Source URL: https://cloud.google.com/blog/topics/systems/100-million-li-ion-cells-in-google-data-centers/
Source: Cloud Blog
Title: How we got to 100 million cells in our global Li-ion rack battery fleet
Feedly Summary: When it comes to data center power systems, batteries play an important role. The applications that run in our data centers require nearly continuous uptime. And while utility power is highly reliable, power outages are unavoidable.
When an outage happens, batteries can supply short-duration power, allowing servers to operate continuously when the facility switches between AC power sources, or to ride through transient power disturbances. Or, if a facility loses both primary and alternate power sources for an extended period of time, batteries can supply sufficient power to allow machines to execute a clean shutdown procedure. This is helpful in expediting machine restarts after the power outage. More importantly, it helps ensure that critical user data is safely stored to disk and not lost in the power disruption.
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At Google, we rely on a 48Vdc rack power system with integrated battery backup units (BBUs), and in 2015, we became one of the first hyperscale data center providers to deploy Lithium-ion BBUs. These Li-ion batteries had twice the life, twice the power and half the volume of previous-generation lead-acid batteries. Switching from lead-acid batteries to Li-ion means we deploy only one-quarter the number of batteries, greatly reducing the battery waste generated by our data centers.
We recently reached an important milestone: Google has more than 100 million cells deployed in battery packs across our global data center fleet. This is remarkable, and only possible thanks to the safety-first approach we take to deploy Li-ion batteries at scale.
The main safety risk associated with Li-ion batteries is the battery going into thermal runaway if it’s accidentally mishandled or exposed to excessive temperatures or overcharging. While a rare event, the resulting fire is extremely difficult to extinguish due to the large amount of heat generated, driving a thermal runaway chain reaction to nearby cells.
To deploy this large fleet of Li-ion cells, we have had to make safety a core principle of our battery design. Specifically, as an early adopter of the UL9540A thermal runaway test method, we subject our Li-ion BBU designs to rigorous flame safety testing that demonstrates their ability to limit thermal runaway. As a result, Google has successfully been granted permits to deploy BBUs in some of the world’s most stringent jurisdictions, in the APAC region.
In addition, our Li-ion BBUs benefit from our distributed UPS architecture that offers significant availability and TCO benefits compared to traditional monolithic UPS systems. The distributed UPS architecture improves machine availability by: 1) reducing the failure-domain blast radius to a single rack, and 2) locating the batteries in the rack to eliminate intermediate points of failure between the UPS and machines. This architecture also provides TCO benefits by scaling the UPS with the deployment, i.e., reducing day-1 UPS cost. Additionally, locating the batteries in the rack on the same DC bus as the machines eliminates intermediate AC/DC power conversion steps that cause efficiency losses. In 2016 we shared the 48V rack power system spec with the Open Compute Project, including specs for the Li-ion BBUs.
Li-ion batteries have been crucial to ensuring the uninterrupted operation of Google Cloud data centers. By transitioning from lead-acid to Li-ion BBUs, we’ve significantly improved power availability, efficiency, and lifespan, even as we simultaneously address their critical safety risks. Our commitment to rigorous safety testing and adherence to standards and test methods like UL9540A has enabled us to deploy millions of Li-ion BBUs globally, providing our customers with the high level of reliability they expect from Google Cloud.
Getting to 100 million Li-ion batteries is just one of many examples of how we are building a reliable cloud and power-efficient AI. As data center power systems evolve to include new technologies including large battery energy storage systems (BESS) and new workload requirements (AI workloads), we remain dedicated to exploring and implementing innovative solutions to build the most efficient and safest cloud data centers.
AI Summary and Description: Yes
Summary: The text discusses the critical role of battery systems in data centers, particularly Google’s transition to Lithium-ion battery backup units (BBUs), which improve power availability and safety. This innovation emphasizes the importance of reliable power systems in supporting continuous operations for AI and cloud services.
Detailed Description:
– The text provides an in-depth analysis of Google’s approach to enhancing power reliability in its data centers through advanced battery systems, specifically Lithium-ion battery backup units (BBUs).
– Key points highlighted include:
– **Importance of Battery Systems**: Batteries provide necessary power during outages and transient disturbances, enabling continuous server operations and safe shutdown procedures.
– **Innovation with Lithium-ion Batteries**:
– Li-ion batteries have double the lifespan and power capacity while occupying less physical space than traditional lead-acid batteries.
– This transition reduces battery waste and environmental impact, aligning with sustainability goals.
– **Deployment Milestone**: Google has achieved a remarkable milestone with over 100 million Li-ion cells deployed across its data centers, showcasing their commitment to innovation and operational reliability.
– **Safety Measures**:
– A primary concern with Li-ion technology is the risk of thermal runaway. Google adopted a safety-first design principle and uses UL9540A testing to ensure safety in performance.
– This rigorous testing allows for deployment in strict regulatory environments, particularly in the APAC region.
– **Distributed UPS Architecture**:
– Google utilizes a distributed UPS architecture to enhance availability and reduce total cost of ownership (TCO) compared to traditional systems.
– This architecture minimizes potential points of failure and enhances overall machine efficiency.
– **Future Technologies**: The text mentions Google’s ongoing exploration of innovative solutions in data center power systems to support evolving demands, particularly from AI workloads and energy storage systems.
Overall, the advancements in battery technologies and power systems are crucial for security and compliance professionals as they ensure that data centers can maintain high levels of uptime and reliability, which are vital for cloud computing and AI operations.