WE’ RE SEEING AN INCREASE IN BOTH FAULT CURRENT RISKS AND ARC FLASH RISKS AS A RESULT OF HIGHER POWER DENSITIES.
ENHANCING SAFETY AMIDST RISING AI POWER DENSITIES
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ENHANCING SAFETY AMIDST RISING AI POWER DENSITIES
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CHRIS OSIAN
PRODUCT MANAGER AT STARLINE, A BRAND OF LEGRAND
Chris Osian is the Product Manager at Starline, a brand of Legrand. He is responsible for the global portfolio of data centre products, including track busway and metering solutions. With over 15 years of experience in product and application engineering, Chris brings extensive expertise to his role. He holds a bachelor’ s degree in electrical engineering from the San Francisco State University and an MBA from Golden Gate University.
AI and high-performance computing are driving unprecedented levels of power in data centres. As power densities rise, so does the severity of potential arc flash incidents. To better safeguard staff and equipment, data centres must prioritise improved PPE, safety training, and the use of innovative technology. Chris Osian, Product Manager at Starline, a brand of Legrand, discusses the current power landscape and highlights innovative tools for enhancing safety in high-density environments.
or data centre operators, the rapid adoption
F of AI and high-performance computing has significantly increased focus on power density and distribution. Where 10kW racks were once the norm, some AI applications may now require up to 100 – 150kW per rack.
While attention has shifted to power distribution and IT infrastructure, this dramatic rise in power density also brings safety challenges that should not be overlooked. Safety should always be a key consideration in both the architecture and operations of high-density deployments to ensure the wellbeing of personnel and the reliability of infrastructure.
AI-driven growth reshaping power demands
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WE’ RE SEEING AN INCREASE IN BOTH FAULT CURRENT RISKS AND ARC FLASH RISKS AS A RESULT OF HIGHER POWER DENSITIES.
Power demand driven by AI is no secret. Over the last few years, we’ ve seen a significant increase in power demand, both at the rack and upstream. Around five to eight years ago, seven-to-10kW was a common space for racks. Fast forward a couple of years and this turned into 15 – 30kW racks, and today, we’ re deploying 43 – 50kW plug-ins. We’ re receiving requests for anywhere between 100kW and 150kW racks.
Conversations with our customers highlight that power demand will continue to rise, but it’ s crucial we don’ t lose focus on the need to prevent downtime. Increased power demand means an increased chance of downtime, which can have a catastrophic impact – with outages affecting both reputation and customer relationships.
Enhancing safety amidst rising AI power densities 3