Schneider Electric provides electrical infrastructure for Europe’s largest data centre

Next Generation Data Ltd was formed to help meet the growing demand for data centres. The company had decided to locate a major project outside of London and the South East in an environment that would provide a combination of cost-effectiveness and security. The former semi-conductor plant in Newport provided the ideal location: a large building, away from built-up urban areas in an isolated position. An additional advantage of the location was that it is directly connected to the Super Grid via a substation less than 1km away. This provides a large 180MVA of resilient power supply.

Schneider Electric provided a wide range of solutions to meet the needs of the data centre.

As with any large electrical installation, LV and MV equipment was required. A packaged substation was installed at the site, to provide power to the data centre. These were built with integrated power distribution units (PDU). The Schneider Electric PDU has the capability to remotely monitor every electrical circuit in the network, so if a fault ever occurs it can be picked up immediately and counter-measures can be implemented.

Galaxy UPS devices from APC by Schneider Electric were specified and installed to act as an interim measure if there is ever an interruption to the supply of power at the source. These devices offer eight minutes of continuous power if the mains supply fails. In the event of a failure, the system automatically switches on a series of diesel generators within seconds to continue powering the data centre.

Cooling is perhaps the most critical system within a data centre. The sheer amount of servers within the space generates a vast amount of heat, and unless the temperature is regulated and kept cool, the servers are likely to overheat and malfunction. Schneider Electric opted to install a cooling system from its strategic partner, Stulz, as the products best suited the need of the project.

Cooling is the most energy intensive operation in a data centre. Making steps towards energy efficiency is important to Next Generation Data, so Schneider Electric knew that traditional cooling systems had to be tailored to help meet this objective. The key was to make the CRAC system as efficient as possible. To do this, the specification team developed a new solution, where 56 remote temperature sensors are utilised around each hall, and linked to the CRAC system through infrared monitors. These sensors identify hot and cold spots, and where the temperature is naturally cooler, the CRAC system automatically reduces its focus on that particular area and concentrates on the sections that are warmer.

Schneider Electric recognised that in order to meet Next Generation’s exacting demands for high specification technology, they needed to introduce a revolutionary management system. This new solution was uniquely designed for the Next Generation project. Data centres have historically used separate management systems to control building operations such as heating and lighting, alongside individual systems for the UPS and generators. The energy management specialists decided to break with tradition and implement an industry first – bringing together the building management system, the electronic management system, the PDUs and SCADA.

This unique system provides Next Generation Data with the power to closely monitor energy usage, highlighting any areas of concern where consumption is running at unexpected levels. This can then be addressed quickly and efficiently, ensuring a better service for customers of the data centre.

The advanced management system also provides a way for Next Generation to monitor the data centre without breaching confidentiality agreements. Once customers have signed contracts for the halls, no-one is allowed access. Schneider Electric installed its SCADA system, through which a central server provides a virtual window into the data centre processes, via a number of plasma screens. Authorised controllers can check on any data at any time, even down to each individual circuit within the building, ensuring all processes are running smoothly and any issues are quickly identified and dealt with.

NGD Europe also benefits from a remote monitoring web gate system. This allows users to connect to the data centre using the internet and an IP address. This effectively means the data centre can be monitored and controlled not only locally, but from anywhere in the world, offering 24/7 control and visibility.

To ensure peace of mind, Next Generation Data has signed a five year ‘Prevent’ contract with Schneider Electric, offering 24/7 support and access to an engineer. ‘Prevent’ contracts have been developed for electrical distribution systems, offering a range of features such as a non-intrusive maintenance service, allowing switchgear to be checked while it is still operating, and around the clock access to spare parts. Assets will be proactively maintained through random spot-checks, and any issues can be identified and fixed, quickly and effectively.