Microsoft research uses fuel-powered lithium batteries to power racks -Lithium - Ion Battery Equipment
Microsoft is considering integrating fuel-powered lithium batteries directly into racks to make data centers greener and more cost-effective. According to a new white paper from the company, the software giant wants to use biogas-based fuel-powered lithium batteries to improve energy efficiency, reduce overall operating costs, and improve reliability by dissipating risk. Microsoft has found that putting fuel-powered lithium batteries at the rack level will eliminate its reliance on basic electrical infrastructure such as UPSs, generators, and switchgear.(Lithium - Ion Battery Equipment)
Microsoft is working on a concept that, while still in its early stages, promises to improve energy efficiency and reduce overall operating costs.
According to Microsoft, this design will be able to cut capital consumption by 16% to 20%, and also reduce overall operating costs by 3%. Another advantage is that if a fuel-powered lithium battery fails, it will only affect the current rack, and the entire data center will not be fully dragged down. On the contrary, if a fuel-powered lithium battery is used to replace the overall power supply, once the power is cut off, it will still affect the entire data center.
SeanJames, global basic services and advanced research project manager of Microsoft, further pointed out that the use of fuel-powered lithium batteries at the rack level will have an impact on the entire energy supply chain, from power plants to server motherboards to individual server cabinets.
There are two major differences between the new 'data factory' concept and the previous architecture idea. It brings the 'power plant' inside the data center instead of putting the data center in the power plant. James concluded: In the current data center energy supply chain, there is a large amount of energy loss. We show how integrating a small generator into hardware significantly reduces its complexity by eliminating all electrical distribution in the data center grid.
Although Microsoft is still in the early research stages of this concept, there are still many problems to be solved before it can be realized—including thermal cycling, safety training, electrical conductivity (cell conductivity), power management, and fuel distribution system, etc. For future-oriented green and cheap data centers, the use of fuel-powered lithium batteries in racks is quite promising.
Microsoft is working on a concept that, while still in its early stages, promises to improve energy efficiency and reduce overall operating costs.
According to Microsoft, this design will be able to cut capital consumption by 16% to 20%, and also reduce overall operating costs by 3%. Another advantage is that if a fuel-powered lithium battery fails, it will only affect the current rack, and the entire data center will not be fully dragged down. On the contrary, if a fuel-powered lithium battery is used to replace the overall power supply, once the power is cut off, it will still affect the entire data center.
SeanJames, global basic services and advanced research project manager of Microsoft, further pointed out that the use of fuel-powered lithium batteries at the rack level will have an impact on the entire energy supply chain, from power plants to server motherboards to individual server cabinets.
There are two major differences between the new 'data factory' concept and the previous architecture idea. It brings the 'power plant' inside the data center instead of putting the data center in the power plant. James concluded: In the current data center energy supply chain, there is a large amount of energy loss. We show how integrating a small generator into hardware significantly reduces its complexity by eliminating all electrical distribution in the data center grid.
Although Microsoft is still in the early research stages of this concept, there are still many problems to be solved before it can be realized—including thermal cycling, safety training, electrical conductivity (cell conductivity), power management, and fuel distribution system, etc. For future-oriented green and cheap data centers, the use of fuel-powered lithium batteries in racks is quite promising.
