Data Center Uninterruptible Power Distribution Architecture

Abstract

Apparatus and associated method and computer program products involve a highly efficient uninterruptible power distribution architecture to support modular processing units. As an illustrative example, a modular processing unit includes an corresponding uninterruptible power system in which only one AC-to-DC rectification occurs between the utility AC grid and the processing circuit (e.g., microprocessor) loads. In an illustrative data center facility, a power distribution architecture includes a modular array of rack-mountable processing units, each of which has processing circuitry to handle network-related processing tasks. Associated with each modular processing unit is an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) to supply operating power to the network processing circuitry. Each UPS includes a battery selectively connectable across a DC bus, and a AC-to-DC rectifier that converts an AC input voltage to a single output voltage on the DC bus. The regulated DC bus voltage may be close to the battery's fully charged voltage.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A power distribution system for a data center, the system comprising:
 a modular base configured to be supported in one of a plurality of positions on a rack mounting structure, the base comprising:
 a DC load comprising at least one digital processor operative to process data received over a network; 
 a DC bus configured to deliver operating power to the DC load, the power being received from a power source connected across the DC bus; and 
 an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) supported by the base, the UPS comprising: 
 a battery circuit configured to operatively connect a battery across the DC bus during a fault condition in which an AC input voltage signal from an AC generator falls outside of a normal operating range; 
 an AC-to-DC rectification stage comprising an AC-to-DC conversion circuit configured to convert the AC input voltage signal to a single DC output voltage signal across the DC bus when the AC input voltage signal is within the normal operating range, wherein the AC-to-DC conversion circuit is configured to regulate the DC output voltage signal to a voltage level above and substantially near a maximum nominal charge voltage of the battery; and 
 a controller configured to selectively activate the AC-to-DC conversion circuit to resume supplying operating power to the DC load in response to a signal that indicates that the AC input voltage signal has returned to the normal operating range.