Real Estate and Site Operations

R-Gaïa Free-Cooling and

Meteorological conditions

Jean-Yves Clément December 2012

© Copyright International Business Machines Corporation 2012.

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Agenda
 Free-cooling design choices

 Weather analysis

 Operation example

 IT specifications

 ASHRAE 2011

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Agenda

 Free-cooling design choices

 Weather analysis

 Operation example

 IT specifications

 ASHRAE 2011

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Light structure

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Heavy structure

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Heavy structure principal

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Light structure principal

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Cold air aisle is more efficient:

 Heat exchange is better shared with all CRAC’s
 Less expensive (non return air plenum)
 Heat exchange with building structure are optimized

T ext = 15°C and below Delta T Cold aisle = 15°C Delta T Hot aisle = 5°C Favorable to Cold aisle
T ext = 25°C Delta T Cold aisle = 5°C Delta T Hot aisle = - 5°C Favorable to Cold aisle
T ext = 35°C and above Delta T Cold aisle = - 5°C Delta T Hot aisle = - 15°C Favorable to Cold aisle

Cold aisle Hot aisle

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Humidification: steam time is over!

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Humidification: steam time is over!

 Cold vapor generation

High pressure
Centrifugation

Compressed air Piezo

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Humidification: steam time is over!

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Agenda
 Free-cooling design choices

 Weather analysis

 Operation example

 IT specifications

 ASHRAE 2011

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Montpellier Airport Temperatures 2008

DATE °C Mean 00h-06h °C Mean 07h-18h °C Mean 19h-23h

35

30

25

20

15

10

0
janv.-00 févr.-00 avr.-00 mai-00 juil.-00 sept.-00 oct.-00 déc.-00 févr.-01

-5

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Grenoble Temperatures 2007

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Agenda
 Free-cooling design choices

 Weather analysis

 Operation example

 IT specifications

 ASHRAE 2011

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Air specification to apply to IT :

 ASHRAE 2008 was an improvement for air containment efficiency:

 Temperature of cold air (25°C) blown under the raised floor is a limiting
factor during summer.
 5,5°C dew point is too strict compared with IT specification

 Proposed solution

 Extent humidity working range to IT specifications

 Control hygrometry in DC and adjust blowing temperature with AMU

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ASHRAE IT 2008

ASHRAE 2008 Allowable (Class 1)

ASHRAE 2008 Recommended

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Weather example

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Weather example: too hot during 2h30

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Weather example: too dry during 23h30!

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12,5°C and 60% RH is too dry for ASHRAE!

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Agenda

 Free-cooling design choices

 Weather analysis

 Operation example

 IT specifications

 ASHRAE 2011

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IT Requirements

 X3550

 Supported environment:

 Air temperature:
 Server on: 10 to 35° C (50.0 to 95.0° F); altitude: 0 to 914.4 m (3,000 ft).

 Humidity:
 Server on: 20 to 80% , maximum dew point 21° C,
maximum rate of change 5° C/h

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IT Requirements

 ZSeries – S/390 z196

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IT Requirements

 Environmental and shipping specifications for tape cartridges

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IT Requirements: worst case hygrometry

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Weather limit for air blowing at T=21°c and Hr=20% in DC

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Water weight evolution during October 8th

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November 6th to 11th humid period outside air

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ASHRAE
 Free-cooling design choices

 Weather analysis

 Operation example

 IT specifications

 ASHRAE 2011

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ASHRAE 2011

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ASHRAE 2011

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ASHRAE 2011

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ASHRAE IT Equipment Environment

Corrosion

Reduced life
Data corruption
Cycle

Electrostatic discharge

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ASHRAE humidity limit vs IT specification

 la spécification de l'air soufflé dans les data centres doit être

conforme au cadre pointillé vert de la page 29 de la présentation
jointe, c'est à dire t=18°C à 27°C et hr= 80% à 20%.

 Ceci implique que l'air extérieur présentant des températures

même très inférieurs à 15°C doit être utilisé du moment que son
poids d’eau permet d’être en spécification une fois réchauffé dans
le data center.

 Plus largement l’efficacité du FreeCooling sera améliorée si l’AMU

(Air Mixing Unit) permettre de balayer toute la plage de
température autorisée de manière à utiliser au mieux les
caractéristiques de l’air extérieur. De ce fait les jours ou l’air
extérieur est froid et sec, une température de soufflage de 15°C
donnera le meilleur résultat.

 La température extérieure remonte en cour de journée de 8°C à

10°C en 8heurs. Ceci respecte les 5°C/h de variation demandées
dans les spécifications des équipements IT.

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ASHRAE humidity limit vs IT specification

 Only solution to use Free-Cooling in winter

 No risk for IT

 No energy lost with humidification system

 Reduce condensation risk

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