Intelligent CIO Middle East Issue 33 | Page 75

INTELLIGENT INTELLIGENT BRANDS BRANDS // Data // Centres Cabling Find your oasis in the Middle East Indirect evaporative cooling for hot climates ///////////////////////////// T he amount of energy needed for cooling the world’s data centres is huge and increasing, both in terms of cost and in environmental impact. A total of 30% to 40% of energy consumption in a typical data centre is attributed to cooling. Thermal loads inside data centres and electronic enclosures must be managed efficiently, therefore, using solutions that minimise energy consumption while offering reliable, flexible and sustainable cooling is critical. Using indirect evaporative cooling (IEC) is one approach that has the potential to address this issue. Munters’ Oasis range of IEC solutions, for example, are claimed to save up to 75% in energy consumption, compared to standard air-conditioning systems, the equivalent to the emissions of 30,000 cars per data centre. Data centres are also able to free up electrical power for their core business. It is reported that facilities can increase the available electrical power by 37% when using this approach, allowing operators to install more communication equipment without needing The Oasis DCiE to invest in additional expensive power installations from utility companies. 30% TO 40% OF ENERGY CONSUMPTION IN A TYPICAL DATA CENTRE IS ATTRIBUTED TO COOLING. www.intelligentcio.com Evaporative cooling is one of nature’s fundamental methods of cooling. It is the same cooling principle that our body uses when moisture (sweat) evaporates and cools the skin. In fact, it is one of mankind’s oldest methods of cooling the environment – the ‘windcatcher’ was used in ancient Egypt and Persia, thousands of years ago, in the form of wind shafts on the roof, which caught the wind, passed it over subterranean water and discharged the cooled air into the building. Today, the Oasis IEC system takes advantage of evaporation to reject heat without adding moisture to the data centre. It operates by circulating the primary air from the white space through heat exchangers, which are cooled using a combination of outdoor air movement and evaporation. The indoor and outdoor airstreams never mix, resulting in a minimal requirement for filtration, and the systems can even work in the economiser mode during extreme ambient weather conditions. Because the Oasis is a recirculating system, the data centre is cooled without the INTELLIGENTCIO 75