F E A T U R E
HEAT REUSE IS SO MUCH MORE THAN HOT AIR
In the realm of sustainability and energy efficiency , the concept of reusing exponential levels of heat emitted from data centres is emerging as a promising solution . Notoriously known for being resource-hungry , innovative approaches through heat reuse are reshaping the functionality of data centres . By repurposing excess heat generated during operations , data centres have the potential to transcend their role as mere powerhouses of computation and evolve into invaluable contributors to local communities .
John Hall , Managing Director , nLighten UK , discusses the progress heat reuse is making , delving into its potential to revolutionise energy management , reduce environmental impact and foster symbiotic relationships between technological process and sustainable living . few years ago , if you
A walked into a data centre hall you would probably need to wear a warm coat as the temperature inside was kept to 16 – 18 ° C to maintain the efficient running of the installed IT equipment .
As IT equipment became more powerful , it was designed to work efficiently at higher temperatures , thus reducing the amount of energy consumed for cooling systems . Data centres also introduced air path segregation in the form of aisle containment to aid efficient air movement .
Now , typical server supply air temperatures in a data hall are maintained at around 25 – 27 ° C with temporary excursions as high as
32 ° C , depending on the operating standard used .
However , with increasing power consumption of latest CPU and GPUs , the volume of cooling required to maintain these temperatures has increased and will continue to do so , not least due to the growing adoption of AI and HPC . For example , the latest GPUs are forecast to consume between 700W
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