If you need an HVAC system for your data center, it is important to remember that a data center’s needs are unique compared to those of other industries. Not only does the temperature need to be perfect at all times, but the air also must be clean. Dust and electronics are never a good mix – especially when you’re talking about very expensive servers that back up the data for your entire business.
If you’re not sure which HVAC system is right for your data system, our experts at Ambient Edge can help. During your initial consultation, we can advise you on the best system for your business. We can also install it. Call us for your free consultation.
Temperature
When it comes to temperature and humidity, data centers have stricter HVAC requirements than your average business. With so many electronics running in one room, it can get pretty hot in there. If it gets too hot, your machines will run slower. Eventually, they’ll get tired of all that heat and just break down entirely.
Servers in particular are more vulnerable to any moisture in the air. This is why data centers limit plumbing near the server room to HVAC and fire safety only. This is also why server rooms have no windows, and why their walls never face the outside. The fewer cracks moisture can find its way in, the better.
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) created guidelines for technicians to follow when designing HVAC systems for data centers. Our team at Ambient Edge always follows these guidelines. We can help you find the right HVAC system to keep your data center at the appropriate temperature and humidity levels at all times.
Dust Particles
Just as important as keeping the air in a data center the right temperature is keeping it clean. For instance, data centers usually have rules as to who can enter the server rooms and what they can bring in with them.
Dust is one of the largest concerns in a data center. It may not seem like much at first, but the more those tiny particles accumulate, over time they can cause equipment to malfunction. They may also even become a fire hazard. This is especially true if the air is too dry.
HVAC systems are a great help here in that they have the kinds of filters and ventilation systems that can pull even the tiniest particles out of the air. HEPA filters in particular are some of the best options here. They are among if not the most effective air filters on the market.
Location
Where you put your HVAC system within your data center is also important. Our professionals at Ambient Edge understand how important it is to protect your equipment. As such, we will design your new HVAC system around it.
For instance, the server room must be the main focal point. Every HVAC choice, from the equipment you select to the energy it puts out, depends heavily on where your servers are and how big they are. Server rooms also tend to have raised floors to allow easier access, and these raised floors can affect the three most important things in that room: air, temperature, and humidity.
Server rooms may also have higher ceilings than your average building. This is so the room can accommodate larger equipment racks. This is more space that an HVAC system must cool and filter, and so this too is important in the design of the room’s HVAC system.
Keeping Employees Comfortable
The delicate balance that one must tread when designing an HVAC system for a data center is that while it needs to be cool and dry in there, people must also be able to work in there. So how do you keep your employees comfortable while keeping your electronics cool?
One thing you can do is install a computer room air conditioner, or CRAC system. This kind of system tends to be most beneficial to larger data centers, but even smaller ones can benefit. Ambient Edge can help you decide whether this is a good call for your business.
Typically, though, as long as your HVAC system is ASHRAE-compliant, you should have an HVAC system that does what you need it to do without freezing out your staff.
If Your Data Center Needs HVAC, Ambient Edge Can Help You Find the Right System for Your Business
As far as businesses who need HVAC systems go, data centers are arguably some of the most important. While it may feel uncomfortable or even gross to work for a company that doesn’t have an HVAC system installed, not having one in a data center means putting thousands of dollars of electronics at risk every day that they are sitting in air that is too dirty or too hot.
With the extensive HVAC experience our team at Ambient Edge has accrued over the years, we can help you find and install the right kind of ASHRAE-approved HVAC system for your data center. Give us a call today, and let’s work together on a system that can protect your invaluable equipment for years to come.