Energon supplied lithium batteries for Oxygen data center

2022: Supply of Lithium Batteries for Oxygen Data Center

Energon on September 19, 2022 announced the implementation of a project for the supply of lithium batteries for the Oxygen data center.

According to the company, until recently, the main workhorse in uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) for data centers (data centers) was lead-acid batteries of various modifications. Nevertheless, progress in digitalization puts forward updated requirements for the data center. With the development of the Internet of Things, the response time of computing complexes becomes an increasingly important parameter, and therefore they are preferably located as close as possible to service consumers.

The need to be closer to customers in the truest sense of the word is one of the reasons why modern data centers are often located in former factory buildings in megacities. There are specific difficulties here - the high cost of space and the need to work with existing buildings.

A feature of the OXYGEN data center is its placement in the former factory building, which required updated technical solutions.

Under these conditions, the disadvantages of lead-acid batteries are manifested:

• relatively low energy storage density,
• the need for frequent maintenance,
• deterioration of parameters at a temperature above room temperature.

The way out is to switch to lithium batteries. A clear example of this evolution is the project implemented by ENERGON at the OXYGEN data center. The object for the description was not chosen by chance - both firms link a multi-year partnership, which resulted in OXYGEN obtaining a TIER III Uptime Institute reliability certificate.

The data center in question is equipped with Eaton UPSs capable of working with various types of batteries. In 2021, ENERGON installed DELTA Xpert lead-acid batteries in this data center, as well as the DELTA Battery Equalizer balancing and monitoring system. This system allows you to provide the same level of charge for each battery included in a serial chain, despite the presence of technological variation in the characteristics of energy storage devices. Namely, recharging, as well as regular undercharging, reduce the life of lead-acid batteries. The batteries are tightly placed in three tiers on racks 2.7 meters high, 120 pieces per rack. It is problematic to contact them regularly in the traditional way. The monitoring system, which is part of the DELTA Battery Equalizer, allows you to remotely track energy storage parameters. The capacity of the initially implemented solution was 1.2 MW, which ensures autonomous operation of the data center for 5 minutes.

The experience of operating the solution from ENERGON showed it from the good side, after which, to further expand the capacities of the data center, OXYGEN decided to order a solution that should bring the capacity of the backup power system to 6 MW. Work on its installation was carried out in mid-2022.

The implementation of such a project based on lead-acid technology will already require about a thousand batteries. The customer himself chose "lithium." At the same time, the main reason was the fact that it is almost impossible to service an array of thousands of batteries in an existing room that was not originally built for a data center.

The use of lithium-based energy storage is a direction in the development of uninterruptible power supply technologies, but such solutions have their own characteristics. In particular, if the balancing and monitoring system for lead-acid batteries is just a means of improving performance, then it is mandatory for lithium. Since ENERGON has already gained experience in creating and installing such systems, there were no problems.

For use in the project, UDL 512 V 40 Ah batteries belonging to the LiFePO4 type were selected. Compared to other modifications of lithium batteries, the LiFePO4 type has a good price/quality ratio (the cost of 1 Ah of stored energy is only 20% higher than that of lead-acid batteries), an appropriate level of fire safety and optimal efficiency (a 40 Ah cell actually gives more energy than a 50 Ah analogue in lithium batteries of a different type).

The expansion of the capabilities of the backup power system is carried out within the available areas due to the high energy storage density (2-2.5 times higher than lead). It became possible to reduce the gaps between batteries, as well as between terminals and shelves of racks, since there is no need for regular maintenance. The problem of heat removal is not relevant here, because lithium batteries can work normally at temperatures up to + 60 ° C. In order not to interrupt the work of the data center, the former array of lead-acid batteries during the installation of "lithium" was preserved - in the end there was a place for everything.