Reduction of The Energy Consumption from Data Centers

Several data center operators find themselves stuck as they don't know how to make their data centers more energy-efficient. They can't just look at industry standards; they also need recommendations.

FREMONT, CA: While data centers have handled to keep their collective energy consumption to less than 2 % of global electricity consumption, their energy consumption could grow exponentially if computationally intensive applications such as video on demand, autonomous vehicles, and advanced 5G technology obtains widespread adoption, as is expected. Data centers must utilize every available approach to improve energy efficiency to overcome these obstacles.

Following are some methods that will improve the energy efficiency of data centers as follows:

Place energy usage monitors across the space: Many legacy data centers don't have the sensors and instruments essential to perform ASHRAE standards compliance and gather the data to compute the PUE. Installation of the necessary monitoring hardware and software to quantify the data center's energy efficiency is crucial to guarantee that all other energy-saving assessments are in place.

Keep supply air temperatures at optimum levels: To generate an IT equipment environment consistent with the higher end of suggested temperature extents, adjust HVAC supply air temperatures. Higher supply air temperatures will raise compressor efficiency if a DX-type unit is utilized for cooling. If chilled water air handling units are applied for cooling, the efficiency of the chiller plant will be enhanced.

Enhance the quality of under-floor air pressure control: Raised floor plenums can make it difficult to control data center energy use, as poorly sealed systems and blockages under the floor can leak valuable resources. Leakage under the elevated bed can be a problem, as it causes inadequately chilled air to reach the IT equipment. Hindrances like trapped air and dust can make the cold air in the facility inefficient, leading to problems with the equipment. Greater HVAC supply air temperatures and extra fan energy are needed to handle the equipment cooling demands.

Improve the efficiency of CRAC units: Energy efficiency advancements to CRAC units, like variable-speed control for supply air fans and the use of EC (electronically commutated ) motors, are now standard features on modern CRAC units. Energy savings can be realized by fitting existing CRAC units or replacing older CRAC units with these features.

Improve transformer output: High-efficiency transformers may save energy costs when an aging electrical distribution system exists in a data center. The high-efficiency transformers are more effective in internal electrical losses and create less waste heat that requires cooling. It is also likely to save energy by, for example, reconfiguring the facility's electrical distribution system to reduce the number of transformers as are necessary for replacement.