ASHRAE Journal - November 2019 - 4

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Jay Scott
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Darryl K. Boyce, P.Eng.
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Chee Sheng Ow, Ph.D., P.E.
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ASHRAE JOURNAL

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Jay Scott

Natural Water Source Cooling for Data Centers
In this month's issue, a technical feature explores alternative water cooling sources for data centers, namely
the potential use of lakes, rivers and
seawater.
"Alternate cooling systems offer several beneﬁts including reduced consumption of potable water, reduced
space for equipment, and eliminating
noise and potential biohazard outbreaks that are associated with cooling
towers or similar systems," the author
writes.
Other beneﬁts include refrigerant
volume being reduced or eliminated
and lowering the need for protection
from weather degradation, vandalism
or hazardous space conditions.
SINCE ONLY ABOUT 3% OF THE
earth's water is fresh water used for
consumption or irrigation, the author
stresses that alternate cooling systems
using salt water and other non-potable
water sources are important.
While the surface temperature of lakes
varies with the weather, the temperature becomes more steady with depth.
Deep water within a lake is less affected
by weather, storms, and other events.
Similarly, deep ocean water has a
very stable temperature year-round
and can be used for direct cooling. The
temperature of surface ocean water
can ﬂuctuate seasonally, but in hot
regions like the Middle East, surface
seawater as high as 90°F (32°C) is used
for condenser cooling with conventional systems.
When acceptable water temperatures

can be found for use, the river/lake/
seawater cooling system can operate all
hours of a year without conventional
cooling. However, a conventional
chiller plant may be desired to provide
redundancy and to mitigate risk of a
potential rise in water temperature.
THE AUTHOR FOCUSES on two
existing alternative water cooling systems. In Ithaca, N.Y., Cornell
University developed the first deep
lake source cooling project in the U.S.
Launching in July 2000, the system
supplies 20,000 tons (70 337 kW) of
cooling load for the university and
other buildings in the city of Ithaca.
Google turned an old paper plant
into a data center in Hamina, Finland.
The original building used a seawater
tunnel for cooling, and this was reused
for the data center.
The first phase of the project was
completed in 2011, and Google touts it
as one of their most energy-efficient
data centers.
The author notes that like most natural habitats, rivers, lakes and oceans all
experience changes over time. Piping
for these systems needs to designed for
potential changes of the underwater
landscape, which are often predictable
over the long life of a system.
He concludes the energy and operational cost savings of these natural
cooling systems make them an attractive alternative. The viability of using
these natural resources must be evaluated on a site-by-site basis.
Enjoy the issue.

Mission Statement: ASHRAE Journal reviews current HVAC&R technology of broad interest through publication of application-oriented articles. ASHRAE Journal's editorial content ranges from back-to-basics features
to reviews of emerging technologies, covering the entire spectrum of professional interest from design and
construction practices to commissioning and the service life of HVAC&R environmental systems.
N O V E M B E R 2 0 19

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ASHRAE Journal - November 2019

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