Optimum Cooling of Data Centers Application of Risk Assessment and Mitigation Techniques Optimum Cooling of Data Centers Jun Dai · Michael M
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Jun Dai Michael M. Ohadi Diganta Das Michael G. Pecht Optimum Cooling of Data Centers Application of Risk Assessment and Mitigation Techniques Optimum Cooling of Data Centers Jun Dai · Michael M. Ohadi · Diganta Das Michael G. Pecht Optimum Cooling of Data Centers Application of Risk Assessment and Mitigation Techniques 1 3 Jun Dai Michael M. Ohadi Diganta Das Department of Mechanical Engineering Michael G. Pecht University of Maryland Center Advanced Life Cycle Engineering College Park University of Maryland MD College Park USA MD USA ISBN 978-1-4614-5601-8 ISBN 978-1-4614-5602-5 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-1-4614-5602-5 Springer New York Heidelberg Dordrecht London Library of Congress Control Number: 2013950360 © Springer Science+Business Media New York 2014 This work is subject to copyright. 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Printed on acid-free paper Springer is part of Springer Science+Business Media (www.springer.com) Preface The worldwide energy consumption of data centers increased nearly 56 % between 2005 and 2010, and reached 237 terawatt hours (TWh) in 2010, accounting for about 1.3 % of the world’s electricity usage [1]. In the US, data center energy con- sumption increased by about 36 % between 2005 and 2010, reaching 76 TWh and accounting for about 2 % of total US electricity consumption in 2010 [1]. Cooling systems (primarily air conditioners) in data centers account for a large part of this energy consumption: in 2009, about 40 % of the energy consumed by data centers was for cooling [2, 3]. A 2012 biannual survey by Emerson Network Power polled members of the Data Center Users’ Group, an association of data center, IT, and facility managers, about the greatest issues facing data centers. Energy efficiency was cited as the pri- mary concern, followed by availability and infrastructure monitoring. The electric- ity cost to remove the heat generated from the server racks has continued to rise to the point that the 4-year energy costs of operating many data centers exceeds their purchase price. Realizing nearly 40 % of the power supplied to a typical data center is spent on cooling infrastructure; numerous approaches are underway to realize substantial reductions in energy consumption of data centers. One such example is ‘‘free air cooling,’’ where ambient air under proper temperature and humidity conditions is brought into the data center to cool the equipment directly, thereby reducing the energy consumed in cooling and conditioning. Numerous successful examples of free air cooling have demonstrated substantial energy savings, and some have achieved a power usage effectiveness (PUE) of nearly 1. However, a systematic examination of the impact of free air cooling on the performance and reliability of telecommunication equipment is needed. The implementation of free air cool- ing changes the operating environment, such as the temperature and humidity, and may have a significant impact on performance and reliability. Maintaining the high availability of data centers requires reliability methods that provide useful information about impending failures, identify failure loca- tions, and help isolate failure causes, while taking into account the life cycle conditions during system service. Traditional standards-based standard qualifica- tion methods will not work when free air cooling is implemented in data centers already in operation, since it is usually not practical to interrupt equipment service for re-qualification purposes. v vi Preface The purpose of this book is to provide data center designers and operators with methods by which to assess and mitigate the risks associated with utilization of optimum cooling solutions. The goal is to provide readers with sufficient knowl- edge to implement new/emerging measures such as free air cooling and direct liq- uid immersion cooling properly in data centers, base stations, and server farms, and addresses the following questions: • What are the cost/benefits associated with an optimum cooling solution for the given system? • How could the given optimum cooling method(s) be implemented in the given data center? • Are the current telecom industry standards sufficient/applicable for the selected optimum cooling method(s)? • What are the potential risks and failure mechanisms associated with the imple- mentation of the optimum cooling method(s)? • How can the risks to the performance and reliability of telecom equipment under optimum cooling conditions be assessed? • How can the associated risks to telecom equipment at multiple life cycle stages (design, test, and operation) be mitigated? • Why is prognostics and health management (PHM) a proper risk mitigation method for the operation stage? This book discusses various telecommunication infrastructures, with an empha- sis on data centers and base stations. Among the various energy and power manage- ment techniques, this book covers the most commonly known, as well as emerging cooling solutions for data centers. The risks to the electronic equipment fitted in these installations and the methods of risk mitigation are described. The book devotes a particular focus to an up-to-date review of the emerging cooling methods (such as free air cooling and direct liquid immersion cooling), tools and best prac- tices for installation operators, informs installation designers and manufacturers of the benefits and limitations of most common existing and emerging cooling meth- ods, and prepares the designers and manufacturers of electronics for these installa- tions to develop and supply products that meet the operators’ availability, reliability, and performance requirements under the optimum cooling regime. Chapter 1 provides an overview of the global telecom industry based on the current market and predicted future trends. The reasons for reducing energy con- sumption are also discussed in detail, including energy costs, environmental con- cerns, and government regulations. Chapter 2 provides an overview of the main components (power equipment, cooling equipment, and IT equipment) and operating environments in data centers, as well as the energy efficiency metrics by which they are measured. It also intro- duces the methods for improving energy efficiency in telecom devices and in data centers, which include more efficient technologies for telecom devices, reducing the required computational power by improving application management, improv- ing the efficiency of servers, improving the efficiency of power supplies and distri- bution, and improving the efficiency of cooling equipment. Preface vii Chapter 3 introduces the standards for telecom equipment and data centers, including the qualification environmental standards for telecom equipment and the standards providing data center thermal guidelines and design, installation, and performance requirements. These standards include TL 9000, which can be used to evaluate the quality of telecom equipment and assess the impact of free air cool- ing on telecom equipment; TIA-942, which focuses on the design and installation of data centers; and ASHRAE thermal guidelines. The application of these stand- ards under free air cooling conditions is also discussed. Chapter 4 introduces the principal cooling methods most commonly used, as well as emerging optimum cooling solutions that seek to minimize energy con- sumption requirements without compromising the integrity of the data and the quality of service by the particular data center. Measures such as air conditioning/ cooling with improved power management technologies, liquid cooling, free air cooling, tower free cooling, and comparison of the cooling methods are covered. When applicable the methods considered are compared in terms of energy effi- ciency, retrofit cost, and weather dependence. This chapter also plays a particu- lar focus on free air cooling, its operation principals, opportunities, and challenges