Power Distribution: PDUs, UPS and Generators
How power reaches the rack and stays on when the utility fails, for data centre technicians at Stonebridge Data's Beauharnois campus near Montréal (Hydro-Québec 120 kV supply, 25 kV campus distribution, 600 V buildings): the power chain and single-line diagrams, substations and power quality, switchboards, transformers and floor PDUs, UPS topologies and modes, VRLA and lithium-ion batteries and runtime, static and maintenance bypass, diesel generators and fuel, transfer switches and the transfer sequence, remote power panels, busways and branch circuits, rack PDUs, N+1, 2N and distributed redundancy, and a full utility outage and generator run.
DCT-220 12 lessons · 4 h 1 min ▶ Video lessons coming soon
Offered by HSM University · Data Centre Operations
This is the Canadian version of this course. See the American version.
What you'll learn
- Trace the power chain from the utility to a rack on a single-line diagram and convert three-phase meter readings into kilowatts
- Explain how the campus is supplied by the utility and medium-voltage system, and interpret utility events and power quality records
- Read switchboards, transformers and floor PDUs from the front, recognize abnormal indications and report them without operating equipment
- Describe double-conversion, line-interactive and eco-mode UPS operation and respond correctly to on-battery and static bypass states
- Compare VRLA and lithium-ion UPS batteries, estimate runtime and recognize the monitoring signs of ageing or failing batteries
- Explain static and maintenance bypass paths and the controls that make UPS bypass work safe for the load
- Describe standby generator systems, fuel management and testing, and carry out generator rounds and test records
- Follow the automatic transfer and retransfer sequence second by second and read transfer controller logs
- Apply the 80 % continuous-load rule and the 2N per-side limit to remote power panels, busways and branch circuits
- Work with metered and switched rack PDUs, balance phases, and handle power cycles and bank breaker trips correctly
- Calculate unit loading under N, N+1, 2N and distributed redundant designs and keep the redundancy status accurate
- Support a full utility outage and generator run by monitoring, recording, calculating and communicating, and contribute to the incident report
Course content
12 lessons · 4 h 1 min total · final exam
- 1 The power chain from utility to rack 20 min · quiz
- 2 Utility service, medium voltage and substations 20 min · quiz
- 3 Switchgear, transformers and power distribution units 20 min · quiz
- 4 UPS topologies: double conversion, line-interactive and eco mode 19 min · quiz
- 5 UPS batteries: VRLA, lithium-ion and runtime 20 min · quiz
- 6 Static and maintenance bypass 20 min · quiz
- 7 Generators: diesel, fuel and starting 20 min · quiz
- 8 Automatic transfer switches and the transfer sequence 19 min · quiz
- 9 Remote power panels, busways and branch circuits 20 min · quiz
- 10 Rack PDUs: metered, switched and monitored 19 min · quiz
- 11 Redundancy: N, N+1, 2N and distributed redundant 21 min · quiz
- 12 Capstone: a utility outage and a generator run 23 min · quiz
- E Final exam 20 questions
Requirements
Recommended background. You can start any course at any time.
Description
How power reaches the rack and stays on when the utility fails, for data centre technicians at Stonebridge Data's Beauharnois campus near Montréal (Hydro-Québec 120 kV supply, 25 kV campus distribution, 600 V buildings): the power chain and single-line diagrams, substations and power quality, switchboards, transformers and floor PDUs, UPS topologies and modes, VRLA and lithium-ion batteries and runtime, static and maintenance bypass, diesel generators and fuel, transfer switches and the transfer sequence, remote power panels, busways and branch circuits, rack PDUs, N+1, 2N and distributed redundancy, and a full utility outage and generator run.