Evolving Chilled Water Cooling System for Slab Floor Data Centers

Introduction to Chilled Water Cooling

Today's data centers are rapidly growing in size and energy demand, necessitating efficient cooling solutions. Chilled water cooling systems have long been used to address high temperatures in data centers. However, these systems must now evolve to support slab floor data center designs.

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This article explores how chilled water cooling systems are adapting to meet modern data center infrastructure requirements. We will delve into current trends and technological advancements to evaluate their effectiveness in maintaining stable temperatures and reducing operating costs.

Understanding Chilled Water Data Center Cooling

Chilled water cooling utilizes chilled water to transfer heat away from servers, providing reliable cooling with low energy consumption. This system combines chilled water and air cooling to enhance thermal management capabilities and reduce energy costs.

The process involves using chilled water to cool the hottest air in the data center before it reaches the servers. The cooled air is then recirculated back into the server racks, ensuring hot spots are avoided and maintaining consistent temperatures throughout the data center environment.

Chilled Water Cooling for Slab Floor Data Centers

Chilled water cooling is particularly effective for slab floor data centers due to its high efficiency. It offers advantages such as reduced energy use, lower operating costs, and improved reliability compared to traditional air conditioning systems.

However, specific considerations must be taken into account, including the need for additional infrastructure like pumps and chillers and careful planning for humidity control.

Recent advancements in chilled water cooling systems have improved control over operating temperatures and enhanced management of specific heat loads, resulting in better overall performance and system reliability.

Chilled Water and Free Cooling

Chilled water cooling can be combined with free cooling, which utilizes ambient air temperatures to reduce the need for mechanical chillers. This approach is especially beneficial during off-peak times, while chilled water systems handle peak demand periods, optimizing infrastructure performance and reducing operating costs.

Chilled Water and Liquid Cooling Technologies

When integrated with liquid cooling systems like immersion or direct-to-chip cooling, chilled water systems offer significant energy savings and improved thermal performance.

Chilled Water Data Center Cooling and Heat Reuse

Heat reuse technology captures waste heat generated by servers and repurposes it for other uses, like heating buildings or providing hot water. This reduces energy consumption and the overall carbon footprint. Chilled water systems are particularly effective for heat reuse, cooling servers while recycling waste heat for other applications.

Advancements in Refrigerants: Low GWP Options

To further lessen environmental impact, data centers are adopting low GWP (Global Warming Potential) refrigerants. Chilled water systems that use eco-friendly refrigerants can meet sustainability goals.

The Shift from Raised Floor to Slab Floor Data Centers

Slab floor data centers have gained popularity among colocation providers due to their flexibility, scalability, and reduced set-up costs compared to raised floors. Their higher ceilings and better airflow make them suitable for high-density deployments, providing efficient cooling for large server workloads.

The continued use of slab floor data centers ensures the importance of chilled water cooling systems. Technological advances now allow efficient, reliable cooling even for dense configurations, reducing costs and optimizing IT infrastructure performance.

Vertiv offers a range of solutions, including the Liebert® PCW-PWM and Liebert® CWA thermal wall units, that cater to the cooling needs of slab floor data centers.

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Alongside these innovations, Vertiv's offerings, such as the vertiv liebert ita2, highlight the company's commitment to providing comprehensive solutions for data center cooling and power management.

Designing Effective Cooling Systems for Slab Floor Data Centers

Effective airflow is crucial for cooling slab floor data centers. Optimized airflow ensures the hottest air is replaced with cooler air, preventing hot spots and maintaining performance.

Chilled water cooling systems are gaining popularity for slab floor layouts due to their adaptability and energy efficiency. Raised floor cooling systems can create air turbulence, negatively impacting thermal management. Conversely, chilled water systems improve airflow distribution by reducing air speed and turbulence.

Vertiv's extensive range of cooling solutions, including the Liebert® PCW-PWM and Vertiv™ Liebert® Chilled Water Air Handling Unit, offers precise airflow, temperature, and humidity control, enhancing data center performance and reliability.

Ensuring Optimal Airflow Control in Data Centers

For efficient cooling, both containment and proper airflow are essential. Temperature control, rather than pressure control, becomes more critical in slab floor data centers. Deploying remote sensors and differential pressure sensors ensures correct airflow to each server, maintaining optimal temperatures.

The innovative design of larger units, like Vertiv™ Liebert® PCW-PCM, provides cooling redundancy and allows independent operation of top and bottom sections, catering to variable heat loads.

Adopting chilled water systems prepares data centers for future advancements in liquid cooling or heat reuse technologies. Selecting appropriate units and control strategies maximizes cooling efficiency and uptime.

Consulting with Vertiv for Advanced Data Center Cooling

Chilled water systems are essential for efficient cooling in slab floor installations. With decades of experience, Vertiv offers tailored solutions to meet data center cooling needs, ensuring high performance and sustainability.

The Vertiv™ Liebert® PCW-PWM, Liebert® CWA thermal wall unit, and customizable air handling units provide diverse options, enabling operators to implement the ideal cooling system for their specific applications.

For more information on chilled water cooling solutions, explore Vertiv's range of white papers and webinars.