UT Austin Frontera Supercomputer Utilities

The University of Texas at Austin’s Frontera supercomputer at the Texas Advanced Computing Center is the fastest university computer in the world, and fifth-fastest in the world. It is used to attack problems such as global warming, cancer and molecular dynamics. Stanley Consultants was tapped to design a new system to feed the supercomputer, using the university’s electrical and mechanical system and building it within an active data center under a compressed schedule. Engineers gave UT two options, the first a build-from-scratch design that would place new power equipment outside the current building. The second option would use the current space and add chiller plumbing, electrical feeds, busways and associated electrical components, wires, relays and high-efficiency transformers to the existing set-up. It would save approximately 50 percent of the construction cost for new electrical and structural infrastructure. UT selected the second option. Stanley Consultants worked through multiple challenges to successfully complete the project.