Develop Future-Ready Data Centers With Disruptive Technologies

Overview

The paper recommends four interventions: rear-door heat exchangers, direct liquid and immersion cooling for high-density retrofit zones, heat reuse from warm return water, and self-contained racks or micro data centres for edge and small critical loads. The motivation is the cost of cooling: in some sites it can consume 60-65% of total facility power, and 15-25 kW racks may need more than 1.5 kW of cooling per kW of IT (Gartner).

Racks above about 30 kW are the typical threshold for seeking liquid or immersion cooling, and Gartner expects specialty cooling to cut operating costs 20-40% by 2025. Liquid cooling return water can be 60 C (140 F) or higher, which enables heat reuse. Single-phase immersion rejects heat through external exchangers; two-phase uses a fluid that boils and is condensed by coils at the top of the tank.

Self-contained racks and micro data centres typically support no more than 100-150 kW, integrate UPS, rPDU, rack cooling and monitoring, and can be deployed in days. The paper is short and takes most of its quantitative content from cited analyst views rather than its own measurements or a case study.

Key points

1. Cooling can consume 60-65% of total facility power in some sites; 15-25 kW racks may need over 1.5 kW cooling per kW of IT (Gartner).
2. Racks above about 30 kW are the typical threshold for liquid or immersion cooling.
3. Gartner expects specialty cooling to cut operating costs 20-40% by 2025.
4. Liquid cooling return water can be 60 C (140 F) or higher, enabling heat reuse.
5. Single-phase immersion rejects heat via external exchangers; two-phase fluid boils and condenses on coils at the top of the tank.
6. Self-contained racks/micro data centres typically support no more than 100-150 kW with integrated UPS, rPDU, cooling and monitoring, deployable in days.

Using it in design

• In a retrofit workflow identify zones above about 30 kW/rack and propose rear-door heat exchanger or direct liquid cooling options.
• Capture liquid return temperature as an input to evaluate heat reuse.
• Offer a self-contained rack / micro DC block template (up to 150 kW) with integrated UPS, rPDU and cooling for edge sites.

Who should read it

Owners of existing enterprise sites preparing them for higher density and retrofit designers.

Related standards

• ASHRAE TC 9.9 Liquid Cooling Guidelines
• EN 50600-2-3

Publication details

Authors

Vertiv

Publisher

Vertiv

Year

2022

Document number

SL-70914

Document language

English

Source type

Manufacturer

Access

Free to read

Licence

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

Citation