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Cooling equipment generates heat as it operates , and this heat must be removed to prevent damage to the equipment . Overheating can cause a variety of problems , including :
• Reduced performance : Electronic equipment may slow down or even shut down when it gets too hot , reducing the overall performance of the data centre .
• Increased energy consumption : As electronic equipment gets hotter , it requires more energy to operate , which can increase energy consumption and costs .
• Equipment failure : Overheating can cause electronic components to fail , which can be costly to replace and can cause downtime for the data centre .
• Fire hazard : If electronic equipment gets too hot , it can pose a fire hazard .
Cooling systems are used in data centres to remove the heat generated by electronic equipment , maintaining a safe operating temperature , and preventing these problems . Different types of cooling systems may be used , including air-cooled and liquid-cooled systems , but the goal is always the same : to keep the temperature within the data centre at a safe and consistent level to ensure reliable and efficient operation of the equipment .
A hot issue Data centres generate a lot of heat due to the high density of computer equipment and their continuous operation . Cooling these facilities presents several challenges , including :
• Energy consumption : Cooling can account for a significant portion of a data centre ' s energy usage . This leads to increased operational costs and environmental impact .
• Heat distribution : Data centres have hot spots where heat is generated more intensely . Proper heat distribution is necessary to ensure that all equipment is cooled effectively .
• Airflow management : Efficient airflow management is essential for proper cooling . Blockages , such as cables , can restrict airflow and lead to hot spots .
• Humidity control : Maintaining the proper humidity level is critical to prevent equipment damage and ensure efficient cooling .
• Cooling system failure : If the cooling system fails , the temperature can quickly rise to levels that can damage equipment .
• Scale : As data centres become larger and more powerful , cooling requirements become more challenging to meet .
• Location : Data centres located in areas with high temperatures and humidity require more cooling , which can increase energy consumption and operational costs .
Heat exchangers in data centres Heat exchangers are an important component in the cooling systems used in data centres . These systems are designed to remove the heat generated by the servers and other electronic equipment housed in the data centre , to prevent overheating and potential equipment failure . Heat exchangers are typically used in two types of cooling systems for data centres : air-cooled systems and liquidcooled systems .
Waste heat offers great potential for use in district heating . Tiefstack district heating station . Courtesy of Sebastian Koppehel through Wikimedia Commons .
In air-cooled systems , heat exchangers are used to transfer the heat from the data centre to the outside air . This is typically accomplished using air-to-air heat exchangers , which use fans to move air over a heat exchanger , which transfers the heat to the outside air . Alternatively , some data centres may use a liquid-to-air heat exchanger , which uses a liquid coolant to absorb the heat from the data centre , which is then transferred to the outside air using an air-cooled heat exchanger . In liquid-cooled systems , heat exchangers are used to transfer the heat from the data centre to a liquid coolant , which is then circulated outside of the data centre to dissipate the heat . This is typically accomplished using liquid-to-liquid heat exchangers , which transfer the heat from the data centre to the liquid coolant , which is then circulated to a heat exchanger located outside of the data centre . The heat is then transferred from the coolant to the outside air or to a cooling tower , which dissipates the heat into the environment .
“ My general message to this industry is to always demand more of your equipment , suppliers , and of your heat exchangers .”
-Anna Blomborg
Partnering up One of the most important ways to optimise the cooling process is to include the heat exchanger manufacturer from the very beginning , Anna says . “ We can help customers get everything just right from the start . We can help the data centre to optimise the process and we can challenge the way they cool their facilities . For example , if we were to see that the recorded temperatures look strange , we can take a look at the bigger picture . Maybe those temperatures were recorded on the two hottest days in the year in Arizona . If so , it would not make sense to design the whole cooling system around two days out of the entire year .” www . heat-exchanger-world . com Heat Exchanger World April 2023
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