Innovative technologies for cooling systems in a data center

1. Innovative technologies for cooling systems in a data center

2. When it comes to cooling equipment for a data center, it must be agreed upon that it is the latest challenge. While it may add to the costs to the company, it cannot be avoided as it is vital for the health of the equipment. • There is no one perfect cooling technology that applies to every data center, as it depends on various factors such as: • Size and floor plan of the data center • Climate of the location • Humidity of the location • Energy budget of the data center

3. The last factor is the list is a major contributor in deciding the type of cooling equipment used. • The maximum data center capacity is inclusive of the cooling capacity and the distribution equipment used. • But it cannot overtake the IT equipment that is used in the data center. • Statistics have shown that while the IT equipment uses up 50% of the energy allocated to the center, the cooling systems use up to 33% of the total energy allocated to the data center. • First it is important to understand the permitted temperatures prescribed by American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). • In 2011, the ASHRAE defined the maximum allowable temperature for data centers as 113o F (45o C), raising it from 81o F (27 o C) in 2008.

4. There have been efforts towards reducing this percentage and without negatively affecting – if not increasing – the efficiency of the data center. • Some smart approaches and technologies for cooling have been known to promise great capital paybacks along with environmental benefits.

5. Managing the temperature • First it is important to track the temperature of the equipment and the cooling system. Make sure that the data center temperature is not too low. Too low temperature can make the IT equipment work harder to build up the temperature it needs for proper functioning and increase the energy consumption in the process. • oIf the data center consists of equipment which needs to run at a higher temperature, then turning off a few cooling units may save energy costs. • Using CRAC units(computer room air conditioning unit) which turn off and turn on based on the temperature required in the data center is a smart approach. The CRAC unit may run at its complete capacity to bring the data center to a certain level of cooling and then turn off. • When the data center warms up beyond a stated level, the CRAC unit may turn on and start the cooling process. This reduces the necessity of the CRAC unit to operate continuously, thus saving on the energy costs.

6. Cooling only specific equipment: • Why cool the complete data center building if that is not required? • Instead make a note of the equipment that needs cooling the most and install a cooling system within the server rack. • This type of the cooling system cools only the target hardware. With different spaces for cool air to enter and hot air to leave, there is no chance of mixing of air affecting the hardware temperature. • Such cooling systems can be installed at various levels, therefore not needing much space. Also, they are very easy to install, reducing the need for a contractor.

7. Pay close attention to the climate: • If the data center is located at a cool place, then it is easier to give the cooling systems a rest. • If the outside temperature is below 25 o C, then allowing ambient external air in periodic intervals can cool the equipment reasonably well, without the need of cooling systems. • Of course, this also depends on the moisture levels in the air, which need to be low.

8. The Kyoto Wheel cooling design: • As opposed to a normal fan which may end up bringing in dust and contaminants along with external air, the Kyoto wheel succeeds in cooling the data center air without such side-effects. • The Kyoto wheel is a corrugated metal wheel about 3 meters in diameter, which rotates slowly through the two-compartment space. • The hot air flows through one compartment, transferring its heat to the wheel and flows back to the other compartment. • This design comes with very less maintenance and power. Even the power issue can be solved by using solar battery backup. This design lasts almost 25 years.

9. Liquid cooling: • The latest in the cooling technologies, the liquid cooling is fast gaining attention because of their efficiency. Water being a better conductor of heat, it can be used to cool the equipment in the data center when cooling the air doesn’t work. • This design involves having the water flow through sacks or tubes along a server. The water absorbs the heat and cools the hardware. • The containers of the liquid protect it from contaminants, and the filters control the entry of particulates. The water needs to be changed regularly and so do the filters. • Also this method of data center cooling needs to be monitored regularly to avoid condensation, as the moisture levels may harm the equipment.

10. Advanced technologies in liquid cooling include techniques to avoid leakage of water through negative pressure, hot water cooling systems, and completely immersive liquid cooling techniques which have proven to save energy costs with a significant margin. • No matter the element used for cooling the data center environment – air or water, the effectiveness of the technique can only be proved by good data center infrastructure management (DCIM). Planning the data center for optimum energy efficiency and cooling can not only end up in significant financial savings for the company but also contribute to being environment friendly.