Silicon Valley Power
Data Center Optimization Program
We can make it happen.
Data Center Cooling Optimization
Data center facilities are typically over-cooled and operated
inefficiently. Common control strategies regulate the supply return
temperatures of CRAC/CRAH units and supply fans operate at a fixed,
high speed. No temperature feedback information is available at the
server level so supply temperatures are set conservatively low. As a
result, the fans deliver more supply air than necessary and thus
consume more energy than required to meet the cooling demand.
To address these inefficiencies, QuEST conducts a detailed engineering
analysis of current energy use, cooling strategies, and temperatures
throughout the data center. Opportunities for energy savings are
identified and QuEST provides support for implementing these
measures. Example measures include installing temperature control
systems to adjust cooling in real time based on server inlet
temperature, use of economizers to capture "free" cooling using
outside air, installation of variable frequency drives (VFD) to scale fan
energy use as a function of cooling load, and implementation of
hot/cold aisle configurations. QuEST recognizes that each data center
is unique and will provide recommendations specific to your facility
that are both feasible and cost effective.
Server Virtualization and Consolidation
Data center computing capacity is often underutilized, with idle machines consuming energy and requiring cooling. Server virtualization consolidates several physical servers into a single server running several virtual operating systems. The result is often a significant reduction in energy use and cooling load. QuEST can facilitate your organization's move towards virtualization and provide financial incentives for every server removed from your data center.