초록 ▼

Gas supply pressure spikes are absorbed and leveled-out by a gas supply shock absorber comprising gas storage, which is charged during positive pressure spikes and utilized during negative pressure spikes. The gas supply shock absorber also comprises pressure sensing and regulating valves, which dir

Gas supply pressure spikes are absorbed and leveled-out by a gas supply shock absorber comprising gas storage, which is charged during positive pressure spikes and utilized during negative pressure spikes. The gas supply shock absorber also comprises pressure sensing and regulating valves, which direct positive pressure spikes to the gas storage and draw gas from storage during negative pressure spikes. A backflow preventer limits shock absorption to co-located equipment, but gas supply shock absorbers operate in aggregate to create additional demand during positive pressure spikes and reduced demand during negative pressure spikes. If the gas storage has sufficient gas, a co-located data center utilizes such gas for increased electrical power generation during increased processing activity, which can be requested or generated. Conversely, if the gas storage has insufficient gas, and a negative pressure spike occurs, the data center throttles down or offloads processing.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A system for absorbing gas supply shocks, the system comprising: a gas storage for storing pressurized gas;a gas consuming device;a pressure sensing valve configured to allow gas flow from a gas supply into the gas storage only when a pressure of the gas provided from the gas supply exceeds a max

1. A system for absorbing gas supply shocks, the system comprising: a gas storage for storing pressurized gas;a gas consuming device;a pressure sensing valve configured to allow gas flow from a gas supply into the gas storage only when a pressure of the gas provided from the gas supply exceeds a maximum gas pressure acceptable by the gas consuming device and to allow the flow of at least some gas out of the gas storage to the gas consuming device during a negative pressure spike in the gas provided from the gas supplya pressure regulating valve configured to prevent gas flow from the gas supply to the gas consuming device when the pressure of the gas provided from the gas supply exceeds the maximum gas pressure acceptable by the gas consuming, device; anda gas transmission apparatus connecting the gas supply, the gas storage and the gas consuming device such that gas can be provided from the gas supply to both the gas storage and the gas consuming device and such that gas can be provided to the gas consuming device from both the gas supply and the gas storage. 2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a back flow preventer configured to prevent gas flow from the gas storage back to the gas supply. 3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a gas meter configured to provide credit for gas provided from the gas storage back to the gas supply. 4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a data center, wherein the gas consuming device is a gas-to-electricity converter providing electrical power to the data center. 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the gas-to-electricity converter is a fuel cell and the electrical power provided to the data center is a direct current electrical power. 6. The system of claim 4, wherein, if the gas storage comprises greater than a threshold amount of gas, thereby preventing the gas storage from absorbing a future positive gas pressure spike, then processing performed by the data center is increased, thereby causing the gas-to-electricity converter to consume a greater quantity of gas in order to source the electrical power required by the data center to perform the increased processing, and wherein further at least some of the greater quantity of gas is from the gas storage, thereby reducing an amount of gas in the gas storage. 7. The system of claim 4, wherein, if the gas storage comprises less than a threshold amount of gas, thereby preventing the gas storage from sourcing gas to absorb a future negative gas pressure spike, then processing performed by the data center is decreased, thereby causing the gas-to-electricity converter to consume a lesser quantity of gas, and wherein further at least some of the gas no longer utilized by the gas-to-electricity converter, due to the consumption of the lesser quantity of gas, is directed to the gas storage, thereby increasing the amount of gas in the gas storage. 8. The system of claim 4, further comprising one or more computer-readable media comprising computer-executable instructions for absorbing gas supply shocks, the computer-executable instructions directed to steps comprising: determining that an amount of gas in the gas storage is above a first threshold level, the gas storage acting as a gas supply shock absorber by storing gas during a positive gas pressure spike and releasing gas during a negative gas pressure spike; andincreasing, in response to the determining, processing performed by the data center, the data center receiving electrical power from the gas-to-electricity converter, the increased processing resulting in increased gas consumption by the gas-to-electricity converter;wherein at least some of the increased gas consumed by the gas-to-electricity converter is sourced from the gas storage, thereby reducing the amount of gas in the gas storage. 9. The system of claim 8, wherein the computer-executable instructions for increasing the processing performed by the data center comprise computer-executable instructions for requesting additional processing workload from other data centers. 10. The system of claim 8, wherein the computer-readable storage media comprise further computer executable instructions for: determining that the amount of gas in the gas storage is below a second threshold level; anddecreasing, in response to the determining that the amount of gas is below the second threshold, the processing performed by a data center, the decreased processing resulting in decreased gas consumption by the gas-to-electricity converter;wherein at least some of the gas no longer utilized by the gas-to-electricity converter due to the decreased gas consumption is directed to the gas storage, thereby increasing the amount of gas in the gas storage. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the computer-executable instructions for decreasing the processing performed by the data center comprise computer-executable instructions for offloading processing to other data centers.