Founded in 1978, PDI is headquartered in Virginia and provides power distribution equipment and services. The company, part of Smiths Interconnect, has additional manufacturing and engineering facilities in California and Michigan.

PDI launched several new product offerings in 2011, including:

Enhanced  i-CON Modular Data Center – The modular data center is built from a standard ISO shipping container and customized with the key attributes of a standard brick and mortar data center.  New features announced in December 2011 include a low density offering (7.5 kw per cabinet and under) and a high density offering (above 7.5 kw per cabinet), with refrigerant and ECU-based cooling—in self-contained, modular sizes of 10 ft, 20 ft, 40 ft and 53 ft versions.

PDI PowerMap – The new software is a cloud-based offering that eliminates the need for handheld meters by automatically uploading individual circuit-based power stats and securing the information in the cloud. Additionally, users can access charts and graphs by mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets and laptops to view phone-bill quality power consumption reports.

In 2011, PDI also racked up the following accolades:

• Inc. 500/5000 - Ranked PDI as #1,796 Fastest-Growing Private Companies in America.
• Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500™ – Ranked the company #300 out of the 500 fastest growing companies in North America— due in part to its 286 percent growth.
• PDI’s i-CON named a Finalist in Datacenter Dynamics 2011 Data Center Leaders Awards in the Most Extreme Data Center deployment category.
• RichTech 2011 Technology Stars Awards selected PDI as a winner of its 2011 Technology Stars Award in the Technology Builder category.
• PDI selected as a Red Herring Top 100 North America Tech Startup
• Network Products Guide, the industry’s leading technology research and advisory guide, named PDI a Finalist in its 6th Annual 2011 Hot Companies and Best Products Awards program.
• PDI’s i-CON Modular Data Center selected as a Finalist for the 3rd Annual 2011 Golden Bridge Awards in the category of Product Innovations in Information Technology – Data Centers.

In addition to the industry awards, PDI was also sought after for its power management/power distribution insights and invited to speak at various industry events, and will be available at events in 2012 as well, such as Teladata’s Technology Convergence Conference in early February. For more info, visit our events calendar.

This white paper from Raritan answers some of the most challenging questions associated with energy management while providing detailed explanations of how to correct some of the most common false assumptions regarding power consumption.  It goes on to discuss methods for measuring the difference between IT equipment power load vs. total facility power load, and calculating Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE).  Lastly, it demonstrates what to do with the knowledge gleaned from these calculations, and how to make the best use of it while planning your data centers energy management strategy.

Learn the importance of accurately calculating your data center’s power needs.  Click here to download this white paper from Raritan on energy requirement calculations and the advantages that come with real-time power monitoring.

An Active Power PowerHouse unit providing containerized power infrastructure for a modula data center.

Flywheel specialist Active Power has received a $10 million order from one of the leading power distributors in Switzerland, marking the company’s largest single order to date in terms of dollar value. The deal with Net Powersafe is for power infrastructure equipment to support a large enterprise customer opening a new data center campus in Switzerland.

The order consists of 10 CleanSource 1000 kVA UPS (uninterruptible power supply) systems, totaling nine megawatts of total rated UPS capacity. Active Power will also provide six Active Power GenSTART generator starting modules and six standby diesel engines rated at 3.15 MVA each. The equipment will ship during the course of the second and third quarters of 2012 and will be installed soon after delivery.

“Our CleanSource UPS technology is well suited for large scale datacenter environments as it maximizes the system’s inherent benefits,” said Martin Olsen, vice president and general manager, Global Sales and Business Development, for Active Power (ACPW). “The system provides industry leading energy efficiencies and high availability in a demand scenario, but is also extremely power dense which resonates with end users who manage large IT environments. This frees up white floor space that the end user can dedicate to additional server equipment.”

Flywheels are an alternative to using batteries in a data center UPS (uninterruptible power supply) system. A flywheel is a spinning cylinder which generates power from kinetic energy, and continues to spin when grid power is interrupted. In most data centers, the UPS system draws power from a bank of large batteries to provide “ride-through” electricity to keep servers online until the diesel generator can start up and begin powering the facility. See our video demonstration of how a flywheel works.

Who is the customer? Active Power isn’t saying. But one possibility is Yahoo, which has been a major user of Active Power equipment and is opening a new data center in Avenches, Switzerland.

This white paper  from Square D details the steps to successfully implementing an energy efficiency strategy through software. It explains the importance of data-interpreting software to efficiency management and the ways this software assists in the implementation process.  It demonstrates the importance of measuring energy metric and developing an energy baseline, and provides benchmark historical and current performances as examples.  Next, it stresses the importance of energy modeling, which allows predictions of energy use in the system under various parameters, the hardware used to create these models, and the software installed on these devices.  Finally, it offers strategies to cut energy consumption and methods that allow its control in real-time.

Learn the benefits of investing in efficiency measuring software during the implementation of energy saving methods. Click here to download this white paper on achieving maximum energy savings through the use of efficiency analyzing software.

Please visit the Data Center Knowledge White Paper Library for all the latest expert insights on technologies to run your data center.

Dennis Symanski of EPRI discussed a new case study on the energy profile for DC power distribution at the recent Data Center Efficiency Summit in San Jose, Calif. (Photo: Colleen Miller).

SAN JOSE, Calif. – It’s been five years since a study by Lawrence Berkeley National Labs outlined the potential for DC power distribution to cut data center energy use by 10 to 20 percent. But adoption of DC in data centers remains limited, even as the industry aggressively pursues a wide array of other energy savings strategies.

But advocates of DC power continue to make the case for direct current distribution in data centers. The recent Data Center Efficiency Summit featured a case study showing gains over AC systems, and discussion of whether global efforts to establish a standard for 380 volt systems might build momentum for DC power.

“It works, it’s safe, it’s reliable, and we’d like to take it worldwide,” said Dennis Symanski, Senior Project Manager for the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI).

Savings Seen in “Apples-to-Apples” Test

At the Summit, Symanski presented results of a DC implementation in a Duke Energy data center which balanced the load across AC and DC distribution systems in the same environment. “We were trying to get as close as we could to an apples-to-apples comparison,” said Symanski, who said the DC system showed energy savings ranging between 14.9 and 15.6 percent versus AC distribution systems in multiple tests with different IT workloads. The test used HP and IBM servers and EMC storage arrays on the IT side, with a distribution system featuring Delta rectifiers, Starline busway and Dranetz-BMI metering.

The case study offers additional data points in the ongoing debate about the efficiency potential for DC power distribution. Most data centers use power distribution systems in which AC power from the grid is converted into DC power to charge the UPS batteries, and then converted back to AC for the equipment. The loss of power through multiple AC/DC conversions has been cited as an argument for using DC power distribution. ”DC distribution can eliminate at least three conversions,” said Symanski.

The potential advantages of DC power have been also been studied by The Green Grid and Intel (in a joint effort with HP and Emerson Network Power). But many data center professionals remain leery of DC power, and some vendors argue that high-voltage AC configurations would be a better approach than DC power distribution. Some cite safety concerns about DC, but others note that DC has been safely used in telecom facilities for years.

“It’s really just waiting for the industry,” said Bill Tschudi of Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. “This really has the opportunity to be a worldwide standard.”

380V Advanced as Global Standard

An industry association for DC power adoption, The EMerge Alliance,  has formed a new technical standards committee for data centers, and is advancing a 380-volt DC power standard. The alliance is currently working with the European Telecom Standards Institute and other standards bodies to align on 380V as a standard for data centers.

Symanski said the effort settled on 380V because it represented a “sweet spot” in the range of voltages and requirements, with the potential to work across telecom facilities and data centers, while requiring modest changes in equipment. “It requires a very small change to existing power supplies,” said Symanski.

NTT Facilities has been using DC power distribution in its new data centers in Japan, according to Keizo Hoshijima, President and CEO of NTT Facilities USA. The company now has five facilities in Tokyo using 380V distribution – including one using data center containers.

Tschudi noted that a growing number of DC products have gained UL listing certification from the Underwriters Laboratory, a key step in gaining broader adoption. Commercialization of power supplies designed for DC is a key step in efforts to boost adoption for DC distribution, as is the development of a standard DC line cord and connector.

Over the past several years, the energy-saving potential for DC power has featured in several discussions at industry conferences, in which consultants and service providers have reported little or no customer interest in DC distribution.

ABB Champions DC Distribution

But the push for DC distribution has gained a major supporter in global power specialist ABB. In May ABB bought a controlling interest in Validus DC Systems, a leading provider of direct current (DC) power infrastructure equipment for data centers. ABB and Validus are installing an advanced DC power distribution system for green.ch, a leading service provider in Switzerland. ABB is also is partnering with IO on the development of a new data center module based on DC power.

The discussion at the Nov. 18 event, which was sponsored by the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, is the latest chapter in a debate over the relative merits of AC and DC power that dates all the way back to the 1880s and the “War of the Currents” between power pioneers Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla.

“It’s a paradigm shift,” said Symanski. “It’s a little bit radical, perhaps. Thomas Edison would be proud of us.”

 However, these tools are not meant to replace the tried and true circuit breaker trip unit but to enhance what they can do. He also explains the instrument classes and functions by breaking them down into their most understood definitions.

Most importantly, in this whitepaper, he discusses Deploying Power Monitors. Today’s data center is in constant need of high accuracy metering and this four step approach is a key to successful monitoring.  He notes what should be used, what to provide, what should be specified and what needs to address. Click here to downlaod this white paper.

The rack-mounted ComRent CRLS 11.5 Load Bank, which offers additional features to simulate power loads in data centers and other mission-critical facilities.

ComRent, which specializes in load bank rental solutions for mission-critical facilities, has introduced its CRLS 11.5 rack-mounted load bank system, which can allow a more accurate validation test compared to using floor standing load banks for computer room air conditioner (CRAC) and chiller system capacity tests.

Load banks are devices used to testing a data center’s readiness for the heat and power draw of racks of servers.  By mimicking the operation of an everyday data load on the system, load banks allow validation testers a way to fully assess the cooling system’s capacity to handle large load situations. ComRent says rack-mounted systems can more accurately simulate conditions in a running data center than equipment that tests for room-level temperatures, and that the CRLS 11.5 can reduce the risk of miscalculations and costly reconfigurations.

Key Features of the CRLS 11.5 include:

• Variable fan speed control: Full adjustment of CFM, Temperature Delta, altitude compensation and ability to fine-tune the applied load, with an adjustment range from 530 CFM to a maximum of 730 CFM per channel.
• Three load steps per channel: Allowing for five different load combinations, providing a wider array of fine load step resolution at all voltages.
• Internal or External fan and control power source: External fan and control power allows the unit to be used to create a Black Start condition. The current draw is 2.6 A @ 120VAC with the fan at its maximum setting (internal or external power).
• Extensive protection system: Thermal protection, power supply shut-down and wrong voltage detection.

“As server densities increase, data center owners and facilities operators are in need of a reliable, automated solution to help them accurately and safely verify mission-critical electrical and mechanical systems,” said Clayton Taylor, CEO of ComRent. “The ability to virtually eliminate the risk of making changes to a production environment after commissioning makes the 11.5 rack-mounted load bank an ideal solution for mission critical data centers.”

The interior of an IO data center module. ABB will work with IO to develop a DC-powered module.

ABB continues to invest in direct current (DC)  power technology, which offers the potential for simplifying power distribution systems in data centers. Today ABB said it is partnering with IO on the development of a new data center module based on direct current (DC) power. The module is expected to be  completed by the end of the year.

ABB recently announced it will design a DC-power distribution system for green.ch, one of the top IT service providers in Switzerland. In May, ABB gained a controlling interest in Validus DC Systems, which specializes in DC power infrastructure for data centers.

“ABB has a long heritage in DC-powered technologies since pioneering high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission in the 1950s,” said Tarak Mehta, head of ABB’s Low Voltage Products division. “We are pursuing the further development of DC power in many contemporary applications such as electric vehicle charging, renewable energy, energy storage and data centers where substantial economic and environmental benefits can be realized.”

Advocates of DC power distribution say it offers greater energy efficiency, citing the loss of power through multiple AC/DC conversions to charge UPS batteries. Some data center professionals remain and vendors argue that high-voltage AC configurations offer similar advantages to DC power distribution.

A DC-powered modular data center offers the ability to commit to use DC power in a phased expansion. It may also offer an easier entry point for end users that are interested in DC power, but aren’t ready to retrofit existing sites or commit to DC on a large-scale greenfield build. IT

The DC-powered module will be manufactured by IO using the IO Anywhere standards-based hardware and software architecture.

“The data center has always been DC powered; every device in the data center uses DC power inside,” said George Slessman, CEO of IO. “By leveraging the intelligent control of IO OS and IO’s modular data center platform, we can now deliver the entire data center from the source on DC power, while providing flexibility to deliver AC power where and when needed.”

The funding will be used to expand Power Assure’s sales and marketing operations and boost its investments in engineering, the company said.

Wurtz: Funding Brings Global Reach

“We are very pleased to have secured a new funding round led by our strategic partner ABB with reinvestments from our existing top-tier backers,” said Brad Wurtz, president and CEO of Power Assure. “This agreement deepens our partnership and brings Power Assure global reach and a well-established network of sales and support professionals with access to our target markets in the data center. This partnership and new financing will help us rapidly scale our business.”

Earlier this year Power Assure integrated its Energy Management software platform, version 4 (EM/4) with ABB’s automation and control software and devices. ABB also owns a controlling interest in Validus DC Power.

“The data center market continues to grow at 8 to 12 percent per year. However it is becoming constrained by the availability of power, especially in high density areas where space is a limitation,” said Tarak Mehta, Head of Low Voltage Products division at ABB. “Power Assure’s server optimization and energy management platform strongly positions the company with a market-leading offering to free up power so customers have additional processing capability. We are looking forward to deepening our strategic relationship with Power Assure through this investment.”

In conjunction with its investment, Andrew Tang, a managing director at ABB Technology Ventures, the company’s venture capital arm behind the investment, will join the Power Assure Board of Directors.

Power Assure is headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif.  With this new round of equity financing, Power Assure has raised $28.75 million to date.ABB Technology Ventures, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Good Energies, Point Judith Capital, and a grant from the Department of Energy.

The PDI i-Con modular data center. PDI has been acquired by Smiths Interconnect for $235 million.

Power Holdings Inc., the parent company of power equipment specialist Power Distribution Inc. (PDI), has been acquired by Smith Interconnect for $235 million, the two companies said today. The seller in the all-cash deal is private equity firm Bertram Growth Capital I, which acquired PDI in 2007.

PDI is the parent company for Power Distribution, Inc., Marelco Power Systems and Onyx Power. It produces power distribution units, static transfer switches, remote power panels, power conditioning units, medium and low voltage transformers and patented power monitors used mainly in data center and alternative energy applications. PDI is also among the players in the market for modular data centers with its i-Con Modular offering.

Division of Smiths Group PLC

Smiths Interconnect is a division of UK-based technology conglomerate Smiths Group plc. Smiths Interconnect is focused on core technology groups: microwave; connectors and power management. The acquisition of PDI transforms the existing power protection group with a new range of products and growth opportunities.

“The addition of PDI strengthens our offering of technically differentiated solutions for applications requiring ultra-reliable and precise power performance including higher-growth end markets such as data centers and alternative energy,” said Smiths Interconnect President Ralph Phillips added. “We will now be able to provide a breadth of high reliability power quality capabilities, including conditioning, protection, distribution, filtering and monitoring to ensure the optimum function of advanced electrical systems.”

“Smiths Interconnect operates in a highly fragmented market that offers great scope for consolidation,” said Smiths Group Chief Executive Philip Bowman. “PDI is its sixth and largest acquisition in three years, all adhering to our strategic criteria of adding complementary technologies, extending geographic reach or leveraging existing sales networks. This latest transaction expands its range of power quality technologies into new, specialized, high growth markets.”

PDI is based in Richmond, which also has facilities in Santa Ana, California and Howell, Michigan, employs around 370 people. It is expected to generate sales of around $156 million this calendar year with more than 90% of revenues from non-government funded markets.