Construction Magazine February 2020 | Page 61

KEEPING COOL
KEEPING COOL
When it comes to removing heat in data centres , the two most common methods currently in use are air or water-cooled systems . As higher temperatures begin to put data centres of all sizes at risk of overheating , it is vital that providers select the correct solution for satisfying the requirements of their facility .
An air-cooled system delivers cold air into the data centre or server room , extracting warm air from the room , mixing both to eliminate hot spots .
This approach is most applicable for data centres and facilities with comparatively smaller power load densities , where the power load required for the mixing process is a small fraction of the facility ’ s total power load . Where this is not the case , the system ’ s efficiency declines . Instead of balancing the temperature of the room , a water-cooled system transfers chilled water to exactly where it is required – the server racks and computer banks . This targeted approach is more efficient
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“ With over 175 zettabytes of data predicted to be in existence by 2025 , it is even more vital than ever that existing and future data centres have the correct infrastructure in place to ensure heat generated by server racks and IT apparatus is balanced .”

— Nick Osborne
Data Centre Specialist , Aggreko
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