Data Centre Cooling Methods: How Can I Cool Down My Data Centre?
As the world becomes increasingly digitised, data centres are experiencing a dramatic increase in demand for their services. Data centres house computer systems and associated components, and often use large amounts of electricity.
For this reason, data centre cooling is critical to keep equipment from overheating and maintain the safety and integrity of the ever-growing amounts of data being stored.
In this blog post, we will explore some common data centre cooling solutions. We will also discuss the benefits and drawbacks of each method so that you can make an informed decision about which cooling approach may be best for your organisation.
What is Data Centre Cooling?
In order to ensure that your data centre is operating at its peak performance, it is important to cool it down properly. Data centres generate a lot of heat, and if not cooled correctly, this can lead to server failures and costly downtime.
Data centre cooling can be done in a number of ways, and the most efficient method will vary depending on the climate and other factors relating to your specific location. Here is an overview of some key methods and why they are effective:
Computer Room Air Conditioner (CRAC) also known as Air Cooling - This method involves air being circulated around the servers to cool them down. This is the most common method of cooling data centres and is relatively cheap and easy to set up. CRACs are an excellent way to maintain the coolness and dryness of your server room, while also monitoring its humidity levels. They work by extracting hot air from inside a building through vents that lead out into exterior plenums (a separate space provided for air circulation for heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning) where they’re cooled before being pumped back inside for circulation purposes. This method is similar to home air conditioning units and is great for maintaining a comfortable temperature suitable for your data centre with minimal effort.
In-Rack Heat Extraction - This is a more modern solution in which you don’t cool the whole room like the CRAC system, simply just the rack of servers in question. In-rack heat extraction directly absorbs heat produced by individual servers using an internal compressor and chiller. However, while this targeted method is highly innovative, it has a major disadvantage in that it limits computational density per rack and ultimately therefore how much power you are able to house on a single floor within your data centre.
Liquid immersion cooling - This method involves circulating coolant through pipes that run through the servers. Liquid cooling is very efficient and can quickly cool the servers, making it a good choice for high-density data centres. This is similar to the direct expansion (DX) cooling method which uses refrigerant gas instead of chilled water to cool the air in the data centre. The gas is pumped directly into coils next to the server racks, which cools the air down before it is circulated around the racks.
Evaporative cooling - This involves using water to absorb heat from the server room and then evaporating the water to release the heat into the atmosphere. Evaporative cooling is a more efficient way of cooling than air cooling and more natural than liquid immersion/DX cooling as it uses water rather than gas or chemicals.
The Benefits Data Centre Cooling
Having a reliable, efficient cooling system in place can save your company a lot of money in the long run – both in terms of operational costs and equipment longevity. Here a just a few more key benefits:
- Data centre cooling can help to improve the performance of your servers by helping to maintain a consistent temperature.
- It can also help to reduce the amount of heat that is produced, and thus extend the life of your hardware.
- It can help to lower your energy bills as it takes less power to cool a data centre than it does to power overheating servers.
- Data centre cooling ensures that your equipment operates in a safe and stable environment.
- It even provides a more comfortable environment for employees.
Data Centre Cooling from Infiniti
At Infiniti we believe in the importance of having the right solutions at your fingertips before any problems can arise. If you are going into business with low, medium or high density server loads and want maximum resilience, efficiency and scalability, then you will need our data centre cooling solutions to ensure that everything runs smoothly! Choose from the following:
Downflow CRAC units - These work on the basis of air temperature density and associated fluctuations. In our downflow CRAC units, as cold air is denser than hot air it sinks and is removed. Cooler air then rises to replace it ultimately taking the heat from the servers and cooling your data centre servers. Efficiency at its finest.
Direct cabinet data centre cooling - This solution involves placing our cooling units between server cabinets so that the cool air is directed at both. This ensures consistent yet targeted cooling for the entire cabinet, eliminating the risk of hot spots developing.
Rear door cooling solutions - These cooling units connect to the back of server racks, cooling them down significantly. This is our top choice for efficient blade and high performance cluster cooling. Targeted and effective cooling.
Final Thoughts
Data centres are a vital part of the economy and our lives. They store, process and manage the data we rely on every day. Ensuring your data centre is running efficiently and keeping your customers’ data safe is essential to your business success. That’s why Infiniti offers the comprehensive and efficient data centre cooling services outlined above with expert installation and highly competitive pricing.
Contact uson 01993 774444 to learn more about our data centre cooling services outlined above and to book an exploratory meeting. Find out how we can help you keep your data centre running at peak performance today!
INFINITI is a one-stop data centre solutions provider with an eye for detail and outstanding customer service. With decades of experience, IT Operations Managers and Engineers return to us time after time, due to our high levels of expertise, efficiency, and knowledge. We cater to all aspects of mission critical IT environments with products and a service that is second to none.
