To Develop a Methodology to Improve Airconditioning Of an Operational Data Centre For Energy Efficiency

Abstract

Energy Efficiency has become an absolute essential not only because of depleting energy reserves but also due to the tightening economic conditions all around the world. In Pakistan a country gripped by energy crisis, this concept although very critical, is hardly implied – the main reason being the lack of awareness of the methods and techniques involved. This study makes an attempt to reduce this awareness gap. For that purpose the author collaborated with The National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST), Main Campus in H-12 and took on the task of implementing the energy efficiency concept on two of its main laboratories in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (SEECS) and Research Center for Modeling and Simulation (RCMS). In this regard, the objectives are twofold. The first step is to study the present layout and analyze the various inherent deficiencies. Based on that study, few major points are highlighted which include the inadequate redundancies of the system, improper zoning and the absence of humidity and temperature sensors. To counter these problems, the author has made detailed recommendations. The energy efficiency achieved through these measures although significant, is not drastic. To further enhance and improve the energy efficiency the author introduced the concept of free cooling. In this regard, the bin data spanning over the course of the last 16 years was collected from the metrological department and then keeping dry bulb tempertaure and humidity as base parametres a detailed analysis was carried out with the help of ASHRAE psychrometric, ELITE CHVAC and AUTOCAD. An inside tempertaure range of 18 to 22℃ was defined for the sake of this study and with the help of ASHRAE recommended envelopes, it was shown that this range can be applied safely till an outisde tempertaure as much as 27℃. This result of free cooling comes in the form of a radical increase in the Coeffieicnt of Performance (COP) of the cooling equipment.