數(shù)據(jù)中心的不間斷電源：可持續(xù)性和可靠性之間的取舍Uninterruptiblepowerinthedatacentre:ChoosingbetweensustainabilityanduptimeBYFleurDoidge|Aug23,20

數(shù)據(jù)中心的不間斷電源：可持續(xù)性和可靠性之間的取舍

Uninterruptible power in the datacentre: Choosing between sustainability and uptime

BY Fleur Doidge | Aug 23, 2021

譯 者 說

隨著數(shù)據(jù)中心面臨越來越大的脫碳壓力，運(yùn)營方需要從UPS選型、發(fā)展UPS智能化技術(shù)、綜合比選各類蓄電池、提升技術(shù)人員電池維保技術(shù)等多方面進(jìn)行基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施的整體評估和優(yōu)化，嘗試在可持續(xù)性和應(yīng)用服務(wù)可用率之間協(xié)調(diào)發(fā)展，以滿足數(shù)據(jù)中心可持續(xù)發(fā)展的目標(biāo)。

新型不間斷電源（UPS）通常采用鋰離子（Li+）電池，鋰電在汽車和計(jì)算機(jī)領(lǐng)域都已得到了廣泛應(yīng)用。鋰電技術(shù)帶來的更好的可持續(xù)性發(fā)展，可以減輕數(shù)據(jù)中心運(yùn)營方來自環(huán)保方面的壓力。目前，圍繞鋰電池的可持續(xù)發(fā)展前景尚不明朗，全球的鋰礦開采和鋰電池制造仍然有非常大的挑戰(zhàn)。

New uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) are often based on lithium-ion (Li+) battery technology that is becoming widespread in everything from cars to computers. This often comes with a claim of greater sustainability that could help relieve the pressure on operators for greener datacentres.Yet the sustainability picture around Li+ batteries is unclear, with global challenges around mining and manufacture still unresolved.

然而，伊頓EMEA（歐洲、中東和非洲）業(yè)務(wù)部門關(guān)鍵電力系統(tǒng)技術(shù)經(jīng)理帕納寧表示，運(yùn)營方需要從整體上看待影響電力管理的所有問題，“更明智地思考”UPS的作用，而不是購買最環(huán)?；蜃罡咝У腢PS。

However, Janne Paananen, critical power systems technology manager at Eaton EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa), says operators need to take a holistic view of all issues affecting power management, “thinking smarter” about the role of UPS rather than buying the greenest or most efficient.

相反，他建議運(yùn)營方需要開始更明智地利用現(xiàn)有資產(chǎn)，減少總體消耗，同時(shí)節(jié)約成本和環(huán)境資源。

Instead, Paananen suggests operators need to start making smarter use of existing assets, reducing overall consumption to save costs and environmental resources at the same time.

Paananen說：“你不需要孤立和局限地思考這個問題，應(yīng)該整體地考量電氣設(shè)備系統(tǒng)和所有相關(guān)聯(lián)的設(shè)備，以及它們?nèi)绾胃玫匕l(fā)揮作用。”

“When you are not thinking in silos anymore, that means you don’t need to make separate purpose-built systems for everything,” says Paananen. “Think about the whole electrical equipment system at once – everything that is connected, how it can contribute.”

伊頓EMEA的數(shù)據(jù)中心和IT部門經(jīng)理Forde也同意這個觀點(diǎn)，并指出供應(yīng)商通常會開發(fā)具有多種常見特點(diǎn)的可持續(xù)導(dǎo)向產(chǎn)品，并評估這些基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施怎樣真正去推動可持續(xù)發(fā)展，”他說。

Ciarán Forde, datacentre and IT segment manager at Eaton EMEA, agrees, noting that suppliers often develop sustainably orientated products with multiple commonplace elements. “Ask what that infrastructure can do to really move the needle on sustainability,” he says.

Forde補(bǔ)充道，核心問題是目前的大部分電力仍然是通過石油和燃煤發(fā)電廠產(chǎn)生的。一個依靠化石燃料發(fā)電的數(shù)據(jù)中心可以最大限度地提高效率，卻無法推進(jìn)其運(yùn)營方或用戶的可持續(xù)發(fā)展。

The core issue is that electricity is still primarily generated via oil and coal-fired plants, adds Forde. A datacentre reliant on fossil fuels for power can be maximally efficient while still not advancing the sustainability agenda of its operator or the users that depend on it.

當(dāng)然，UPS在停電時(shí)，可確保應(yīng)用程序和工作負(fù)載的恢復(fù)能力，減少出現(xiàn)問題時(shí)中斷的次數(shù)。Forde建議，將UPS當(dāng)作是一個關(guān)鍵點(diǎn)，就可實(shí)現(xiàn)更多的可持續(xù)性。

Of course, the UPS reduces the chance of disruption when problems arise by delivering breathing space to ramp up on-site backup generation, securing resilience of applications and workloads. However, more sustainability can be achieved, Forde suggests, by understanding UPS as a focal point.

UPS的智能化應(yīng)用和發(fā)展

Smart ways to use UPS

UPS是能源網(wǎng)絡(luò)中的重要組成部分，無論技術(shù)路線如何發(fā)展，UPS都需要更加智能化，才能更好地可持續(xù)發(fā)展。

UPS is part of the nerve centre of the energy network, which means that sustainable UPS, regardless of technology, must incorporate the right smarts.

例如，智能UPS可以實(shí)時(shí)監(jiān)視并預(yù)測負(fù)荷用電需求，并將存儲的能量輸送回電網(wǎng)供他人使用，幫助抵消數(shù)據(jù)中心的能耗。

For instance, intelligent UPS that monitors requirements and predicts demand can help offset datacentre energy consumption by enabling stored energy to be delivered back to the grid for others to use.

數(shù)據(jù)中心可以成為電能產(chǎn)銷方，提高其系統(tǒng)和運(yùn)營的整體可持續(xù)性。或許數(shù)據(jù)中心可以安裝太陽能電池板，通過太陽能這一可再生能源向電網(wǎng)反向輸送電力。

The datacentre can become a prosumer, increasing overall sustainability of its systems and operations, especially if it begins delivering power to the grid via renewable sources, perhaps by installing solar panels.

Forde說：“通過向電網(wǎng)提供更多的可再生能源帶來的可持續(xù)性貢獻(xiàn)將比數(shù)據(jù)中心設(shè)施自身電能利用效率的改善高出一個數(shù)量級?！?/p>

“By enabling the grid operator to adopt more renewable energy, your contribution to sustainability is then an order of magnitude higher than tweaks here and there on efficiency inside the four walls of the datacentre,” says Forde.

Paananen指出，鉛酸電池等舊技術(shù)并不一定不環(huán)保，新的冶金和濕法冶金技術(shù)正在探索中，回收工廠正在建設(shè)中，像全球電池聯(lián)盟鋰電池證書這類電池跟蹤管理戰(zhàn)略也在發(fā)展中。

Paananen points out that old technologies such as lead-acid batteries are not necessarily less environmentally friendly, with new metallurgical and hydrometallurgical techniques being explored, recycling plants being built and component tracing strategies, such as the Global Battery Alliance Li+ battery passport, in development.

Paananen說：“你可以回收電池中99%的鉛，等等。到目前為止，鋰電池的使用壽命為10-15年，因此在2030年之前，預(yù)計(jì)不會產(chǎn)生大量的鋰電池回收量”。

“You can recycle 99% of the lead from the batteries and so on. With lithium batteries so far, they’ll last 10-15 years in operation, so you don’t expect any reasonable amount of recyclable materials from new lithium batteries until 2030,” says Paananen.

施耐德電氣（Schneider Electric）英國和愛爾蘭安全電源副總裁Marc Garner指出，鋰在生命周期中的某些階段對環(huán)境的不利影響可能高于某些“競爭性”替代品。然而，這些不利影響通常會被其生命周期其他階段的好處所抵消。

Marc Garner, UK and Ireland vice-president of secure power at Schneider Electric, notes that environmental impacts of lithium at certain points in the lifecycle can be higher than some “competitive” alternatives. However, this can often be offset by benefits at other stages of the lifecycle.

“研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，在過去10年里，鋰電池系統(tǒng)的總擁有成本比閥控鉛酸（VRLA）電池的同等系統(tǒng)低10-40%，”他說。

“Studies found that, over 10 years, Li+ delivered a total cost of ownership 10-40% lower than equivalent systems using valve-regulated lead-acid [VRLA] technology,” he says.

施耐德認(rèn)為傳統(tǒng)運(yùn)營方也將選擇鋰電池供電的UPS作為“現(xiàn)代化和能源管理戰(zhàn)略的一部分”，尤其是因?yàn)殇囯姵啬壳暗膬r(jià)格僅為VRLA的1.2到兩倍。

Schneider sees legacy operators also selecting Li+ battery-powered UPS as “part of modernisation and energy management strategies”, especially since Li+ batteries are now only 1.2 to two times as expensive as VRLAs.

Garner說：“它們的壽命是VRLA電池的兩到三倍，充電循環(huán)速度快兩到三倍，占地面積小，重量輕。一些三相鋰離子電池模塊還帶有可選的智能儲能功能”。

“They also offer two to three times the lifecycle of VRLA batteries, have two to three times faster charging recycles, a smaller footprint and are lighter weight. Some three-phase Li+ models offer intelligent energy storage options,” says Garner.

施耐德電氣與智能技術(shù)供應(yīng)商W?rtsil?合作開發(fā)了一種可持續(xù)UPS，平均節(jié)省了27%的資本支出，減少了20%的排放。他補(bǔ)充說，今后，隨著監(jiān)管合規(guī)越來越嚴(yán)，將不斷促進(jìn)UPS技術(shù)升級、回收報(bào)廢電池或換電。

Schneider Electric has partnered with smart tech supplier W?rtsil? on creating a sustainable UPS, demonstrating average capital expenditure savings of 27% and a 20% reduction in emissions. Over time, regulatory compliance is coupling with evolving technology as well as take-back or trade-in options for UPS and end-of-life battery replacement, he adds.

科技人員的觀點(diǎn)

What the science says

負(fù)責(zé)研究與電池技術(shù)相關(guān)儲能材料的蘭開斯特大學(xué)高級講師Nuria Tapia Ruiz認(rèn)為：可持續(xù)發(fā)展的前景是復(fù)雜的。

Nuria Tapia Ruiz, senior lecturer at Lancaster University, researches energy storage materials pertaining to battery technologies. She agrees the picture around sustainability is complex.

“鋰是不可持續(xù)的，但是鋰和鎳、鈷、錳比例的組合可以提供非常高的能量密度用以儲存更多的電能?！?/p>

“Li+ is not so sustainable,” Ruiz /confirm/is. “But lithium and a combination of nickel, cobalt and manganese ratios can provide the highest energy density to store quite a lot of charge.”

鋰不僅與空氣和水發(fā)生反應(yīng)，而且其開采與多種環(huán)境問題有關(guān)。從硫酸鹽中提取的鎳會產(chǎn)生有毒的二氧化硫。

Lithium not only reacts with air and water, but its mining is associated with multiple environmental issues. Nickel extracted from sulphates generates toxic sulphur dioxide.

剛果鈷礦使用童工，造成與污染有關(guān)的健康問題，包括飲用水污染。與此同時(shí)，在電池制造和供應(yīng)鏈上實(shí)現(xiàn)完全透明的閉環(huán)管理并消除不必要的浪費(fèi)仍然顯得非常困難。

Congolese cobalt mines use child labour and cause pollution-related health problems, including through contamination of drinking water. Meanwhile, gaining full transparency on battery manufacturing and supply chains to close the loop and eliminate unnecessary waste remains difficult.

電池中約70%的鈷來自剛果民主共和國?！霸陉枠O方面，我們有一些碳，這同樣帶來了可持續(xù)性問題，因?yàn)樘际怯山固恐瞥傻模盧uiz說。

about 70% of the cobalt in batteries comes from the Democratic Republic of Congo. “On the anode side, we have some carbon, which, again, comes with sustainability problems because carbon is made from coke,” says Ruiz.

目前的電池技術(shù)似乎是朝著正確方向發(fā)展的墊腳石，而不是可持續(xù)發(fā)展的解決方案。

Current battery technology seems a stepping stone in the right direction rather than a sustainability solution.

如果我們著眼于可持續(xù)性，我們將鈷和鎳這類陰極材料替換為磷、氧、鐵和鋰”。我們正在研究包括鈉離子在內(nèi)的其他可持續(xù)發(fā)展技術(shù)。

“If we’re looking at sustainability, we’ll move towards changing cathode materials [for] phosphorus, oxygen, iron and lithium – getting rid of the cobalt and nickel,” says Ruiz. “Other sustainable technologies we are looking at include sodium-ion [Na+].”

做為魯伊斯研究興領(lǐng)域的鈉離子技術(shù)，也是電池技術(shù)今后強(qiáng)有力的發(fā)展方向之一。特別是考慮到第二大電池制造商寧德時(shí)代在2021年7月推出了第一代鈉電池用以替代鋰電池，預(yù)計(jì)2023年，寧德時(shí)代就可以正式生產(chǎn)鈉電池并供貨。

Na+ technology is a research interest of Ruiz’s and a strong next step for battery technologies, especially considering that the second-largest battery maker, CATL, unveiled its first generation of Na+ batteries as a Li+ alternative in July 2021, forecasting supply chain readiness by 2023.

“在20年的時(shí)間里，鈣或鎂電池顯示出相當(dāng)大的前景，”魯伊斯說?！八麄冊陔姵匦阅鼙砀裰?，各項(xiàng)指標(biāo)看起來更有潛力?！?/p>

“And in 20 years’ time, calcium or magnesium batteries show quite a lot of promise,” says Ruiz. “They have more potential in the performance matrix.”

與此同時(shí)，關(guān)于改進(jìn)鋰電池技術(shù)和應(yīng)用的研究仍在繼續(xù)。

Meanwhile, research continues on improving Li+ technologies and applications.

當(dāng)前UPS可持續(xù)發(fā)展最佳實(shí)踐

Best practice UPS sustainability for today

Freeform Dynamics的杰出分析師Tony Lock表示，數(shù)據(jù)中心運(yùn)營方應(yīng)該通過首先關(guān)注基礎(chǔ)來實(shí)現(xiàn)可持續(xù)性目標(biāo)：評估應(yīng)用程序和服務(wù)的業(yè)務(wù)關(guān)鍵性、應(yīng)該在哪些平臺上運(yùn)行這些應(yīng)用和服務(wù)、以及服務(wù)器和存儲的效率，等等。

Tony Lock, distinguished analyst at Freeform Dynamics, says datacentre operators should achieve sustainability goals through first focusing on the basics: assessing business criticality of applications and services, which platforms they should run on, the efficiency of the servers and storage, and so on.

Lock說：“在你的數(shù)據(jù)中心需要持續(xù)可靠運(yùn)行的包含哪些應(yīng)用程序和服務(wù)？盡管幾乎所有使用這些服務(wù)的人都說它是任務(wù)關(guān)鍵型的，但實(shí)際上，這類服務(wù)的優(yōu)先級不完全相同，許多人都不需要非常高的可靠性?！?/p>

“What are you actually running inside your datacentre that you really need continuous availability for? Not all workloads are created equal. Even though nearly everybody who uses a workload will claim it is mission-critical, many of them aren’t,” says Lock.

有些數(shù)據(jù)中心可能只需更少的備用電池，當(dāng)用戶訪問服務(wù)不足時(shí)，就可以平穩(wěn)地停用一些服務(wù)，從而降低UPS和電池的容量需求。

Some may need less battery backup, shutting loads down smoothly when not required, limiting the size of UPS and alternative power systems needed in the event of an outage.

Lock說：“有一次，在我們測試備用柴油發(fā)電機(jī)的電池之前，數(shù)據(jù)中心意外停電15分鐘。我們都去責(zé)怪電工，但實(shí)際上是消防報(bào)警導(dǎo)致了那次停電事故?！?/p>

“I have been in the datacentre when all of the power disappeared, actually about 15 minutes before we tested the battery of the backup diesel generator,” says Lock. “We did blame the electricians for that, but it was actually a fire alarm.”

至于替代方案，Lock建議：“使用一些飛輪技術(shù)，類似像一個大彈簧原理的大轉(zhuǎn)動慣量儲能系統(tǒng)。如果你不需要將后備支撐系統(tǒng)的運(yùn)行時(shí)間設(shè)計(jì)成幾個小時(shí)，就非常適合選用這類“涓流充電”的儲能系統(tǒng)。

As for alternatives, Lock advises: “Use some of the flywheel technologies, like large springs, that have come along – really good if you don’t need to keep things running for hours. These can be taking a trickle charge.”

他強(qiáng)調(diào)，這一切都回歸到只有在你真的需要的時(shí)候才保持系統(tǒng)連續(xù)穩(wěn)定運(yùn)行。數(shù)據(jù)中心也應(yīng)該通過不同的供電回路，接到不同的電力供應(yīng)商。

It all comes back to only keeping things running if you really need to, he emphasises. Datacentres, too, should have alternative electricity providers on hand, via diverse routing. That way, there are other supplies via different wires that can be accessed.

“盡量減少非環(huán)保系統(tǒng)的數(shù)量，包括儲能UPS系統(tǒng)，”洛克說?！笆芙逃潭雀叩娜巳赫诔砷L，他們將成為致力于讓組織盡可能環(huán)保的股東——這一社會因素在過去五年中發(fā)生了巨大變化?！?/p>

“Minimise the amount of less environmentally friendly systems, including UPS systems that store capacity,” says Lock. “A more educated population is growing up and will be shareholders intent on making organisations as green as possible – that social factor has changed dramatically in the past five years.”

Uptime機(jī)構(gòu)首席技術(shù)官Chris Brown補(bǔ)充說，旋轉(zhuǎn)（動態(tài)）式UPS或大轉(zhuǎn)動慣量飛輪儲能系統(tǒng)在需要產(chǎn)生電能而不僅僅只消耗電能的應(yīng)用場景下，技術(shù)優(yōu)點(diǎn)非常明顯，但在其他應(yīng)用場景下則沒有什么優(yōu)勢。

Chris Brown, chief technical officer of Uptime Institute, adds that a rotor UPS or a big flywheel has mass on it and therefore inertia, which will be advantageous in some situations – for example, if producing the power rather than just consuming it – but not others.

Brown說：“在靜態(tài)UPS方面，你可以使用一個小飛輪來代替原有的蓄電池。問題是，靜態(tài)UPS上的典型電池支撐時(shí)間（大約在5分鐘到數(shù)小時(shí)之間），取決于你想選用的飛輪儲能時(shí)間（大約18秒），所以你需要一臺快速啟動的發(fā)電機(jī)或相關(guān)設(shè)備，但這種飛輪儲能確實(shí)不需要任何蓄電池?！?/p>

“On the static UPS side, you can use a small flywheel to replace the batteries. The issue with that is your typical battery runtime on a static UPS – somewhere between five minutes and hours, depending on how many batteries you want to put in a flywheel – will give you about 18 seconds,” says Brown. “So you do need a fast start engine generator or something of that nature associated with it, but it does eliminate the need for batteries.”

另一種選擇是雙轉(zhuǎn)換式UPS，使用整流器將AC轉(zhuǎn)換為DC，然后用于給電池充電，然后通過逆變器將DC轉(zhuǎn)換回AC。當(dāng)交流電轉(zhuǎn)換為直流電時(shí)，UPS將過濾掉交流電中的干擾信號。布朗說，你也可以將UPS運(yùn)行在靜態(tài)旁路“eco”模式，直至市電斷電之后，UPS才切換回雙轉(zhuǎn)換模式。

Another option is double-conversion stack UPS, using a rectifier to convert AC to DC that will then be used to charge batteries and then convert the DC via inverter back to AC to drive the UPS. When some features are converted from AC to DC, you take out all power anomalies. You can also use an “eco” mode which bypasses the UPS until the power disappears, says Brown.

他說，數(shù)據(jù)中心在可持續(xù)發(fā)展方面需要的是盡可能高的能源效率和盡可能大的電池存儲能量，同時(shí)在整個生命周期中對環(huán)境的整體影響最低，在整個發(fā)展過程中產(chǎn)生最小的不利影響。

What the datacentre needs for sustainability is the best possible energy efficiency and battery storage with the lowest overall environmental impact throughout the lifecycle – “burning the lowest number of dead dinosaurs” in the process, he says.

Brown說，Uptime機(jī)構(gòu)聽說一些保險(xiǎn)公司因?yàn)榛馂?zāi)風(fēng)險(xiǎn)而拒絕使用鋰電池。但對于通過使用UPS優(yōu)化電源管理的問題，目前還沒有得出完美的解決方案。

Brown says Uptime has heard that some insurance companies are pushing back on the use of Li+ because of the fire risk. But there’s no perfect answer to the question of optimal power management via UPS.

Brown說：“通過優(yōu)化電池存儲空間，選擇適合的電池技術(shù)以達(dá)到延長電池壽命的目的。此外，也需要技術(shù)支持。技術(shù)人員需要了解和掌握延長電池壽命的技術(shù)。這既是一門藝術(shù)，也是一門科學(xué)。擁有這方面豐富的工作經(jīng)驗(yàn)是非常難得的，但不是每個數(shù)據(jù)中心技術(shù)人員都掌握這方面的專業(yè)知識?！?/p>

“You can control the space that the batteries exist in, for optimal conditions that will extend their life – selecting battery technology that’s right for what you’re going to use it for,” says Brown.“The other thing is support. When you’re talking about battery technicians who can extend the life of the battery just by knowing what to do with it – that’s as much as an art as a science. With a lot of experience they’re worth their weight in gold, but not every datacentre has that kind of expertise available.”

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iCloud烏蘭察布數(shù)據(jù)中心站點(diǎn)經(jīng)理

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