Power stabilization using energy storage
Power draw stabilization is provided. A target power consumption of a source load is determined. The source load is generated by electronics supplied power by a primary power source through a power rail. The power rail is coupled to a capacitor bank by a bi-directional converter configured to smooth fluctuations in power drawn from the primary power source by performing mode switch operations. The mode switch operations include, in response to the source load exceeding a target power consumption, controllably switching to a second directional mode that directs current released from the capacitor bank to the power rail. The mode switch operations further include, in response to the source load dropping below the target power consumption, controllably switching the operational mode of the bi-directional converter to a first directional mode to direct current from the power rail into the capacitor bank.
1 . A method for stabilizing power draw from a primary power source in a computing system, the method comprising:
determining a target power consumption, based on measurements of a source load over a predefined time interval, the source load being generated by electronics supplied power by the primary power source through a power rail, the power rail being electrically coupled to a capacitor bank by a bi-directional converter; and
smoothing fluctuations in power drawn from the primary power source by selectively performing mode switch operations, the mode switch operations including:
controllably switching an operational mode of the bi-directional converter to a second directional mode in response to detecting that the source load exceeds the target power consumption, the bi-directional converter being configured to direct current released from the capacitor bank to the power rail when operating in the second directional mode; and
controllably switching the operational mode of the bi-directional converter to a first directional mode in response to detecting that the source load has dropped below the target power consumption, the bi-directional converter being configured to direct current from the power rail into the capacitor bank when operating in the first directional mode.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the power rail is configured as a component of a server rack, the power rail is configured to supply power to the server rack, and the smoothing operation smooths the power drawn by the server rack from the primary power source.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the power rail is configured as a component of an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), the UPS is configured to supply power to a power supply unit (PSU) of a server through the power rail, and the smoothing operation smooths the power drawn by the UPS.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the power rail is configured as a component of a transformer substation, the transformer substation is configured to exchange power between a utility provider and a data center power distribution system through the power rail, and operation of smoothing smooths the power drawn by the data center power distribution system from the utility provider.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mode switch operations further include:
responsive to determining that a charge stored by the capacitor bank is outside of a predefined charge range, controllably switching the operational mode of the bi-directional converter to a charge preservation mode in which the bi-directional converter is configured to control current exchanged between the capacitor bank and the power rail to drive the charge stored to be within the predefined charge range.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the bi-directional converter is electrically couplable to a slow power source, the slow power source including a battery or a power generator, wherein the bi-directional converter is further configured to direct current from the slow power source into the capacitor bank when operating in the first directional mode and to direct current released from the slow power source to the power rail when operating in the second directional mode.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the target power consumption includes a running average of the source load over the predefined time interval.
8 . A power stabilizer, comprising:
a bi-directional converter electrically couplable to a power rail and a capacitor bank, the bi-directional converter configured to direct current from the power rail into the capacitor bank when operating in a first directional mode and to direct current released from the capacitor bank to the power rail when operating in a second directional mode, the power rail being configured to supply power from a primary power source to electronics that generate a source load; and
control circuitry configured to:
determine a target power consumption based on measurements of the source load over a predefined time interval; and
smooth fluctuations in power drawn from the primary power source by selectively performing mode switch operations, the mode switch operations including:
controllably switching an operational mode of the bi-directional converter to the second directional mode in response to detecting that the source load exceeds a target power consumption; and
controllably switching the operational mode of the bi-directional converter to the first directional mode in response to detecting that the source load has dropped below the target power consumption.
9 . The power stabilizer of claim 8 , wherein the power rail is configured as a component of a server rack, the power rail is configured to supply power to the server rack, and the control circuitry is configured to smooth the power drawn by the server rack from the primary power source.
10 . The power stabilizer of claim 8 , wherein the power rail is configured as a component of an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), the UPS is configured to supply power to a power supply unit (PSU) of a server through the power rail, and the control circuitry is configured to smooth the power drawn by the UPS.
11 . The power stabilizer of claim 8 , wherein the power rail is configured as a component of a transformer substation, the transformer substation is configured to exchange power between a utility provider and a data center power distribution system through the power rail, and the control circuitry is configured to smooth the power drawn by the data center power distribution system from the utility provider.
12 . The power stabilizer of claim 8 , wherein the mode switch operations further include:
responsive to determining that a charge stored by the capacitor bank is outside of a predefined charge range, controllably switching the operational mode of the bi-directional converter to a charge preservation mode, wherein the bi-directional converter is configured in the charge preservation mode to control current exchanged between the capacitor bank and the power rail to drive the charge stored to be within the predefined charge range.
13 . The power stabilizer of claim 8 , wherein the bi-directional converter is electrically couplable to a slow power source, the slow power source including a battery or a power generator, wherein the bi-directional converter is further configured to direct current from the slow power source into the capacitor bank when operating in the first directional mode and to direct current released from the slow power source to the power rail when operating in the second directional mode.
14 . The power stabilizer of claim 8 , wherein the target power consumption includes a running average of the source load over the predefined time interval.
15 . One or more tangible processor-readable storage media embodied with instructions for executing on one or more processors and circuits of a computing device a process of stabilizing power draw from a primary power source in a computing system, the process comprising:
determining a target power consumption based on measurements of a source load over a predefined time interval, the source load being generated by electronics supplied power by the primary power source through a power rail, the power rail electrically coupled to a capacitor bank by a bi-directional converter; and
smoothing fluctuations in power drawn from the primary power source by selectively performing mode switch operations, the mode switch operations including:
controllably switching an operational mode of the bi-directional converter to a second directional mode in response to detecting that the source load exceeds the target power consumption, the bi-directional converter being configured to direct current released from the capacitor bank to the power rail when operating in the second directional mode; and
controllably switching the operational mode of the bi-directional converter to a first directional mode in response to detecting that the source load has dropped below the target power consumption, the bi-directional converter being configured to direct current from the power rail into the capacitor bank when operating in the first directional mode.
16 . The one or more tangible processor-readable storage media of claim 15 , wherein the power rail is configured as a component of a server rack, the power rail is configured to supply power to the server rack, and the smoothing operation smooths the power drawn by the server rack from the primary power source.
17 . The one or more tangible processor-readable storage media of claim 15 , wherein the power rail is configured as a component of an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), the UPS is configured to supply power to a power supply unit (PSU) of a server through the power rail, and the smoothing operation smooths the power drawn by the UPS.
18 . The one or more tangible processor-readable storage media of claim 15 , wherein the power rail is configured as a component of a transformer substation, the transformer substation is configured to exchange power between a utility provider and a data center power distribution system through the power rail, and operation of smoothing smooths the power drawn by the data center power distribution system from the utility provider.
19 . The one or more tangible processor-readable storage media of claim 15 , wherein the mode switch operations further include:
responsive to determining that a charge stored by the capacitor bank is outside of a predefined charge range, controllably switching the operational mode of the bi-directional converter to a charge preservation mode in which the bi-directional converter is configured to control current exchanged between the capacitor bank and the power rail to drive the charge stored to be within the predefined charge range.
20 . The one or more tangible processor-readable storage media of claim 15 , wherein the target power consumption includes a running average of the source load over the predefined time interval.