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White paperCitation2012

WP#46 - Updated Air-Side Free Cooling Maps: The Impact of ASHRAE 2011 Allowable Ranges

The Green Grid · Tom Harvey, Michael Patterson et al.

The Green Grid white paper updating its 2009 free-cooling maps to the ASHRAE 2011 allowable ranges, showing substantially expanded potential for air-side free cooling.

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Overview

This white paper (WP 46) updates The Green Grid's 2009 free-cooling maps. The original maps were based on ASHRAE 2008 recommended temperature and humidity ranges. The updated maps use the wider allowable ranges in the May 2011 ASHRAE guidelines. The paper is dated 6 March 2012; its authors are Tom Harvey (Emerson), Michael Patterson (Intel) and John Bean (Schneider).

The main result is that the new maps show substantially expanded potential for air-side free cooling. The maps aim to encourage economiser designs. The Green Grid also publishes the maps themselves; separate downloads exist for North America, Europe and China and for classes A2 and A3 (high and low resolution). This regional, class-by-class presentation lets readers pick the map closest to their own climate zone.

As a limit, the maps are general indicators built on an ASHRAE class envelope and regional climate data. For a specific site, decisions should be made from hourly weather data. Download requires a free The Green Grid account and is governed by The Green Grid Terms of Use; this record rests only on the public library landing page summary and details, and the full text was not read.

Key points

  1. Dated 6 March 2012; authors Tom Harvey (Emerson), Michael Patterson (Intel), John Bean (Schneider).
  2. Original maps (2009) used ASHRAE 2008 recommended temperature/humidity ranges.
  3. Updated maps use the wider allowable ranges in the May 2011 ASHRAE guidelines.
  4. Maps show expanded free-cooling potential to encourage economiser designs.
  5. Separate map downloads exist per region and ASHRAE class (A2, A3; high/low resolution).
  6. Maps are published for North America, Europe and China.

Using it in design

  • In the site/cooling module, compute free-cooling hours from hourly weather against the selected ASHRAE class envelope rather than relying on maps.
  • Show the TGG map region as a sanity check.
  • Switching class A2 to A3 should visibly change economiser hours.
  • State in report output which ASHRAE class was assumed.

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Who should read it

Cooling designers, planners selecting sites and decision makers evaluating economiser investment.

Related standards

  • ASHRAE Thermal Guidelines for Data Processing Environments

Publication details

Authors
Tom Harvey; Michael Patterson; John Bean
Publisher
The Green Grid
Year
2012
Document number
WP 46
Document language
English
Source type
Industry body
Access
Citation only
Licence
Copyright retained; citation only — the publisher’s terms apply to the original document
Original licence note

Download requires a free TGG account sign-in and is governed by The Green Grid Terms of Use; summary and facts from the public library landing page; full text not redistributed.

Citation

Tom Harvey; Michael Patterson; John Bean (2012). WP#46 - Updated Air-Side Free Cooling Maps: The Impact of ASHRAE 2011 Allowable Ranges. The Green Grid. WP 46. https://www.thegreengrid.org/en/resources/library-and-tools/385-WP%2346---Updated-Air-Side-Free-Cooling-Maps%3A-The-Impact-of-ASHRAE-2011-Allowable-Ranges

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