Power Quality: The Conversation Data Centers Can't Afford to Ignore

Efficiency equipment (VFDs, chillers) generates harmonic distortion that, left unmanaged, degrades cooling and causes unplanned data center downtime.

• Harmonics defined: Total Harmonic Distortion measures signal contamination; IEEE 519 caps voltage distortion at 8% max, but MTE has seen data centers running as high as 14%.
• Cooling equipment is the culprit: VFD-driven chillers, fans, pumps and CDUs installed for efficiency are the primary generators of current harmonics — a described "catch-22."

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