Saving Energy in Data Centers Low Cost Energy Efficiency Measures

Rod Mahdavi, PE, LBNL

Abstract The impact of implementation of very low cost energy conservation measures (ECMs) were studied during energy use assessment in several major federal data centers. The study identified an average simple payback of less than a year in many cases. These very low cost approaches do not need time consuming design and contracting. Facility personnel can implement these ECMs and the benefit will be realized on the spot. Some of the ECMs implemented were:

  • Sealed all floor leaks and those between and within the racks
  • Enclosed all hot aisles
  • Rotated/replaced server cabinets that are facing the wrong direction
  • Raised the supply air set point
  • Turned off some of the air handler units
  • Raised data center temperature set point
  • Controlled cooling by rack air intake temperature and not by air handler return or supply air temperature
  • Raised the chilled water supply temperature set point
  • Eliminated humidity control
  • Installed VFDs on the air handlers and controlled centrally using rack delta T
  • Repositioned light fixtures from above racks to above aisles
  • Reduced lighting, installed LED
  • Installed occupancy sensors to control selected fixtures

Biography:

Rod Mahdavi, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Phone: 510-495-2259 Mr. Mahdavi is a program manager in the Environmental Energy Technology Division at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). He has worked extensively in the design of high tech facilities and data centers, semiconductor facilities, clean rooms, laboratories and health care buildings. He has been a facility engineer for a pharmaceutical company and executed projects for saving energy in the laboratories and vivaria. During last three years he has assessed energy use in more than 25 major data centers and laboratories. He is a LEED® accredited professional. He holds a masters degree in mechanical engineering and is a licensed Professional Engineer in California, Arizona, and New Mexico.

 

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