How do air-side economizers work?
Typically, if the outside air is cool enough, the economizer brings the air into the data center space via the CRAC unit air management system. Compressors and chilled water valves can be turned off, saving enormous amounts of energy.

The dap4™ difference.
Data Aire dap4™ microprocessor controller has a unique control logic that allows the air-side economizer to function efficiently even in a broad range of weather conditions. Unlike comfort cooling applications, data centers have both upper and lower limits for temperature and humidity. An air-side economizer for a data center will then need safeties not required in less sensitive situations. Our air-side economizer has built in safeties to ensure that the space conditions are always within the required ranges while maximizing the energy savings.

For instance, if the outside air is too cold, warm return air is added to raise the mixed air temperature to an acceptable level. There are also safeties to prevent overly moist or dry air from being introduced requiring unnecessary humidification and dehumidification which waste energy.

The use of an economizer mode is dependent upon the geographic location of the data center. Air-side economizers have generally been excluded from regions that are hot and humid during the cooling season. Because data centers must be cooled 24/7, 365 days per year, air-side economizes may now make sense even in hot and humid climates, where they can take advantage of cooler evening or winter air temperatures. The DOE and the Green Grid estimate that economizers can be used over 3,000 hours a year everywhere outside of Florida.

Our sales reps can calculate the energy savings your particular data center will realize based upon your specific operating points, space load, equipment type and location. Give them a call today and see how much energy you could be saving.

Forgive me Vince, “Ladies and gentlemen, this is just air conditioning.” 9,999 times out of 10,000 it doesn’t require super-sophisticated and exotic equipment or require immersing chips in dielectric liquid. Those seem to be solutions looking for a problem. In my opinion, the advent of all these sophisticated technologies is a misguided attempt to solve the problems of hot spots in the data room.

What makes good air conditioning, like good football is simple… but not easy. There are indeed many data rooms with areas that IT managers just can’t seem to get cool. The first reaction is usually to add more air conditioning, but when this was tried back in the early 2000s, data room operators discovered this didn’t solve the problem and sometimes made the problem worse. This gave systems using the traditional CRAC unit a bad name, and many air conditioning manufacturers jumped into the fray with new equipment. Most were more than ready to make the leap since the traditional CRAC unit had become a commodity, and there are few things a manufacturer hates worse than a commodity.

Data Aire has a history of innovative plays.

Data Aire went a different direction and decided to improve the CRAC unit instead of replacing it. Data Aire has been the leader in CRAC unit innovations over the last 20 years. Data Aire was the first to introduce scroll compressor technology in a CRAC unit increasing the efficiency and reliability of the equipment. Data Aire was the first to introduce steam generator humidifier technology increasing efficiency and reducing maintenance costs. Data Aire was also the first to replace analog controls on CRAC units with digital controls reducing maintenance and increasing reliability. Then, six years ago, Data Aire began using the most important innovation in CRAC units since the scroll compressor – the direct drive plenum fan.

In today’s data room, air conditioning is not about how many tons of cooling are installed but about good airflow management. The plenum fan is the perfect solution for hot data rooms with raised floors. They save a minimum of 35% of the fan energy consumed by traditional fans. The fans in a 30 ton CRAC unit that used to consume 15 HP now consume less than 10 HP. These fans run 24/7/365, so you save that energy every hour of every day of every year. And, by the way, they are maintenance-free and eliminate the problem of belt dust under the raised floor… a win-win situation.

Those are all good benefits, but they’re not the plenum fan’s best feature – they dramatically improve airflow management in the data room. Not only do they make the CRAC unit more efficient, they make the unit more effective.
The advent of the plenum fans in CRAC units, coupled with simple, inexpensive changes in the data room layout, allows cooling of load densities far beyond anything that anyone thought possible six years ago.

In a future blog, I will discuss those simple changes in your data room further, but for now I will just say “Ladies and gentlemen, this is just air conditioning.”

The only argument against purchasing an extended warranty is the cost. We believe our prices for warranties are very reasonable compared to the selling price of a comparable compressor. Convincing the end-user to go with a warranty provides peace of mind by mitigating uncertainty. Should an equipment failure occur, is a firm process is in place to fix it? Without the warranty, the cost of the fix is a big unknown.

We’ve found that our warranties are often easy to sell. Many times they will appear in the job specification. If not, the sales representative can always ask the mechanical engineer responsible for the specification to consider the extended warranty. Now, these engineers may have a tight maintenance budget (and who doesn’t?), but they may also have a liberal capital budget that contains contingencies for add-ons such as warranties. Since warranties have a future value beyond one year, their cost can be capitalized along with the related equipment.

Data Aire currently has two compressor extended warranties – one for 42 months after expiration of our standard 18 month, parts-only warranty and a 24-month warranty after the expiration of the standard parts-only warranty and the expiration of the 18-month extended parts warranty. Please note that to purchase the 24-month warranty, the 18-month extended parts warranty must also be purchased.

These extended compressor warranty offerings have been in place for four years already. It has been an extremely successful program for both Data Aire and the sales representatives who take advantage of them. However, by only covering compressors, these warranties have been limited to DX air conditioning units.

To broaden this program to include chilled-water units, we are considering adding warranties for either our electrically commutated backward inclined fans (better known as plug fans) or our latest generation of unit controller, the dap4 or possibly both. We welcome your input on these proposed new warranty offerings. And then, let’s get everybody off of that fence!

• It’s ability to ramp up and down simultaneously instead of staging on and off in sections across the coil makes for even airflow across the coil – saving in energy costs.
• At full consumption, PSC motors use almost twice the energy – 750 watts as compared to the 380 watts consumed by the EC motor. This is due to the fan blade design and efficient EC motors.

But the real payback comes when we do a little math. Don’t worry, we’ll do it for you.

Example: EC motor costs approximately $500 more than the PSC motor. The gForce unit with EC motors (GHRC-176) costs approximately $2,500 (5 fans at $500 per fan) more than a similar unit with PSC motors. Let’s say we were to put the GHRC-176 on a roof in Atlanta where temperatures reach 85°F less than 1% of the year, between 65°F and 85°F 42% of the year and less than 45°F 17% of the year.

If one KWH costs $.10, and the unit was on 100% of the time, ramping up and down based on ambient temperature, the savings would be $1,114.03 and the payback period for the EC motor condenser over the PSC would equate to 2.2 years.

The EC unit actually pays for itself in a little over 2 years!

While it’s actually fairly easy to calculate payback if you know the ambient temperature of the installation and the temperatures at which our fans ramp up and down, we have put together a Payback calculator for our EC fans on condensers.

Our Payback Calculator will be released later this year. It will give the user the ability to simply input the condenser model number, location cost/KWH and percentage of the year that the unit will run. From the input parameters, the calculator will then output annual energy usage, cost and annual savings between the EC and PSC motor condenser units as well as the payback period for the EC unit.

With this innovative tool, it will be easy to be proactive in going out and selling EC condenser units!

First of all, Data Aire computer room systems are designed to control the environment of a particular space including the temperature, humidity and cleanliness of the room:

• In the cooling mode, the system will remove unwanted heat.
• In the dehumidification mode, the system will remove unwanted moisture from the room.
• There is reheat in the system to help control the temperature of the room during the humidification mode – eliminating too low a temperature.
• If the room is too dry, the humidifier will be activated to raise the humidity.
• The system includes air filters designed with large surface areas to remove as much dust and dirt from the room as possible with minimal resistances.

However, to control this many aspects of the room environment, the space must be designed and built to allow the Data Aire system to operate properly. So, what is a properly designed room?

• Firstly, the room must be sealed off from the rest of the building.
• It should have a vapor barrier enclosing the entire space.
• The recommended vapor barrier for the walls and ceiling is a polyurethane sheeting that is at least 6mil. thick.
• Floors need to be sealed with vapor-proof sealant to prevent the migration of moisture into the room.

Now, if the room is pressurized (Data Aire recommends a maximum of 5% outside air) the air needs to be treated for both temperature and humidity. Think of a very humid day (80% to 100% humidity) that is around 50 to 60 degrees outside – most systems used to pressurize most spaces only control the temperature. However, the room can be pressurized using the Data Aire Aire-Side Economizer System. This system will balance the outside air with the return air to maximize the system’s resources for optimal space control. The Data Aire unit will also control the humidity levels through humidification or dehumidification depending upon the need.

Finally, let’s talk about the design of the space containing the system. Data Aire has put countless hours of design and testing behind each individual unit. The room or space in which the system resides should have the same attention to design. The combination of two well thought-out designs will minimize operating costs, require less maintenance and add longevity and reliability to the system.

So how’s that for some scintillating cocktail hour conversation?

Say what they do.  They must have written procedures.

Do what they say. They need to follow those written procedures.

Prove it.  They must meet all the ISO requirements and pass regular surveillance audits.

Improve it.  The company must take continual corrective or preventive actions to improve the business, they must strive for “continual improvement.”

So now you may be thinking, “That’s wonderful, but how exactly does that help me?”

Well, the whole purpose of the ISO standard is to create a better business system aimed at improving products and services so that customers will benefit. See, it really is all about you after all.

ISO 9000:2008 is entirely customer focused; in fact the word “customer” appears 31 times in the rather short text of the standard. There is even a requirement that registered companies “shall monitor information relating to customer perception as to whether the organization has met customer requirements.”  We have to know what our customer’s perception is, and it must be auditable – remember the “Prove it” part above?

But before we can monitor the customer’s perception, we have to know what it is today.   How can we determine that?  Well, there is a lot of information available to us including emails and extensive documentation of phone and conference calls that may have taken place.  We also take into consideration warranty claims and customer complaints as part of their perception assessment and to determine whether or not we’ve met all the requirements.

It could be a real challenge to understand customer perception beyond this because it can be viewed so many different ways.  To some extent, so can customer requirements.   Sales people could have a different view of a particular customer’s perception than, say, a service technician or an engineer.  Meanwhile the actual customer’s perception of their experience could be light years from what the company believes the customer is feeling.

Engineering, service, sales and marketing are continuously collecting information on what the customer thinks. There are various and ongoing communications about product design, price and delivery.  We also have constant communication after an order is placed regarding delivery addresses, color and any changes that a customer might request after the initial order.

But what about customer perceptions that don’t easily fit into one of these common communication portals? How would a company know, for example, if a customer’s perception is that they had a great experience with Data Aire?  What if the customer has an innovative idea that they think would be an easy-to-implement improvement? Indeed, what if they had any other thoughts they’d like to communicate with the company but aren’t quite sure where to direct their comments?  What if that customer is you?

Well, here is your forum to be heard loud and clear by everyone at Data Aire.  This is a perfect opportunity for you to question, complain, compliment or suggest.  It’s not a generic survey where you have to choose answers one through five or forget it.    So, what’s on your mind?  What can we do better?  What are we doing right?   Let us know.  And don’t pull any punches.  We can take it.

In existing buildings you may not think you have a choice regarding CW vs. DX, but read on, what you learn may surprise you.

Typically, the decision regarding which cooling source is better for a data center is usually driven by the job site conditions. If a chiller plant is available, that’s the way to go. If not, many use DX (refrigerant-based) cooling. I’ll suggest here, that while this seems obvious, it’s not always the best solution. The air cooled condenser, glycol fluid cooler or cooling tower which sits outside the building in DX applications can just as easily be replaced by a modular chiller dedicated to the data center.

I know what you’re thinking – this is a more expensive installation! That may be true initially, but when you consider the total cost of ownership along with other CW advantages, I think chilled water warrants discussion:

1. ASHRAE TC 9.9 committee, in conjunction with its server manufacturing members now tell us that with an effective airflow management strategy, we can deliver air to servers at as much as 80.6⁰F. DX coils operate at approximately 40⁰ F delivering air at much lower temperatures – wasting energy.

2. Non-dedicated, building level chillers generally operate at chilled water set points between 45⁰ and 50⁰ F. Data centers (with effective airflow management) do not require these low temperatures. The energy savings realized by raising the set point to 65⁰F or higher can be enormous.

3. Raising supply air temperature also raises return air temperature. At the levels which provide maximum efficiency, this would damage compressors in a standard DX unit. At Data Aire, we can build special DX units to take advantage of the higher temperatures, but our standard CW units can already handle them.

4. The most efficient CRAH units, like the Data Aire gForce series, utilize variable air volume plug fans with EC motors. Low air volumes cause DX coils to freeze and damage compressors. These problems do not exist with chilled water coils.

5. When outside air temperatures are low, air-side economization can be accomplished at the chiller level. This eliminates any concern about airborne contaminants entering the data center.

6. Finally, there are far fewer unit components in chilled water CRAHs and hence, fewer reasons for service personnel to work in the white space. This will make security-conscious IT managers very happy.

In summary, as energy savings is increasingly becoming a major issue in modern, enterprise type datacenters, chilled water cooling is a smart decision. Even in the case where capital expenditures may be slightly higher, operating expenditures will be significantly lower.

Data Aire’s most valuable specialty is our unsurpassed ability to build “specials” or custom features for our products. In fact, over half of the units we build include some type of special. Some are relatively minor, such as adding lights that indicate when alarms are triggered. However, many of these specials make the difference between winning and losing a bid.

So, if you take away only one thing from this blog entry it is that to ensure success: Don’t wait for specials to be dictated to you by the customer.

Be proactive. Encourage engineers and end-users to include requirements that our competitors cannot meet. We thrive on challenges. For instance, once a rep sold a customer on the concept of a unit that was exactly 48” deep x 72” wide in order for it to perfectly fit into a raised floor in which no tiles would have to be cut. The customer loved the idea. We got the job, took those dimensions and designed a one-of-a-kind unit to fit that specific footprint.

In fact, some of our most successful reps routinely insert specials into the design requirements including fusible disconnects, dual chilled-water coils (for redundancy) and dual power with Automatic Transfer Switch. Doing this is great for the customer and a bid-winner for us.

Now, we often sell options as specials before offering them in catalogs. This allows us to gain experience with the option before launch. As a matter of fact, before the gForce line was launched, plug fans were specials. Currently, air-side economizers, gForce units with 34.5” depth, heresite evaporative coils (shown in photo) and the ability to lower plug fans under the floor are current specials that may end up in PSG in the future.

John Martin includes the above type of specials in his announcements, so make sure to keep an eye out for them and stay ahead of the curve when going out to bid. In short, take advantage of the flexibility and opportunities the Applications Department offers to eliminate the competition. After all, why play on a level playing field when you can tilt it in your favor?

Classes are held here in sunny California and are limited in size (16 attendees). Registration is required and acceptance is on a first come first served basis. The registration form can be printed from the Data Aire web site, and there is a registration fee of $ 395.00 (fully refundable upon completion of the class).

We cover a variety of topics including data center design, equipment selection, data center dynamics, piping design, start-up, service and maintenance, electrical and controls. Controls are our main focus and the training is hands-on. We cover both older and newer products. Recently, we introduced the dap4 to the service training. You’ll learn the entire operation and programming including the Zone Master.

All classes include a factory tour. Now, there are no stunts or rides like on the Universal Studios’ tour, but it is fairly interesting. The tour allows you a firsthand look at the unit’s construction and design. We encourage comments and suggestions regarding the unit design and particularly service.

The classes are not limited to service technicians. We openly encourage sales personnel to attend. We have found the training to be an invaluable aid in understanding and subsequently selling the product.

All attendees that complete the course receive a certificate indicating the attendee has completed the class and is trained on Data Aire equipment.

For more information please contact either Steve Wellander (Service Manager) Ed Chavez (Director of Technical Services). We look forward to seeing you here soon.

Although we are not in the business of designing data centers, we have over 40 years experience in the installation of our own products and have gained significant working knowledge of data center design and operation. In addition, some of our personnel participate on technical committees with ASHRAE to provide input and perspective on various standards that are formulated and adopted. We have unsurpassed experience about which products to deploy and how best to apply them to maximize the odds for a successful project.

It is critical that we, as a manufacturer with the above experience, be involved as early as possible in the overall process. We can add value to initial decisions being made … selling the right equipment for the exact application … resulting in greater overall success and saving time and money in the process.

We wish we could say that our early involvement is routine. Unfortunately, that is not the case. However, when we are involved in the early stages, the process is significantly more efficient, and successful installations are the result. And, of course, we have several mechanical engineers, technically competent sales personnel, a technical services group along with a highly skilled manufacturing operation to support our products throughout the process of installation and beyond.

As a successful business person, you owe it to yourself to strive for better coordination, early involvement of all players and to take full advantage of the skills, experience and perspective of Data Aire, the manufacturer. So that instead of placing us in the role of “catching everything that flows downhill”, we can be a true and ongoing participant.  With our trusted partners, we are all getting better … and the challenges/dynamics of today’s data centers demand nothing less.