IDC Architects

Challenge

Among the many challenges presented by this project, the most significant was to design and develop a facility that used air cooling in a data center that exceeded 500 watts per square foot. In addition, the client wanted to reduce the overall operating and construction costs while maintaining reliability, flexibility, and modularity. Ultimately, the project had to align with the Uptime Institute Tier II requirements with a total IT load of 15MW.

Investigation

To accomplish the goals of this project, IDCA used a holistic design approach involving architectural, structural, electrical, and mechanical design teams. Each design system had to be configured and tested to fit within the allowable site building area. Likewise, each system had to be easily constructed, easy to maintain, and reliable.

During the initial conceptual design phase, our in-house code specialists worked closely with the local jurisdiction to review the multi-story, common air plenum and fire separation concepts. Meanwhile, our computational fluid dynamics modeling group worked to validate the air-management concepts and equipment configurations. Two- and three-story facility design solutions were considered and modeled, along with various UPS system and cooling equipment configurations, and "free-cooling" opportunities. Each concept was evaluated for performance, maintainability, construction and operation costs, energy savings, program requirements, and conformance to site and code restrictions.

Solution

The final solution is a two-story design that consists of independent server room modules, each having a lower-level electrical equipment area that also serves as the distribution zone for electrical power to the server cabinets located on the upper level. Operating and construction costs were minimized by utilizing a single, sensible-only cooling system that provides air conditioning to the server cabinets and the associated electrical equipment within a single module. Air supplied to the lower level cools the electrical distribution equipment and flows up through floor openings in the second floor slab into the cold aisles, which are architecturally isolated from the hot aisles using a modular and demountable component wall system. This module isolation ensures efficient airflow and eliminates hot and cold air mixing. The warm air is drawn from the hot aisle through the open ceiling to the air management system located on the perimeter of the data center, where it is cooled. Through an air-management system, fan units located on the second level deliver warm air to a chase on the first level where it is humidified and provided with sensible cooling. From there, air is delivered to the first floor, where the air management cycle begins again.