When ChatGPT maker OpenAI launched its image generation capabilities to the public, it had to quickly scale back the new technology as surging consumer demand challenged the company’s capacity to keep its enormous data centers operational.
As the company’s CEO Sam Altman tweeted, “it’s super fun seeing people love images in chatgpt. but our GPUs are melting. we are going to temporarily introduce some rate limits while we work on making it more efficient. hopefully won’t be long!”
Whether GPUs are actually breaking down because of excessive use (and the heat these data centers produce) may or may not be technically accurate. Still, it underscores a real challenge for data centers: they must remain cool at all times.
This becomes even more difficult as demand for data (and the expansive facilities that house these networks) continues to climb because everything from artificial intelligence (AI) to cloud computing creates an ever-growing demand for storage and processing power.
Across the US and around the world, data centers are exploding in volume and scale. Already, the country has more than 5,388 active data centers, a number that’s expected to increase by 15 percent annually for the next several years.
The increasing number of data centers and the urgent need to keep existing data centers operational introduce a unique challenge for data center operators: how to keep their new and existing equipment operational and performing at peak capacity.
HVAC Challenges for Data Centers
Data centers are not like any other industrial facility. They consume a lot of energy, produce high heat loads, and are sensitive to subtle shifts in humidity and temperature.
Maintaining precise temperature, humidity, and airflow is essential to prevent downtime, protect hardware, and ensure uninterrupted operations. Inadequate HVAC systems can lead to overheating, equipment failure, data loss, and costly downtime.
For instance, as the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers explains, deviations from recommended humidity levels can produce increased equipment failure rates, corrosion, and other performance or lifespan problems.
Whether you want your data to operate as efficiently as possible, remain online as much as possible, or last as long as possible, HVAC systems are an important part of the equation.
Of course, repairing, maintaining, or replacing HVAC equipment in live data center environments presents unique challenges.
How Thermal Concepts Helped Equinix Optimize Data Center Cooling
With over 42 years of industry expertise, Thermal Concepts is the trusted leader in the HVAC and controls market, known for delivering reliable, efficient, and cost-effective solutions throughout the Southeastern United States.
Equinix is the world’s digital infrastructure company, interconnecting organizations across numerous sectors, including finance, manufacturing, retail, transportation, government, healthcare, and education.
To enhance and protect their data center equipment, Equinix needed a trusted HVAC provider to install Computer Room Air Conditioning (CRAC) units, specialized cooling systems designed to maintain precise temperature and humidity levels in environments housing sensitive electronic equipment.
However, the nature of Equinix’s business, which requires near-constant availability, introduced unique challenges like minimizing disruptions to the sensitive infrastructure in place, installing new equipment in a live data center, and working around critical data equipment, all without interrupting mission-critical operations.
In total, Equinix’s facilities required the complete installation services for eight CRAC units and the necessary components. Equipment and work included:
- Install eight CRAC units, condensers, and leg extensions
- Install new refrigerant lines between the condensers and the CRAC units
- Pressure test all refrigerant piping and fittings
- Charge units with new refrigerant
- Supply and install two CAT6 cables per unit and coordinate with the controls team
- Install conduit, boxes, wiring, eight Fenwal input and relay modules for duct detector/CRAC units.
To achieve this, we coordinated all work with the Controls team and Fire Alarm System contractor to effect a smooth completion process. This solution ensured uninterrupted operations and met the client’s objective timeframe, demonstrating our commitment to
mission-critical efficiency and reliability.
The results will resonate long after the project is completed, including:
- Improved Efficiency: The CRAC units help to regulate temperature, humidity and airflow specifically in data centers
- Near-Zero Downtime: Ensured that the critical operations of its live data center remained functioning throughout the equipment installation process
- Long-term Sustainability: Increased Equinix’s redundancy and heat load rejection capacity to accommodate an increased heat load within the facility and extend the performance of the data center systems
In this case, Equinix holistically illustrates the data center sector. The right HVAC solutions are a strategic investment in uptime, performance, and long-term sustainability.
Keep Your Data Center Optimized and Operational
Thermal Concepts is a trusted leader in the HVAC and controls market, known for delivering reliable, efficient, and cost-effective solutions.
When you partner with us, you have the confidence that your mechanical systems are in good hands so that you can focus on your core operations.
Ensure the reliability and efficiency of your data center operations. Contact Thermal Concepts today for expert HVAC solutions.
For inquiries or to learn more, please email cburghardt@thermalconcepts.com, call 1-800-953-2503, or visit our website at www.thermalconcepts.com.
