As the need for information storage grows, so do the number of data centers. In the USA, these servers now number in the thousands, driven by major companies such as Google, Microsoft and Amazon. However, this technology brings with it technical challenges, not least data center cooling. Indeed, ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) recommends a temperature range of between 18 and 27 degrees Celsius. Between air conditioning, CRAH units and cool roofs, Covalba takes a look at temperature control solutions for data centers.
Air conditioning for data centers
Data centers generate a great deal of heat. This is due to the accumulation of servers in a single location. Although the building is designed with temperature optimization in mind, third-party intervention is necessary.
The most common method of cooling a data center is, of course, air conditioning. Cool air is blown directly into the server room to temper the ambient air.
However, this system is particularly energy-intensive, costly in the long term and not very environmentally-friendly. During the summer months, some installations resort to watering the condensers to optimize operation, but this practice should be avoided: it consumes a lot of water and poses problems of sustainability and resource management.
CRAH units
CRAH units are data center cooling solutions that effectively limit temperature.
These units are systematically accompanied by a reserve of chilled water capable of keeping the temperature extremely cold. CRAH units operate in a circular mode. Hot air from the data center is drawn in, cooled by the chilled water plant and then re-injected into the computer room.
Like air conditioning, this solution constantly consumes energy and proves costly.
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The cool roof, an ecological and economical solution
One of the latest methods used to control temperature in a data center is the cool roof. The great advantage of the cool roof is that, unlike other HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) solutions, it is effective in combating heat in the building, without being energy-intensive.
The cool roof consists of applying a reflective white anti-heat paint to the roof of the data center. Thanks to this specific paint, the sun's rays are reflected and the interior temperature is controlled. This solution simultaneously saves money on energy bills and makes an effort to be environmentally responsible.
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