Tag: data centers

Efficient Data Center HVAC

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The Problem

Data centers consume a huge amount of energy and that number is increasing due to the increased production of data centers. A main component in the use of electricity is heat rejection. Typically, CRAC units are installed in the servers to reject heat to an chilled water loop. The problem is through redesign of data centers and different aging of equipment, the design might not be optimal for real world applications and heat rejection may not be occurring optimally.

The Solution

Vigilent utilizes artificial intelligence to optimally control the CRAC units to provide cooling to the space.  It automatically identifies hot spots in the server rooms and adjust the CRAC unit output accordingly to effectively eliminate the hot spot. Power is monitored for Measurement and Verification purposes and as a way to monitor the hot spots in the rooms.

Stakeholders

  • Building owners
  • Building operators
  • Management companies
  • Control Companies
  • Utility Companies

Deployment

Work with existing control companies and to install at their customer sites and integrate into the existing controls. Get rebates from the utilities.

Company Website

Vigilent

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Gas-powered Data Centers

brianbalzar1 Comment

Problem

Data centers consume large amounts of electricity and that number is going to grow with the implementation of cloud-computing and increase use of computers in every-day and business life. According to the DOE, they use 10 to 50 times the amount of energy per floor space as regular commercial buildings.

The electric grid offers a dirty way to power data centers. Still, a majority of power in the US comes from fossil fuel plants with low efficiency rates and as much as half of the energy can be lost through transmission.

Solution

Microsoft and McKinstry (my former employer) are combining efforts to release a gas-powered data center. This data center will eliminate the inefficiencies in the grid and directly power the data center from natural gas.

Stakeholders

Companies such as technology, financial, and many others have data centers that range in size. Utility companies (electrical and gas) would be interested in investing in this as a way to even out their portfolio.

Reference

Here is the link from Energy Manager Today:

https://www.energymanagertoday.com/microsoft-announces-plans-build-worlds-first-gas-data-center-0172193/

Here is the DOE’s website on Data Centers:

https://energy.gov/eere/buildings/data-centers-and-servers

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