Rack Mounted Load Banks for Data Load Testing

Commissioning mission-critical data center systems is vital to ensuring the highest degree of system availability throughout all phases of operation, from initial startup to full system buildout and beyond into the aging phase.

One challenge to efficient data center commissioning is that new data centers are typically built with extra HVAC/electrical capacity to allow future system development. There is a chance that the thermal and electrical design loads will only be reached for a short time after the system goes live. This creates two different problems later on in the system’s lifetime.

A MAJOR COLLAPSE OF THE SYSTEM

A tiny fraction of the design data center system capacity may be installed, leading to HVAC systems needing more turndown to function efficiently at low loads during early operation. Turndown refers to a system’s or machine’s ability to continue operating while operating at a reduced load. While certain cutting-edge electronics can operate at a high turndown ratio, their usefulness is often limited. To maintain the desired temperature, the controls may cycle a huge piece of machinery (such as a chiller) on and off to maintain the setpoint.

During the on-cycle, space or rack load bank subcooling is feasible; during the off-cycle, it might be difficult to maintain the setpoint. Overuse and premature machinery failure may result from these occurrences if the cycles are too short. Manufacturer or control contractor representatives may tune systems or equipment for smooth operation at low loads to prevent these issues. Still, as loads increase over time, the initial configurations may present unexpected difficulties and require readjustment, often long after the warranty period has passed. Testing for these light loads is essential to data center rack load bank commissioning, but it is often skipped altogether.

CONSTRUCTIONAL LOADING DIFFICULTIES

On the other side, when loads increase toward design maximums, issues with systems that have yet to be fully tested may appear for the first time. This may occur as compute loads and rack load bank buildouts go to design levels. Issues with chilled water flow or balance for water-cooled equipment, airside distribution hotspots, incorrect circuit breaker ampacity, setting, or layout, and electrical termination issues that go undetected under light loads are all examples. Since server systems are often used at design loads, when these issues produce failures, they may be very expensive and destructive to an organization. As a result, it is essential to conduct tests under design load conditions during the commissioning phase.

ALL TYPES OF OPERATING SYSTEMS APPROVED FOR COMMISSIONING

To accurately assess thermal management and power systems before deploying server and network equipment, it is essential to have a flexible platform for modeling a variety of thermal and electrical loading circumstances, including initial loading and design buildout. Load testing often involves using larger load banks, either in hot aisles with many Inverter load bank test or in open server rooms before rack equipment is placed (s). While the latter approach is preferable for hot aisle containment design in modern data centers, it still needs to represent the actual rack load bank accurately. It may make it difficult to locate hotspots and other performance anomalies.