Free Air Cooling for Data Centres Certified Data Centre Design (CDCDP®) - Professional Unit Power Regulations Free Air Cooling for Data Centres George Salinas, AIA, CDCDP, CDCEP, CDCMP Instructor, CNet Training © CNet Training 2016 © CNet Training

Free Air Cooling for Data Centres – Demands and Constraints Power Uptime demands Higher power density usage Cooling Capacity Energy Consumption (>50%?) Networking Bandwidth Connectivity Space Availability & operational cost P P C C S S N N With the continual advances in technology and increased business demands to remain competitive, the four physical constraints (power, cooling, space and IT connectivity) of many Data Centres are coming under intense pressure. For many, cooling is becoming the leading concern, also impacting some of the other physical constraints.

Do we have the right solution? Free Air Cooling for Data Centres – Data Density Drives Cooling Do we have the right solution? Increasing Power density Increasing Bandwidth As the power density of cabinets increases, more demands are being placed upon cooling systems

Free Air Cooling for Data Centres – Environmental Conditions What are your operating parameters of the Data Centre and why? Control of the environmental conditions has become a major Data Centre concern as increased IT processing power has put more and more demands upon the traditional cooling systems. Many Data Centres simply fail to identify the correct environmental conditions in-line with operating parameters of the IT equipment. The audit should confirm that the environmental conditions are meeting the designated parameters. Even when the optimal operating parameters have been selected the removal or reduction of bypass and recirculation.

Free Air Cooling for Data Centres – Not A Cascade System! It is worth remembering that the cooling system is a series of loops, each transferring heat to the next. The diagram helps visualise what is happening at each stage. Remember that not all loops need to be present, for example: Introducing of “Free air-cooling” removes the need for the middle three loops Introducing a water-side economiser removes the need for the condenser loop What is the effect of allowing the temperature in the Data Centre to rise? Heat naturally flows from hot to cold, ‘Helping’ it along with pumps and fans uses energy

Free Air Cooling in Data Centres – Historical Beginnings Certified Data Centre Design (CDCDP®) - Professional Unit Power Regulations Free Air Cooling in Data Centres – Historical Beginnings History Free cooling in use for over 15 years Has been limited to certain geographical regions Use of free air cooling is commonly referred to as “economiser mode” © CNet Training

Free Air Cooling in Data Centres - Why? Certified Data Centre Design (CDCDP®) - Professional Unit Power Regulations Free Air Cooling in Data Centres - Why? Cooling can equate to >50% of the data centre energy costs Data centres are deploying more IT equipment, increasing temperatures Energy prices are rising ASHRAE now recommends environmental temperatures up to 270C Vendors now recommending temperatures of up to 340C Reduces wear and tear on CRAC/CRAH units Free air cooling significantly reduces energy and operating costs vs mechanical refrigeration © CNet Training

Free Air Cooling in Data Centres – Is It That Simple? Certified Data Centre Design (CDCDP®) - Professional Unit Power Regulations Free Air Cooling in Data Centres – Is It That Simple? More complex than opening a few doors: High humidity levels (excess moisture in the air can lead to the erosion of some metals) Dry air can lead to issues like build up of static electricity Filtration is required to remove air particles that can cause problems in the data centre Smoke detection will be required at the air intake © CNet Training

Free Air Cooling in Data Centres – Available Hours Annually Certified Data Centre Design (CDCDP®) - Professional Unit Power Regulations Free Air Cooling in Data Centres – Available Hours Annually It is vital to evaluate the amount of usage hours that you will get to accurately establish the Return on Investment (ROI) When assessing the implementation of air-side economisers, how many hours you would be able to run on free-cooling will be crucial in the design. The Green Grid is offering tools on its website that help you get an indicative answer on available hours of cold air, depending on the geographic region your Data Centre is located. Source: The Green Grid © CNet Training

Free Air Cooling in Data Centres – Operational Concept Certified Data Centre Design (CDCDP®) - Professional Unit Power Regulations Free Air Cooling in Data Centres – Operational Concept Free air cooling introduces external air to the Data Centre Reduces energy usage for cooling Reduces burden on the cooling system Improves internal air quality Uses filters known as MERVs (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value) which range from 0-21, industry recommends a 13) Air-side economisers are simple, effective systems that significantly reduce cooling energy usage and improve indoor air quality. They increase HVAC system energy efficiency such that most energy codes require them in many commercial applications. The air-side economiser is integrated into a central air handling system, with ducting for both intake and exhaust; its filters reduce the amount of particulate matter (or contaminants) brought into the Data Centre. With Data Centres needing to be cooled 24 x 7, 365 days per year, air-side economisers may even make sense in hot climates, where they can take advantage of cooler evening or winter air temperatures. © CNet Training

Certified Data Centre Design (CDCDP®) - Professional Unit Free Air Cooling in Data Centres – Air Flow Power Regulations External air can be introduced when ambient temperature is low enough Can be mixed with circulating air as required Can provide some backup if cooling plant fails Latest research suggests humidity is less of an issue Particulates can be managed by filters © CNet Training

Certified Data Centre Design (CDCDP®) - Professional Unit Free Air Cooling in Data Centres – Configuration Modes Power Regulations There are 19 fundamental types of economizer modes, and of these, 15 can realistically be used in a production data center (all six types that use air and nine types that use water). The other four types that use water were not considered because they bring condenser water directly into the data center which increases fouling in equipment. Source: Schneider Electric © CNet Training

Certified Data Centre Design (CDCDP®) - Professional Unit Free Air Cooling in Data Centres - Conclusions Power Regulations Data centre attitudes to free-air cooling are changing due to increasing energy costs and sustainability policies Standards such as ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2010, regulations and carbon reduction commitments, are recommending data centres to lower energy use A move to higher operating temperature opens more opportunities to countries not otherwise benefitting © CNet Training

Free Air Cooling in Data Centres - Summary is a strategic advantage!

Certified Data Centre Design (CDCDP®) - Professional Unit Power Regulations Free Air Cooling in Data Centres Thank You George Salinas, AIA, CDCDP, CDCEP, CDCMP Instructor, CNet Training © CNet Training