Cooling computers costs cut
May 1st 2008 The power consumption of
computers leaves a significant
carbon footprint, and this applies
particularly to the growing number
of data centres that use larger and
larger servers. According to an
American report (Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory),
power consumption in this sector
in the US doubled between 2000-
2005. Although no official statistics
are available in the UK, there is
reason to believe the situation is
similar. Technological
improvements such as multi-core
processor chips have started to
address the issue, but half the
energy in data centres is
consumed by equipment used to
cool computers. A key solution is
to reduce the power consumption
of Close Control air-handling units
used in the cooling process.
Efficient Air can report results
for several UK centres, that have
reduced electrical energy
consumption of air handling units
by 50% or more with the
installation of direct driven EC plug
fans with inbuilt Variable Speed
Drives. first direct has recorded
savings of 5-7% of total energy
consumed in the Comms Hall as a
result of an energy management
appraisal by Efficient Air. This
involved replacing the original belt
driven centrifugal supply fans in the
existing 4 close control air handling
units with new high efficiency direct
driven EC Plug fans. The initial
prediction of Fan Energy saving of
39% to match the required air
volume has been exceeded, and
the new installation is now
achieving the same air volume and
saving an average figure of 48.8%
electrical motor input power. The
new fans are running at constant
speed 1350 rpm. The Annual CO2
reduction for these 5 units is
134.9t. More articles from Efficient Air Ltd: | 
