S3 - Cooling a server room

Background

Founded in 1988, S3 is a vendor independent, service led information management solution company. S3 solutions are designed to deliver information, availability, compliance and security. Its services include storage, audit, information, infrastructure design, solution, delivery and implementation. S3’s reputation in the industry is built on ‘always on’ availability backed up by commitment to customer support and problem ownership.

For more information visit www.s3.co.uk

The server room at S3 used to be cooled using a wall-mounted air conditioning unit. In line with their energy management strategy rather than installing new refrigeration-based air conditioning units the company wanted to fit a system that would reduce their energy consumption whilst at the same time be more environmentally friendly. Evaporative coolers were considered to provide an obvious solution.

The Design

Good air quality is essential to a healthy environment. Evaporative cooling systems designed correctly proved the perfect environment.

A single evaporative cooling unit will provide S3 with up to 30kW of cooling capacity more than meeting the demand of their existing server and providing spare capacity for future expansion.

With the patented attemperation system a constant temperature air supply to the data centre is achieved.This is achievable using the EcoCooling CREC control panel.

The returning warm air is mixed with ambient or evaporatively cooled air, using a single damper.When the external temperature rises over a set point the evaporative cooling is enabled to ensure either the typical target air supply temperature of 22°C is achieved or slightly over during the very hottest periods.

A standard CREC module will supply ~3 cubic meters per second of air which can support over 35kW of equipment load. S3 are expecting to save 90% on their energy bills compared to an equivalent air-conditioning  system