Evaluating an asset’s performance, and understanding how its entire environment operates, forms a key part of our work within Sustainability and Building Physics at Bryden Wood.

Single phase immersion cooling offers the ability for higher rack densities than direct-to-chip, however, the IT equipment must be immersion ready which is not standard off the shelf equipment and for some IT manufacturers, not yet available.For some passive immersion cooling products, it is estimated 3 – 5% of the heat escapes from the immersion cooling unit into the room, therefore, for high-capacity rooms some air cooling will still be required.. With the trend of CHIP manufacturers ever increasing their compute capacity, supply temperatures of the chilled water system may be required to remain low whilst increasing the cooling capacity (increasing ΔT of the chilled water).

This could see the emergence of two tiers of systems: high compute systems with high density at lower chilled water temperatures (at a higher ΔT) and lower compute systems (still high compared to today’s IT) with a lower density at higher chilled water temperatures enabling much more free cooling.. Alternatively, a liquid cooled rack with air heat rejection (on the back of the rack) can be installed to provide liquid cooling whilst maintaining the existing air-cooled system, but this is a less common approach.. Onward look to heat rejection.In the realm of air-cooled data centres, the industry is increasingly gravitating toward to ASHRAE A1 allowable temperatures for data halls.However, there is little indication of a shift toward A2 or higher temperature ranges.

Heat rejection systems, including mechanical cooling, have started to reach a plateau, with manufacturers making incremental enhancements to accommodate higher chilled water temperatures within the ASHRAE A1 range..The next significant leap in the industry lies in the adoption of liquid cooling.

Many larger data centre operators are now integrating liquid cooling solutions into their facilities.

However, the lack of a standardised design topology for liquid cooling systems and their various configurations, poses a challenge.The answer is nuclear.

We are facing a climate crisis, and a rapidly closing window of opportunity in which to address it.The terms of the debate, where ‘nuclear’ is used to cover old technology and its associated problems, must be updated.

Rather than frame the debate as either / or, we should be looking objectively at all the potential decarbonisation solutions we have.No technology is entirely problem-free – including renewables – and we must review the benefits of nuclear power carefully, and on the evidence.. One thing we know for sure is that we need to decarbonise, and quickly.. To learn more about our Design to Value approach to design and construction, sign up for our monthly newsletter here:.