coupled between the shared voltage node and an electric ground to hold power for at least one cycle of the AC phase;

a second converter configured to draw power from the shared voltage node to supply power to load in an information technology (IT) equipment; and

a third converter electrically configured to draw auxiliary power from the shared voltage node.

18. The power supply system of claim 17, further comprising a battery charger component electrically coupled to a backup battery unit (BBU) via the DC interface and the shared voltage node.

19. The power supply system of claim 17, wherein the asymmetric conductance component is configured to ensure that current flows only in the direction from the first converter to the shared voltage node.