cooling
COOL OF THOUGHT
Matthew Baynes of Schneider Electric discusses some cooling options for data centres.
C
ooling has always
been a vital issue in
data centres as IT and
networking equipment
must operate at
temperatures and humidity levels
optimum for performance and safety.
In addition, cooling systems must also
operate efficiently, cost effectively
and in as environmentally friendly a
manner as possible.
Depending on the specific
requirements of a data centre
a number of options may be
considered to achieve the best
possible combination of these
parameters. These range from
deliberate organisation of the IT
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equipment within a data centre
to manage the inevitable heat
dissipation of servers, storage arrays
and networking gear as efficiently
as possible to the use of ambient
conditions to minimise the effort
needed by power hungry cooling
equipment such as chillers and
fans through to the deployment of
innovative techniques such as liquid
cooling. Developments in the last of
these are providing operators with
interesting efficient alternatives to
more traditional methods of cooling.
In the simplest terms the cooling
operation of a data centre comprises
a combination of systems for cooling
the ambient temperature of the
facility, typically through the use
of air conditioning units or chillers,
and other systems at the rack or
component level for cooling the IT
equipment directly. Typically, cool air
is passed by fans over heat sinks
within the individual equipment units
to remove the heat. Air conditioning
units, equipped with refrigerants or
chilled water, reject the heat to the
outside environment via devices such
as air cooled condensers and the
process starts over again.
Limiting the energy expended
on air conditioners and fans is the