Resilient Energy-Based Control for DC Data Centers under Grid and Load Disturbances

TL;DR

This paper introduces a passivity-based energy control method for AC-DC converters in DC data centers, enhancing stability and robustness against grid and load disturbances.

Contribution

It develops a novel control framework derived from energy shaping and virtual damping, ensuring stability with non-passive loads and disturbances.

Findings

Achieves smaller voltage deviations during disturbances

Provides faster recovery after faults

Demonstrates superior robustness in simulations

Abstract

This paper presents a passivity-based control framework for AC-DC converters supplying non-passive Information Technology rack loads in DC data centers. Unlike conventional cascaded proportional-integral controllers that ensure stability only near nominal operating points, the proposed method is derived from the system total energy balance using the Port-Hamiltonian formulation. By shaping the stored energy and injecting virtual damping through a lossless interconnection with a PH controller, the converter behaves as a passive system even when interfaced with non-passive loads or under grid disturbances. The closed-loop system guarantees asymptotic voltage regulation and strict energy dissipation without assuming constant grid voltage or frequency. Simulation studies under realistic load and fault scenarios validate that the proposed controller achieves smaller voltage deviations, faster recovery, and superior robustness, demonstrating its suitability for future high-efficiency DC data-center architectures.