The Science of Cooling

by Jodi Holland on 2/1/21 1:06 PM

You know electronic and industrial equipment produces unwanted heat, and these levels continue to rise to dangerous levels. This presents the problem of removing the heat
generated before damage can occur to sensitive parts of critical IT, Communications, and Networking gear. Some cases allow for a simple ventilation solution, but you need more than an oscillating dime store fan in the world of IT applications.

Most IT applications exist in an environment where the available ambient air is contaminated or too warm to be used for the safe dissipation of unwanted heat. You want to keep your equipment life expectancy high, and not adversely effect sensitive components causing equipment malfunctions, slowdowns or failures. To create the optimum environment for the application, an evaluation of the anticipated operating conditions and thermal requirements of the equipment (or system) must be completed.IT-Cooling-Technology-1

Many organizations are taking a more scientific approach to cooling. The goal is to understand the science and techniques of effective data center cooling management. This includes the ability to quantify the changes necessary, to identify the appropriate best
practice, and to implement the airflow management strategy in the computer room.
By approaching next-generation cooling solutions as a science, you can:

  • identify isolated airflow issues negatively affecting IT reliability,
  • increase cooling capacity to allow for installation of more IT equipment, and
  • learn how to defer capital expenditures on computer center cooling equipment.

So, when considering a variety of cooling technologies, what questions should you ask to get the information you need? Check out our IT Cooling Technology Guide to get started.

IT-Cooling-Technology

Check Out the Guide
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Topics: Data Center, cooling, vertiv

Beyond the Product Service

by Jodi Holland on 7/28/20 8:22 AM

As the summer temperatures remain in the “highly uncomfortable range”, there is a tendency for Facilities Operators to be thinking more about their HVAC Systems. However, the concerns of these systems shouldn’t just be limited to our hottest season. The key to keeping your operations running smoothly year-round can be found in partnering a consistent strategy with an experienced Service team. This will allow you to maximize the lifecycle of your Thermal equipment, a goal of every facility.

When new HVAC equipment is installed, you might be thinking that since its brand new, you can just let it do its thing and be out of sight and out of mind since it doesn’t need to be maintained. Beware of this mistake. After start-up, it’s good to plan ahead for a short-term periodic assessment to baseline important details like temperature consistency and humidity levels assuring acceptable water and air qualities. In subsequent years, keeping the infrastructure properly maintained will allow for a longer equipment lifespan. At this point, the objective is to keep an efficiently running system and looking for signs of potential component failures down the road. It’s all about being proactive, and keeping a watchful eye provided by factory trained technicians.denver service team

The technicians you have serve and monitor your HVAC are a big variable in this equation. You may have members of your team capable of some functions, but it is highly recommended that you outsource a company that specializes in your type of equipment. At DVL, all technicians are factory trained on Vertiv™ Liebert® solutions and improve their product knowledge through continuing education opportunities provided by internal programs at both Vertiv and DVL. While there are many companies providing HVAC service, utilizing the expertise of a company that is focused on the specifics of your facility can have positive, far-reaching outcomes including a better understanding of ‘normal operations’ to a keener eye for trouble-shooting. 

Properly maintained equipment shouldn’t get to the point where it quits on you out of the blue. That’s why scheduled Preventative Maintenance is suggested on a quarterly basis. And in between those visits? Our DVL technicians aim to empower you, the equipment owner, to recognize potential issues that might lead to something worse down the line. Again, it’s all about being proactive. This can be achieved through simple steps such as walking the equipment footprint monthly or by checking certain monitored details at a predefined cadence.

These are just some of the tactics that can help extend an HVAC system’s lifespan, but how long of a service life are we talking? Sanja Motz, DVL’s Vice President of Service Operations, advises that a reasonable expectation is in the window of 12-15 years. Yes, this equipment (especially the Vertiv Liebert brands) is built to last many years; and our DVL services teams see some units out in the field that are 15 years strong “cooler than the other side of the pillow.” Still, even though your equipment might be mechanically sound, there does come a point of diminishing efficiency at which point you would be inevitably wasting money from how you manage the equipment. Less-efficient equipment will cost more money to operate, require more manpower to maintain, and will use more electricity compared to newer equipment being built today. If you consider rearchitecting to take advantage of the advancements in technology, which will yield greater efficiency, a proper analysis is recommended to review current performance details against any expected benefits of change. 

Vertiv Rooftop CondenserAdditionally, air quality is another major factor in HVAC operations and efficiency that you need to consider. This variable is impacted by both internal and external factors, and many people don’t think about half of their HVAC equipment being outdoors. The outside pieces of your infrastructure take a beating from the elements, atmosphere, animals, and even people. Indoor equipment brings focus onto the air filter, outdoor equipment emphasizes where the heat is being rejected. In the winter months it’s easier to reject the heat outside because the temperature differential is greater, but in the summer, when it’s hot and condensing temperatures around that same temperature, your equipment simply has to work harder to reject the heat. Therefore, this is the time when it’s most important to keep that equipment clean. Otherwise, compressors, which are usually the costliest part to replace and will require the most labor to install, start to fail.

Recently, Sanja sat down with Michael Hagan (Director of Thermal Services) and Matthew Hudspeth (Thermal Operations Lead Technician) on the DVL Power Hour webinar, Don't Lose Your Cool(ing) to discuss these topics, as well as their expert tips on how equipment owners can benefit from their own routine HVAC equipment checks. This includes providing insights into specific steps you can take in the summer to ensure outdoor debris and temperatures don’t hinder your critical infrastructure from operating at the highest possible reliability level.

In closing, be mindful that components of a successful maintenance program should include:

  • Checking/Replacing filters
  • Inspect Thermostat
  • Inspect for duct leaks
  • Lubricating Components
  • Cleaning Evaporator and Condenser Coils
  • Dampers, Fire, Virtual
  • Drain Pans, Blower Motor, Heat Exchanger
  • Refrigerant levels checked (leaks?), recharged (if needed)
  • Inspect Electrical Components
  • Fan motor and blades are inspected and lubricated
  • Control box, switches, wiring, and safety controls are inspected

Previously Recorded DVL Webinars

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Topics: efficient data center, HVAC, cooling, webinar

Architects of Continuity

by Bobby Beato on 4/15/19 2:23 PM

Technology is always changing. This disrupts how we live and work. However, at DVL we recognize that one thing in particular should not be changing—continuity. Your business needs continuous access to its data to survive, and chances are, you are often the person responsible for assuring this happens.

DVL is your trusted partner to help make this possible. Offering Liebert® power and cooling products from Vertiv™, our 24-7 service, and our industry leading data center engineers, we help you provide the continuity your business needs. Keeping your IT spaces cool and your power on is our goal.

Check out Vertiv’s new video and join us as Architects of Continuity™. Together, we can ensure your digital infrastructure runs continuously and evolves as your business changes.

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Topics: Data Center, cooling, power, vertiv

Keeping Your Cool

by Jodi Holland on 4/8/19 11:12 AM

One of Vertiv’s newest (and coolest) products is the Vertiv™ VRC Rack Cooling System. If you’re constantly dealing with cooling issues in your server room, IT closet, or edge computing spaces, you’re going to want to check out all of the great benefits the VRC can offer. It’s a self-contained IT rack that deals with heat rejection by rejecting air to the ceiling plenum or adjacent space. Not only does it save you much-needed floor space, but it is easy to handle and install.

Find out more

vrc-image
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Topics: cooling, server room cooling, vertiv, heat rejection, vrc, rack cooling

Data Center Cooling Trends

by Jodi Holland on 1/29/19 8:13 AM

As we wrap up January, we hope you found value in the Liebert Air Conditioning information that DVL and Vertiv have presented.

We have discussed:

Additionally, ASHRAE wrapped up their winter meeting last week, and Vertiv was prominently present with their Liebert products. Significant items that were announced and displayed were:

DSE_iCOM2_002-SA-new

  • Vertiv VRC rack cooling system for network closets
  • New Minimates for small spaces that consume 30% less energy
  • iCOM CMS monitoring system for small spaces
  • 50kw Rack Door with fans
  • Liebert DSE Optimization to increase efficiency of CRAC units by 50%

Please contact your DVL Data Center Engineer to learn how we can help you.

 

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Topics: cooling, data center cooling, retrofit, top trends, R22

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