Blue Chip

Blue Chip is soon to be one of the most efficient and environmentally friendly data centres in Europe

Blue Chip needed a reliable and efficient back-up power for the recently-opened state-of-the-art facility in Bedford, which can house up to 600 server racks and is claimed to be one of the greenest facilities of its kind, with a target Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) of just 1.1.

The solution and results

Independent reseller and one of Power Controls premier partners, Buckingham-based NSSE, secured the order after effectively demonstrating the high efficiency levels that could be achieved, even at part load, when using Power Controls transformer-based ECO-UPS solutions, which can reach an impressive operating efficiency of 95 percent, whilst operating in true on-line mode, and above.

Borri’s ECO range of three phase UPS equipment is the only transformer-based type to have made it onto the government’s Energy Technology List (ETL). The ETL is part of the Enhanced Capital Allowance Scheme and a key plank in the Government’s programme to fight climate change by providing tax incentives for businesses investing in equipment that meets energy-saving criteria. As Blue Chip needed to keep its reputation for being one of the greenest facilities of its kind, the B9600 ECP-UPS was the right UPS for the job.

This transformer-based ECO-UPS installed at Blue Chip’s new £5million eco data centre offers the greatest electrical protection and comes with an impressive 0.99 input power factor (PF), giving improved efficiency and stability of the overall transmission network and a THDi of less than three percent to help eliminate any current distortion.

With independent power plant rooms sited either side of the main data halls, the electrical design preferred by Blue Chip was true 2N+1 with a combined parallel-redundant mode configuration. The decision to use 2N+1 was to remove any single points of failure that may arise and also allow for other UPS equipment to be maintained without transferring the load to bypass mode, which would expose the load to unconditioned power.

In partnership with NSSE, Borri delivered and commissioned the four B9600 400kVA units in conjunction with a dedicated back-up mains supply and bespoke electrical switchgear, allowing the UPS systems to be isolated for maintenance works. Power Control has also catered for increased future electrical infrastructure requirements for Blue Chip, which is planning to deploy an additional eight 400kVA UPS systems from Borri.