Make Your Data Centre Cooling Cost-Effective

We live in a time of information. The creation and sharing of this information touch all parts of our day-to-day lives, from banking to social media. To keep businesses, schools, and even governments running smoothly, storage is vital. Data centres act like virtual warehouses, utilizing servers and other IT equipment instead of boxes and shelving. The challenge to running these facilities is mitigating the power and cooling costs associated with having these systems running all the time. At Westcal Insulation, we don’t claim to know a lot about computers, so we will leave the CPU advice to the experts; however, we are well known for our ability to improve the efficiency of mechanical systems through insulation. We’d love to share with you what we know so that you can improve the efficiency of your data centre. 

Maintaining an Ideal Temperature

Depending on the size of the operation, data centres can attribute as much as 30 to 60% of their utility bill to cooling alone. This is because server inlets should ideally be kept between 18 and 25 degrees Celsius to function at their most efficient and reduce the risk of failure. In centres with high-density servers that generate copious amounts of heat, that temperature range should be reduced to account for the conditions. As a result, the cooling system and setup of the data centre should be carefully designed, otherwise energy consumption can quickly get out of hand.

Cooling Systems

At its core, reducing cooling costs means implementing an efficient cooling system. Data centres can benefit from a variety of configurations:

• Calibrated Vectored Cooling. Also known as CVC, this cooling technology is designed specifically for high-density servers by optimizing the airflow path through equipment.
• Chilled Water System. This technique involves using chilled water to cool air being brought in by air handlers known as CRAH or computer room air handlers.  
• Cold & Hot Aisle Design. This system alternates rows of cold and hot aisles. Cold aisles feature cold air intakes on the raking and hot aisles are equipped with hot air exhausts.  
• Computer Room Air Conditioner. These units are relatively inexpensive to install and act as a conventional air conditioner. However, they are one of the less efficient items on this list. 
• Raised Floor. By raising the data centre floor ever so slightly, space is suddenly created for water-cooling pipes and increased airflow.

 

Mechanical Insulation

No matter which method a data centre relies on for cooling, the system is not complete without the appropriate insulation. This unique application requires professionals to take note of three important factors:

1. 1. Condensation. Dripping water amongst electrical equipment can be disastrous.
   2. Dust & Fibres. Data centres are “clean” rooms for a reason. Dust and fibres from insulation can get into the equipment and cause failure or even a fire. 
   3. Non-Corrosive. In the event of a fire, the material must not feed the flames or be the source of noxious fumes. 

 

Closed-cell flexible insulation foam is one solution that hits all these targets and is commonly used in data centres.

If you’re looking to reduce the cooling costs in your facility, consider how your mechanical insulation is protecting your assets. Request a quote with our team today, and let’s get started saving you money!