Fujitsu Develops 2.3 kW, Almost 95% Efficient PSU for Servers

Fujitsu said that it is developing a power supply unit (PSU) for servers that will achieve the highest power efficiency obtainable in the segment today.

The 2.3 kW device is promised to achieve a AC/DC conversion efficiency rate of 94.8 percent.

According to Fujitsu, the loss of power due to conversion inefficiencies can amount to several kilowatts indata centers. An increase of PSU capacity typically results in greater efficiency loss due to dead-time loss in field-effect transistor (FET) switching, and overall switching loss when switching cycles increase in PSUs with greater capacities.

Fujitsu's new PSU will add a digital control unit to reduce dead-time loss by shortening the switching cycle between on and off periods. There is also new circuitry to reduce the general switching loss.

Fujistu said that it has developed a prototype 12V, 2.3 kW maximum output unit that delivered a conversion efficiency rate of 94.8 percent. According to the company the device also shows substantially reduced waste heat generation that reduces the need for cooling fans. The typical conversion efficiency for PSUs in this range can be about 80 to 90 percent.

Fujitsu says that it intends to further improve the efficiency of the PSU and offer servers with such PSUs in 2014.