Cooling Innovations in Data Centers: Notable Advances

Efficient cooling is one of the vital elements of the data center industry for various reasons. A smooth-running cooling system helps keeps costs at bay and allows data centers to offer competitive pricing for their services. An increase in data traffic essentially translates into an increase in demand for enhanced efficiency at lower costs on the data center front.

Rapid escalation in energy costs, as well as the environmental challenges related to high amounts of energy consumption, have made it essential for the data industry to improve its infrastructure. Reducing the carbon footprint is also one of the vital elements in the modern data center, and cooling plays a prominent role in the changes being planned and implemented.

Making engineering changes to the physical data center is a major move that helps in increasing cooling efficiency. Changes in designs that promote enhanced recycling of the air in a data center include raised floors, as well as installing large fans that bring in cool air from outside and mixing it with the warm air generated within through a mixing chamber and floor vents. This helps in maintaining a constant temperature, thus taking a load off from chilling units that consume high amounts of energy. These techniques prove to be even more effective in climates that are cool and temperate, and they make a considerable contribution in controlling the heat generated from racks.

Another innovation making headlines is development in liquid cooling. Spot-cooling systems are looking good as a viable option, where liquid coolant can travel up to the racks through optimally placed pipes, thus allowing rapid cooling to reach the heat source directly. A well-organized design for the distribution of these pipes is, of course, a necessary element. Liquid submersion cooling is also a workable solution that is being explored by service providers.

Though there are a lot of experimental innovations in cooling, factors such as the location and size of the data center and investment capabilities are important when it comes to implementation of new systems. These should be taken into account when deciding on cooling techniques.

At Lifeline Data Centers, we continually implement innovative technologies to ensure optimum cooling at reasonable costs, which, in turn, we are able to offer affordable and efficient services. Integrating proven cooling technologies into our data center infrastructure, we maintain a perfect balance through improvisation and reliability.

Alex Carroll

Managing Member at Lifeline Data Centers

Alex, co-owner, is responsible for all real estate, construction and mission critical facilities: hardened buildings, power systems, cooling systems, fire suppression, and environmentals. Alex also manages relationships with the telecommunications providers and has an extensive background in IT infrastructure support, database administration and software design and development. Alex architected Lifeline’s proprietary GRCA system and is hands-on every day in the data center.