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Fuel Cell Powered Data Centres
Daragh Campbell BEng, MSc
Overview
•Background
• Data Centres
• Fuel Cells
• The Challenge
•Design
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Design Philosophy
Design Scenarios
High temperature fuel cell power design
High temperature fuel cell cooling design
•Performance
• Efficiency
• Costs
• Carbon Emissions
•Conclusions
• Benefits
• Route to market
Background
Data Centres
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The internet is integral to current society
Data Centres are an integral component of the Global IT system
UK Data centres power demand in 2013 was 3.1 GW (P Jones DCD, 2013)
There is further growth expected in the Data Centre Industry
Background
Fuel Cells (P.E. Dodds and A Hawkes, 2014).
Background
The Challenge
• Data centre Efficiency (CIBSE, 2012)
• CO2 Emission Targets (DECC, 2012)
Design
Define System Boundaries
Design (Flow Chart)
Design
Design Scenarios
UPS System
Backup
Generation
Data hall
cooling
UPS cooling
200kW
Battery
Backed
Diesel
Generator
Adiabatic
CRAH
Direct Fresh Air DX
1 MW
Battery
Backed
Diesel
Generator
Adiabatic
CRAH
Direct Fresh Air DX
200kW
Battery
Backed
Fuel Cell /
Mains
Absorption
CHW
Absorption
CHW
Absorption
CHW
1 MW
Battery
Backed
Fuel Cell /
Mains
Absorption
CHW
Absorption
CHW
Absorption
CHW
E; Traditional
water cooled 1 MW
Battery
Backed
Diesel
Generator
CHW CRAC
Direct Fresh Air DX
Scenario
A; Adiabatic
Cooling
B; Adiabatic
Cooling
C; Fuel Cell
CCP
D; Fuel Cell
CCP
Expansion
Increments
Battery Rack
Cooling
Design
Fuel cell Powered Data Centre
Power System Design
Conventional Power System
design
Design
Fuel cell Powered Data Centre Cooling Design
Performance
Efficiency
Design Scenario CoP (IT cooling)
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CoP (UPS
cooling)
PUE Efficiency
PUE
A
6.58
10.18
81%
1.24
B
6.58
9.69
80%
1.24
C
6.25
7.44
84%
1.19
D
6.25
8.92
84%
1.19
E
2.58
9.59
67%
1.49
PUE efficiency base on IT percentage power usage (PUE reflected as a
percentage)
Conventional, adiabatic and absorption cooling performance are based on
current market technical information
Fuel cell efficiencies are calculated based on 55% for a SOFC
PUE has not attributed any benefit to local/de-centralized power generation
Performance
Costs
Schedule of assumptions for Capital cost
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SOFC Reduces costs @ 13% per annum (P.E. Dodds and A Hawkes, 2014).
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SOFC installation cost of $8000/kW (Bloom,2012)
• Overall Data centre capital cost of £12000/kW IT (CIBSE, 2012)
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Division of capital cost is Construction 24%, Electrical 54% and mechanical
22% (CIBSE, 2012)
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Capital costs for Absorption chiller cooling system equivalent to a conventional
cooling system
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Annual Inflation of 1%
Schedule of assumptions for Operational cost
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Gas v electricity price is the only operational cost variable
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DECC large consumer rate (p/kWh) is used for gas & power consumption
2013)
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Usage is 100% IT load 100% of the year
(DECC,
Performance
Capital Cost
Operational Cost
Data Centre Capex Scenario A& B £/kW IT load
Opex Scenario A& B £/kW IT/yr
Opex Scenario C&D £/kW IT/yr
Opex benchmark £/kW IT/yr
Data Centre Capex Scenario C&D £/kW IT load
Data Centre Capex Benchmark £/kW IT load
£4,000
£20,000
£3,500
£18,000
£3,000
£16,000
£14,000
£2,500
£12,000
£2,000
£10,000
£1,500
£8,000
£1,000
£6,000
£500
£4,000
£0
2010
2020
2030
2040
2050
£2,000
£0
2010
2020
2030
2040
2050
Performance
Carbon Emissions
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Carbon Emissions are based on a linear trend from1990 to current levels (445g
CO2/kWh) and then projected to 2050 (DECC, 2013)
Figures based on 100% IT load running 100% of the year
Gas emission level Based on DECC published figures of (184g CO2/kWh)
Scenario A&B CO2 (2014 trend to 2050) kg/kW IT / yr
"Benchmark CO2 (2014 trend to 2050) kg/kW IT / yr
"Scenario C&D CO2 (2014 trend to 2050) kg/kW IT / yr
7,000
6,000
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000
0
2010
2020
2030
2040
2050
Conclusions
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A fuel cell powered data centre is technically achievable and offers low PUE
performance and additional diversity as it has both a gas and power grid
connection
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Carbon emissions of a natural gas powered fuel cell are low, when run of Biogas or hydrogen they are zero
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Its performance is independent of ambient conditions, this offers greater global
potential.
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As the price difference between gas and electricity increases it could offer a
greater operational saving to Data Centre facilities
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Current fuel cell capital cost are high relative to established technologies but
with sufficient growth the learning curve could make them competitive
Summary
• Data Centres have an important role in society
• The Challenge of increasing power demand and lower emission targets
means there needs to be a lower Carbon solution
• Fuels cells can offer a low carbon emission solution
• A fuel cell powered data centre can be designed to offer high efficiencies
• They offer operational savings with a growing difference in gas and electricity
costs