Background

China Yangtze Power, a global leader in hydropower, operates the world’s largest fleet of hydro generating units. It holds tangible assets such as hydro generating sets and important intangible assets such as real-time big data on basin hydrology, joint dispatch, and unit operations. If this big-data “gold mine” can be effectively collected and used, it will greatly strengthen China Yangtze Power’s core competitiveness in hydropower. During the 13th Five-Year Plan, China Yangtze Power set a strategic priority to build information systems that match its growth, strengthen core capabilities, and raise competitive advantage. First, it would promote the fusion of informatization and business so that IT is embedded in every process, data assets are managed centrally, data resources are fully shared, and information services are obtained on demand. Second, it would build an advanced management information platform and move from an informatized enterprise to a smart enterprise, using IT to drive management change and realize strategy. To further advance informatization, raise the core value of data assets, and strengthen core capabilities, the company planned an enterprise cloud data center required by its strategy—the Three Gorges Big Data Center.

Sugon Solution

Phase I of the Three Gorges Big Data Center had already completed eight micro-module groups in 2017. This phase used remaining space to build the other 14 micro-module groups, designed and constructed to no less than Tier III, completing Phase I and bringing it into production. The design had to connect and remain compatible with equipment already in production, maximize reuse of existing systems, and ensure compatibility among devices. Sugon provided a cabinet-pool micro-module solution, an overall approach for cooling medium- and low-density data centers.

The cabinet-pool micro-module integrates cabinets, power distribution, cooling, monitoring, and cabling. It is green and energy-efficient, secure and reliable, and flexible to configure. Two rows of cabinets form the module, with in-row air conditioners evenly distributed among equipment cabinets. Aisle doors and ceiling panels form a contained-aisle pool. A contained cold pool encloses cold air from the in-row units in the aisle; after heat exchange, hot air disperses through the room and is cooled back into the cold pool, so cooling is fully used by IT equipment. A contained hot pool encloses hot air in the aisle while cold air is supplied to the whole room, avoiding mixing of cold and hot air; part of the cooling also improves the room environment, so no additional room air conditioners are required inside the cabinets.

Customer Benefits

1. High reliability, with no single point of failure;

2. Advanced technology ensures practicality: the project meets current needs and also takes future business into account;

3. The design builds the big-data equipment room at an optimal performance-to-price ratio, maximizing return on investment. Lower cost and fewer staff keep the system running, delivering high efficiency and high benefit.