Cold Weather Server Room Cooling

[jpreed00]

What kind of systems are available to make use of the cold weather for cooling? I'm trying to put together a plan for a new server room that includes all the "green" technologies I can and it occurs to me that a blower system of some kind might be worthwhile for the winter months. However, I realize that a blower system wouldn't take care of any of the humidity, though I am unsure if humidity is even all that bad.

Anyone out there have any experience with this kind of thing?

[Liebert_Tech]

You could do a Dual Cool (Glycool) System. You can get the option with our units that allow for Free Cooling in winter months. Unit has 2 coils. If outdoor temps falls below set setting (55*F) on drycooler, compressor's are cycled off and secondary water valve in unit opens and uses the same glycol to free cool. This way, you still have humidity control and all unit functions.

[flyrfan]

http://www.intel.com/it/pdf/Reducing...Economizer.pdf

Google "air conditioning economizers"

There are downsides to using them. You need to consult with a reputable HVAC contractor or engineer who has experience in data center / server room design.

[Super Tech JJ]

Fresh air economizers are not a good idea in the winter as the outdoor has very little grains of moisture in it as you will find out when you look at Psychometrics. When you bring that air indoors it will probably cost you more to humidify the air than if you has just kept the same indoor air with humidity and used DX to provide the cooling.

Humidity is important to keep the static shock thing from happening!! Computers don't like static..

The dry cooler idea is the way to go in a data center.

[Liebert_Tech]

There are alot of way's to free cool. The econimizer is a good idea but is not cost effective because of the need for humdity. You would have to add an inline humidifier and your energy & maint. costs would be rediculas.

How big of a room (sq-ft) and how many tons or kw of cooling are you needing?

[Some Dude]

Ive wondered why they didnt use an economizer for years, thanks guys.

[jpreed00]

The room is approximately 250 square feet, the AC unit is 3 tons.

[Airmechanical]

The econimizer is a good idea but is not cost effective because of the need for humdity. You would have to add an inline humidifier and your energy & maint. costs would be rediculas.

all computer rooms that i have been in;

have some sort of humidification, such as canisters or infrared



.

[Airmechanical]

Fresh air economizers are not a good idea in the winter as the outdoor has very little grains of moisture in it as you will find out when you look at Psychometrics.

When you bring that air indoors it will probably cost you more to humidify the air than if you has just kept the same indoor air with humidity and used DX to provide the cooling.
don't ya think that while cooling with the compressor it's also dehumidifying
hence the need for humidification no matter how your cooling

.

[Super Tech JJ]

You win the booby prize today! Now get back to work!!

[Super Tech JJ]

.

Hey Airmechanical,

I had a thought for you. I am not sure if you have ever used these guys before but they are in Florida also. www.humidifirst.com They do ultrasonic humidifiers and they have a replacement retrofit package for Lieberts as well.

I have used these (different model of course) in a local winery and they are cool!!

[ispip]

Ok here we go, you should not use outside air directly in the room because of the reasons that people said above. if you insist on using OSA then get a unit that is designed for this application (glycool or some thing like that)!! they are expensive upfront but pay off in the long run.

2 Please stay way from these ultrasonic humidifiers. you might as well put a sprinkler in your room. They do not make the water change state to vapor they only make small water droplets and WATER IS BAD IN A DATA ROOM. Also they can cause mold problems in the unit.

jpreed you need to ask yourself when you are looking at your data room, how important is this room? what is the back-up for when the main AC goes down? Yes i would like to see a Liebert (a unit designed to run 10 years 24-7) in there but keep in mind that if you put a Carrier or somthing like that you will be doing a lot of work to it to keep it running.

Also Yes to AirAmerica that ALL a/c dehumidify but there IS a huge differance in how it is done. Liebert, Data-air and Canatell are PRECISION cooling units, their sensable cooling is 90% of the coil or for Liebert 100% at 75 degrees at 45% humidity VS carrier is closer to 70% sensable. And yes there are humidifiers in the Liebert but these are only there to make up what the unit took out for running your data room at 68 degrees.

Hope this makes sense

[FlewtheCoop]

We use these all the time, they're good to cool down to 0 degrees and yes they have the ever so friendly 410a refrigerant. All you need is a place to put the condensing unit or condenser depending on the set up you pick. No glycol, pumps or anything as long as you can keep the units close enough together.

http://www.dataaire.com/inside.cfm?p=ceiling&c=2

[hvac-tech-lane]

You could do a Dual Cool (Glycool) System. You can get the option with our units that allow for Free Cooling in winter months. Unit has 2 coils. If outdoor temps falls below set setting (55*F) on drycooler, compressor's are cycled off and secondary water valve in unit opens and uses the same glycol to free cool. This way, you still have humidity control and all unit functions.

Actually the econocoil will provide some cooling up to the point where the glycol temp is the same as the room temp.

From the:
Liebert Deluxe System 3
Operation and Maintenance Manual

SL-18345 (01/06) Rev. 1

GLYCOOL™ (Chilled Glycol Cooling) Systems
GLYCOOL™ systems have all of the features of a compressorized water or glycol system, plus a second
cooling coil that is connected into the water circuit. When fluid temperature is sufficiently low
(below room temperature), cooling is provided by circulating the fluid through the second cooling coil
(with the flow controlled by a motorized valve). This is then the primary cooling source, greatly reducing
the compressor operation.

[Liebert_Tech]

Actually the econocoil will provide some cooling up to the point where the glycol temp is the same as the room temp.

From the:
Liebert Deluxe System 3
Operation and Maintenance Manual

SL-18345 (01/06) Rev. 1

GLYCOOL™ (Chilled Glycol Cooling) Systems
GLYCOOL™ systems have all of the features of a compressorized water or glycol system, plus a second
cooling coil that is connected into the water circuit. When fluid temperature is sufficiently low
(below room temperature), cooling is provided by circulating the fluid through the second cooling coil
(with the flow controlled by a motorized valve). This is then the primary cooling source, greatly reducing
the compressor operation.

Yes, I know.

[hvac-tech-lane]

You could do a Dual Cool (Glycool) System. You can get the option with our units that allow for Free Cooling in winter months. Unit has 2 coils. If outdoor temps falls below set setting (55*F) on drycooler, compressor's are cycled off and secondary water valve in unit opens and uses the same glycol to free cool. This way, you still have humidity control and all unit functions.

Actually the econocoil will provide some cooling up to the point where the glycol temp is the same as the room temp.

From the:
Liebert Deluxe System 3
Operation and Maintenance Manual

SL-18345 (01/06) Rev. 1

GLYCOOL™ (Chilled Glycol Cooling) Systems
GLYCOOL™ systems have all of the features of a compressorized water or glycol system, plus a second
cooling coil that is connected into the water circuit. When fluid temperature is sufficiently low
(below room temperature), cooling is provided by circulating the fluid through the second cooling coil
(with the flow controlled by a motorized valve). This is then the primary cooling source, greatly reducing
the compressor operation.

Yes, I know.

Really ? it doesn't sound like it to me.

[Liebert_Tech]

Actually the econocoil will provide some cooling up to the point where the glycol temp is the same as the room temp.

LOL...OK

Are are going to cycle compressors off and use the glycol to cool if water temp is 68-72*F, which is most room temps. What will that give you...68-72*F supply temp! That won't do much for you for cooling.

[KE Fibertec UK]

has a data centre ever been built to allow the most free cooling possible, like in Alaska?

[ispip]

They do have data centers in cold places like Alaska but they do not in most instances just dump OSA in to the room. (you can't control humidity properly) You should always use a heat exchanger of some kind.

[crab master]

First of all JPREED what is your general location so we have a better idea about your climate?

A green technology is going to be really expensive, especially for only 3 tons, the payback will take a lot longer.

A unit (likely custom built) with direct, indirect & evaporative cooling/humidity addition & return air exhaust combined with either pump and dump or geothermal would be one of your greenest options.