Comparative analysis and optimization of the annual performance for a novel internet data center cooling system

Abstract

Internet data centers generate considerable heat loads and expend up to 50% of the total facility energy. This study investigate the performance of a novel internet data center cooling system that incorporates two operating modes, namely the forced cooling mode and a free cooling mode. The study optimized the secondary fluid flow rate to select the mode change temperature for the dual-mode internet data center cooling system. Performance comparison between the novel dual-mode air source internet data center cooling system and a conventional air source internet data center cooling system was studied at varying outdoor air temperature range from -4 °C to 35 °C, and using the integrated coefficient of performance rating method. The novel dual-mode system performance was slightly lower than the conventional system performance at outdoor temperatures above the mode change temperature, but the former was significantly higher than the latter at outdoor temperatures below the mode change temperature. Furthermore, the integrated coefficient of performance of the novel dual-mode internet data center cooling system represented by 41% higher value comparing with the conventional system, showing that the novel dual-mode internet data center cooling system has great prospects in significantly enhancing the annual energy savings of internet data centers.