Issue link: https://cp.revolio.com/i/938019
14 | THE DATA CENTER JOURNAL www.datacenterjournal.com YOU AREN'T JUST SAVING ENERGY T he tools that a data center energy-efficiency expert uses to diagnose waste through- out the facility also identify conditions that contribute to instability and early equipment failure. Because uptime is such a result- oriented concern, it can pull focus from details and decisions that could, individually or together, benefit opera- tions on multiple fronts. A new CRAC may crank out more cold for less cash or fix one hot spot, but it's one unit— and one problem. e lens of energy efficiency can spotlight major strate- gies that not only reduce cost but also insulate the facility overall from short- and long-term risks. e key is a holistic, investigative look that takes every aspect of facility energy use into account—from power quality to airflow—alongside your performance, safety and reliability goals. Here are a few questions you can ask service providers or prospec- tive energy-efficiency partners to help you decide whether an approach fully delivers on the interdependent goals of efficiency, cost and uptime protection. 1. HOW CAN I ADDRESS AIRFLOW ISSUES AS THEY STAND IN MY FACILITY? Physics doesn't run updates nearly as oen as the soware world. Airflow issues are still critical to cooling, and cooling is still the best, first target for energy savings. Cooling solutions can sound deceptively simple, so you should look for experience with site-specific implementation. Cables can create blockages that completely nullify investments in airflow control. Hot spots can result from equipment changes or operational procedures unforeseen by your facility design. Airflow strategies should take into account how your operations work, and recommendations should help your team keep efficiency a prior- ity as you incorporate needed changes. Blanking plates must be in place. Physical air barriers to avoid losing energy through air mixing can make a big difference. Sealing rooms and pressurizing the data center increases control. Note that many solutions can make a big difference but still mask inefficiencies. Just like in real estate, what matters is location, location, loca- tion—and in this case, it's the location of cold air and how much of that air is reaching your servers instead of being wasted. Monitoring and controls can also be a big factor. You may not need to add another unit if you pinpoint how to best handle airflow as well as when it needs to dial up and dial down. Your provider should be able to navigate the relationship between HVAC best practices and the needs of power-distribution systems, in addi- tion to having strategies on hand for minimizing or completely avoiding the downtime needed to address blockages or change configurations. 2. HOW CAN I ADDRESS EFFICIENCY ON THE POWER SIDE? In a power-distribution system, resistance and heat means more waste. A qualified power-system service provider can analyze the configura- tion and find ways to reduce excessive energy losses while improving overall reliability and safety. Unnecessary resistance and excess heat not only reduce energy efficiency in a facility, but they also indicate a greater risk of catastrophic equipment failure, leading to unplanned outages, fires, and seri- ous—even fatal—injury. Finding ways to reduce energy losses through ana- lyzing the power-distribution system (and related assets) also boosts overall system reliability and safety. Reliability is also affected by power-quality issues, which have dra- matically increased with the rapid rise of microprocessor-based equipment, electronic power equipment, digital circuitry, variable-frequency drives (VFDs, oen used to save energy on the HVAC side) and other nonlinear loads. Although these systems and devices are the major source of power- quality problems, they're also the most susceptible to them. Attention to power quality can uncover and miti- gate issues that weaken and damage a system over time. Mitigation for changes made to a system over time is possible, but replacing electrical equipment can save time and money in the long term. When introducing new efficiency and stability strategies across your electri- cal system, state-government and util- ity incentives can greatly shorten the payback period. Your service partner should know what incentives apply to your facility. But one of the biggest areas for power, just like cooling, is mainte- nance. Properly maintained contacts and connections have less resistance and produce less heat. Monitoring your system can help you stay ahead of normal wear and tear on electri- cal systems and keep your team in the driver's seat, scheduling work that protects your uptime. If you're wondering how oen you should need electrical-distribution maintenance, the minimum NETA recommendation is de-energized maintenance at three years. And if you have redundant power distribution, don't neglect its maintenance. You need your equipment to perform, not create new challenges. 3. SPEAKING OF NETA, WHAT KIND OF STANDARDS ARE YOUR TEAMS TRAINED TO? ere's no dishonor in on-the-job training, but standards are standards