Power distribution has remained relatively unchanged since the 1800s, when Tesla and Edison were making waves in the electricity industry. Although Power over Ethernet (PoE) has been a welcome addition, nothing has come along that has genuinely revolutionized how we distribute electricity.
That is, until now. Digital Electricity™, from VoltServer, can make power distribution safer, cheaper, faster, and more energy efficient. For the first time in history, we now have a method for distributing high-voltage power over long distances without requiring expensive infrastructure.
So, what exactly is Digital Electricity™? How does it work, and how can it benefit all manner of businesses, organizations, and society in general?
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What is Digital Electricity™?
In short, the simplest way to describe Digital Electricity™ is as a power distribution methodology that combines the convenience and safety of low-voltage power distribution methods (such as PoE) with AC’s power, performance and distance capabilities.
To give you some perspective, PoE technology can carry up to 100 W of power over a data cable for up to 100 m. By contrast, Digital Electricity™ can carry up to 2,000 W or travel up to 2,000 m. In simple terms, Digital Electricity™ offers 20 times the power or 20 times the distance currently available through PoE. That’s more than enough power for most buildings’ wireless systems, including DAS, ONTs, PoE switches, and IoT devices.
So, how does this new method of electricity transportation work exactly?
How Digital Electricity™ Works
The age-old problem of safely transporting high-voltage power has been solved using a packeted energy transfer system that facilitates the transfer of high levels of power over non-power cables.
It works similar to how data packets travel over enterprise networks by combining data and DC power into packets that are subsequently transmitted and received by dedicated transmitters and receivers.
The process starts with the transmitter that takes in AC or DC power and sends it out on individual electrical circuits. From there, a specialized Digital Electricity™ cable distributes the power to receivers that ‘receive’ the electricity packets before converting them into the required form (such as 57V DC).
Hundreds of these energy packets are sent every second from a transmitter unit to a receiver unit, and safety checks are conducted in a fraction of a millisecond for each one sent. For faults such as improper wiring, a short circuit, or a person touching the transmission lines, the transmitter recognizes the condition in milliseconds and halts the transmission of packets, dramatically increasing the safety surrounding the transfer of high-voltage power.
Digital Electricity™ Benefits
As you can imagine, transferring electricity in this way comes with many benefits, with increased safety perhaps the highest on the list.
Increased Safety
In its typical configuration, as soon as power leaves its designated circuit (e.g., via exposed wires), it becomes dangerous. Digital Electricity™ uses smart circuit technology that can self-detect when electricity is escaping and shut itself off immediately. With the frequency of safety checks (600 per second), the shut-off is ultra-fast (happens within three milliseconds) and prevents accidents or injuries from occurring.
Effective Backup to Traditional Power Sources
Digital Electricity™ provides backup in an emergency power situation since it runs using non-power cables. In other words, transmitters within this system can run critical power to every office location within a given building even if the power to the building isn’t available, eradicating downtime.
Enhanced Power within Existing Infrastructures
For environments such as data centers that require high power, Digital Electricity™ can be run through existing cable trays to potentially double (or in some cases triple) the amount of power running through the equipment. This integration will allow data centers to shoulder the increasing power demands associated with emerging technologies without any disruptions or upheavals.
Simplified and More Cost-Effective Installations
As stated above, given that the energy is handled similarly to PoE, the installation doesn’t require an electrician’s services; instead, you can rely on system integrators for installation. There are also fewer materials required, with no need for conduits or as much copper cable. Lastly, Digital Electricity™ cables are easy to relocate and reuse when necessary.
These reduced installation requirements have fueled excitement about the possibility of using this technology on both neighborhood and city-wide scales.
Digital Electricity™ Applications
You might be wondering how you might introduce this revolutionary method of high-voltage power transfer into your building or campus. The truth is that there are so many possible applications that it’s impossible to list them all here.
However, it will be most beneficial for locations that require safe and effective high-power distribution over greater distances. College campuses, sports stadiums, hospitals, airports, and transportation centers are just a few of the locations that might incorporate Digital Electricity™ to power essential systems such as:
- DAS
- ONTs
- PoE Switches
- Routers
- Servers
- Access Control
- Audio Visual Installations
- IoT Devices
Speak to NCS Today regarding the Potential to Transform Power Management with Digital Electricity™
As the current digital revolution progresses and the need to safely carry high-voltage power over longer distances becomes more and more imperative, Digital Electricity™ will become more prevalent across all sectors, including education, health care, and industrial environments.
You can prepare for this future today by upgrading critical elements of your infrastructure with accredited system integrators such as NCS. To learn more about Digital Electricity™ solutions, simply call 281-484-1777 or email sales@ncs-tx.com, and an experienced member of our structured cabling team will walk you through your options.
