Recovery Act: Federspiel Controls (now Vigilent) and State of California Department of General Services Data Center Energy Efficient Cooling Control Demonstration. Final technical project report

Federspiel, Clifford ; Evers, Myah

关键词: AIR CONDITIONING;    BLOWERS;    CAPACITY;    CAPITAL;    CARBON;    DOLLARS;    ELECTRICITY;    ENERGY CONSUMPTION;    ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS;    ENGINEERS;    HEATING;    MONITORS;    REFRIGERATION;    SENSORS;    SPECIFICATIONS;    TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION Vigilent;    Federspiel Controls;    Clifford Federspiel;    intelligent energy management systems;    data center cooling;    data center;    energy efficiency;    computer room air conditioner;    CRAC;    CRAH;    computer room air handler;    energy management;    controls;    HVAC;    wireless;    PUE;    DCIE;    greenhouse gas emissions;    California Energy Commission;    U.S. Department of Energy;    American Recovery and Reinvestment Act;   

DOI  :  10.2172/1025751
RP-ID  :  NONE
PID  :  OSTI ID: 1025751
Others  :  Other: PIR-10-052
Others  :  TRN: US201120%%742

学科分类：能源（综合）

美国|英语

来源: SciTech Connect

【 摘 要 】

Eight State of California data centers were equipped with an intelligent energy management system to evaluate the effectiveness, energy savings, dollar savings and benefits that arise when powerful artificial intelligence-based technology measures, monitors and actively controls cooling operations. Control software, wireless sensors and mesh networks were used at all sites. Most sites used variable frequency drives as well. The system dynamically adjusts temperature and airflow on the fly by analyzing real-time demands, thermal behavior and historical data collected on site. Taking into account the chaotic interrelationships of hundreds to thousands of variables in a data center, the system optimizes the temperature distribution across a facility while also intelligently balancing loads, outputs, and airflow. The overall project will provide a reduction in energy consumption of more than 2.3 million kWh each year, which translates to $240,000 saved and a reduction of 1.58 million pounds of carbon emissions. Across all sites, the cooling energy consumption was reduced by 41%. The average reduction in energy savings across all the sites that use VFDs is higher at 58%. Before this case study, all eight data centers ran the cooling fans at 100% capacity all of the time. Because of the new technology, cooling fans run at the optimum fan speed maintaining stable air equilibrium while also expending the least amount of electricity. With lower fan speeds, the life of the capital investment made on cooling equipment improves, and the cooling capacity of the data center increases. This case study depicts a rare technological feat: The same process and technology worked cost effectively in eight very different environments. The results show that savings were achieved in centers with diverse specifications for the sizes, ages and types of cooling equipment. The percentage of cooling energy reduction ranged from 19% to 78% while keeping temperatures substantially within the limits recommended by the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) for data center facilities.