TWO-TIER BATTERY SOLUTION FOR DATA CENTER BACKUP

• US 20170163084A1
• Filed: 12/04/2015
• Published: 06/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Malone, Christopher G.
• Granted Patent: US 9,973,032 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 Regulating electric power
• 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: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0025 Sequential battery discharge in systems with a plurality of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00712 the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/00 Circuit arrangements for emergency or stand-by power supply, e.g. for emergency lighting
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/062 for AC powered loads
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1485 Servers; Data center rooms, e.g. 19-inch computer racks

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including for back-up power sources. In one aspect, a method includes providing a plurality of first battery devices, each first battery device respectively electrically coupled to a respective server rack in a plurality of server racks and having a respective capacity to provide power to the respective rack for a power anomaly for up to a first duration. Providing a second battery device electrically coupled to the plurality of server racks and having a capacity to provide power to the plurality of respective server racks for a power anomaly for up to a second duration, wherein the second duration is longer than the first duration. A power anomaly is a deviation of mains power from one or more of a nominal supply voltage and frequency.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a plurality of first battery devices, each first battery device respectively electrically coupled to a respective server rack in a plurality of server racks and having a respective capacity to provide power to the respective rack for a power anomaly for up to a first duration; and

a second battery device electrically coupled to the plurality of server racks and having a capacity to provide power to the plurality of respective server racks for a power anomaly for up to a second duration, wherein the second duration is longer than the first duration;

wherein a power anomaly is a deviation of mains power from one or more of a nominal supply voltage and frequency.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a power control system operable to:

determine that a power anomaly is occurring; and

in response to determining that the power anomaly is occurring, enable, within the first duration, the second battery device to provide power to the plurality of respective server racks.

3. The system of claim 2, the power control system further operable to perform operations comprising:

determining a response time of the power control system to cause the second battery device to provide power to the plurality of respective server racks; and

selecting the first duration based, in part, on the response time.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the second battery device has a battery capacity of at least one mega-watt hours.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a power control system operable to perform operations comprising:

determining, for plurality of respective server racks and based on observed power anomalies, a power anomaly profile for the plurality of respective server racks that describes historical statistics of the observed power anomalies; and

selecting the capacity of the second battery device based on the historical statistics of the observed power anomalies such that the likelihood of the second battery device to provide power to the plurality of server racks for a duration of any future power anomaly meets a first likelihood threshold.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein selecting the capacity of the second battery device based on the historical statistics comprises:

determining a power consumption statistic for the plurality of server racks;

selecting the first likelihood threshold;

determining, based on the historical statistics, a modeled second duration having a likelihood of occurring equal to the first likelihood threshold;

determining, based on the modeled second duration and the power consumption statistic, a modeled capacity; and

selecting the modeled capacity as the capacity for the second battery device.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a power control system operable to:

determining that a demand response condition for a power grid providing power to the mains power is met;

in response to determining that the demand response condition is met, causing the second battery device to provide at least a portion of power to the plurality of server racks to shed a load from the power grid that is at least equal to the portion of power provided by the second battery device.

8. The system of claim 7, the power control system further operable to perform operations comprising:

determining, for plurality of respective server racks and based on observed power anomalies, a power anomaly profile for the plurality of respective server racks that describes historical statistics of the observed power anomalies;

wherein causing the second battery device to provide at least the portion of power to the plurality of server racks comprises causing the second battery device to provide at least the portion of power to the plurality of server racks further in response to determining, based on the historical statistics, that the likelihood of a power anomaly occurring given that the demand response condition is met is less than a second likelihood threshold.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a switch to electrically couple the second battery device to the power grid; and

a power control system configured to perform operations comprising;

determining that a power anomaly is occurring; and

in response to determining that a power anomaly is occurring, enabling the switch to enable the second battery device to provide power to the power grid.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein a power anomaly includes a power grid frequency imbalance, a voltage drop on the power grid, or a lack of adequate current within the power provided by the power grid.

11. A method, comprising:

providing a plurality of first battery devices, each first battery device respectively electrically coupled to a respective server rack in a plurality of server racks and having a respective capacity to provide power to the respective rack for a power anomaly for up to a first duration; and

providing a second battery device electrically coupled to the plurality of server racks and having a capacity to provide power to the plurality of respective server racks for a power anomaly for up to a second duration, wherein the second duration is longer than the first duration;

wherein a power anomaly is a deviation of mains power from one or more of a nominal supply voltage and frequency.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining that a power anomaly is occurring; and

in response to determining that the power anomaly is occurring, enabling, within the first duration, the second battery device to provide power to the plurality of respective server racks.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining a response time of the power control system to cause the second battery device to provide power to the plurality of respective server racks; and

selecting the first duration based, in part, on the response time.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the second battery device has a battery capacity of at least one mega-watt hours.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining, for plurality of respective server racks and based on observed power anomalies, a power anomaly profile for the plurality of respective server racks that describes historical statistics of the observed power anomalies; and

selecting the capacity of the second battery device based on the historical statistics of the observed power anomalies such that the likelihood of the second battery device to provide power to the plurality of server racks for a duration of any future power anomaly meets a first likelihood threshold.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining that a demand response condition for a power grid providing power to the mains power is met;

in response to determining that the demand response condition is met, causing the second battery device to provide at least a portion of power to the plurality of server racks to shed a load from the power grid that is at least equal to the portion of power provided by the second battery device.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

determining, for plurality of respective server racks and based on observed power anomalies, a power anomaly profile for the plurality of respective server racks that describes historical statistics of the observed power anomalies;

wherein causing the second battery device to provide at least the portion of power to the plurality of server racks comprises causing the second battery device to provide at least the portion of power to the plurality of server racks further in response to determining, based on the historical statistics, that the likelihood of a power anomaly occurring given that the demand response condition is met is less than a second likelihood threshold.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining that a power anomaly is occurring; and

in response to determining that a power anomaly is occurring, enabling the second battery device to provide power to the power grid.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein a power anomaly includes a power grid frequency imbalance, a voltage drop on the power grid, or a lack of adequate current within the power provided by the power grid.

16. The method of claim 16, wherein selecting the capacity of the second battery device based on the historical statistics comprises:

determining a power consumption statistic for the plurality of server racks;

selecting the first likelihood threshold;

determining, based on the historical statistics, a modeled second duration having a likelihood of occurring equal to the first likelihood threshold;

determining, based on the modeled second duration and the power consumption statistic, a modeled capacity; and

selecting the modeled capacity as the capacity for the second battery device.