LOAD TESTING
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opportunity in the project and avoid
alternative load bank solutions that will
cause delays to the IST program.
Common Mistakes
The restricted choice in the market
dilutes the availability of load bank
choices and equipment. Decisions to
select on cost the wrong type of load
bank solution can compromise the
validity of the IST, but the unknown
hidden problems will not manifest
until the data hall goes live with active
IT equipment. The temptation to
choose 20KW 3 phase industrial space
heaters rather than load bank server
simulators effects the commissioning
of mechanical cooling systems. The
design of such heaters prevents
the elevation of the ambient room
temperature reaching the design
criteria needed to commission the
CRAC or AUH units. Some suppliers
have removed the thermostatic controls
only to find the space heater over heats
and in some circumstance catches
fire. The choice of large 110KW load
banks can be justified when testing
site equipment such as PDU panels,
bus bars or switchboards to Level 3
ASHRAE requirements. These load
banks provide a cost effective solution
to proving the electrical infrastructure
of the mega data centres, however
they will create localised hotspots or
areas of concentrated heat should
they be used for the commissioning
of the cooling systems. In extreme
circumstances during tier certification
the electrical load has been provided
from 2KW infrared heaters or 1KW
hair dryers. Infrared heaters create an
ambient temperature of >40 degrees
Celsius and wall skin temperatures of
70 degrees Celsius. Hair dryers are not
designed for continuous operation as
required in an IST. This type of low
cost solution should not be considered
to replicate the operation of IT
equipment and risks costly delays while
compromising the integrity of the
testing program.
Achieving Cost Savings
Schneider Electric
White paper
Completing an IST to budget takes
on a greater importance when
commissioning a mega data centre,
especially with the number of rental
load banks that will be required. The
increase in size of the facility will
increase the time needed to complete
the commissioning, so by combining
the latest technologies traditional delays
often associated with load banks can
now be avoided. By selecting solutions
that give enhanced data logging, the
commissioning report will also give
the client detailed levels of operating
information and fully auditable reports
for future tenants considering use of
the space. Data logging can also be
used in CFD models to ensure that the
mega data centre is ready to use.
Schneider Electric
White paper
Today’s IST requires a package of equipment that wil