High-Performance Computing Data Center Heat Capture and Reuse (ESIF)

Overview

This page describes how heat from high-performance computing (HPC) is captured and reused at the Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF) of the National Laboratory of the Rockies (formerly NREL). Heat exchangers move heat from the energy recovery water loop into the building process hot water loop. The page presents one facility's practice; it gives no calculation method or measured energy figures.

The recovered heat serves three uses: active chilled beams for offices, air handlers for conference and high-bay spaces, and a courtyard snow-melt loop. Most of these are low-temperature terminals, which indicates that the warm water from liquid-cooled HPC systems can be used directly.

The process hot water loop can draw from or export to the campus heating loop, so the connection is two-way. In April and October, excess ESIF heat has heated other buildings and shortened boiler run time. This is a practical example of balancing heat supply and demand across the seasons.

The limit of the document is that it concerns a single facility and gives no numeric results; the recovered heat quantity, temperature levels and savings are not in the record. It is nonetheless a concrete example showing that heat reuse can serve not only district heating but also in-building terminals and neighbouring buildings.

Key points

1. Recovered heat serves active chilled beams (offices), air handlers (conference and high-bay) and a courtyard snow-melt loop.
2. The process hot water loop can draw from or export to the campus heating loop.
3. In April and October, excess ESIF heat has heated other buildings, shortening boiler run time.
4. Heat exchangers move heat from the energy recovery water loop into the building process hot water loop.
5. The connection with campus heating is two-way.
6. The page gives no numeric savings or heat quantities.

Using it in design

• In the heat-reuse module, support on-site end uses (low-temperature terminals, snow melt).
• Model bidirectional district connections with a monthly surplus/deficit balance.
• Offer the topology of an energy-recovery loop separated from the process hot water loop by heat exchangers as a template.

Who should read it

Mechanical designers and campus energy planners working on heat recovery and reuse.

Publication details

Authors

National Laboratory of the Rockies

Publisher

National Laboratory of the Rockies (formerly NREL)

Year

2026

Document language

English

Source type

Government / public

Access

Free to read

Licence

Copyright retained; citation only — the publisher’s terms apply to the original document

Citation