Integrated Waterside Economizer Operation for
Data Center Central Chiller Plants

by Alex Myers, PE, LEED®AP, Associate and Vali Sorell, PE, Associate Partner

As power requirements for data centers are continually rising, energy conservation is quickly catching up to reliability as the second major focus on the minds of owners. With that said, the second greatest energy consumer in a data center following the IT load is the chiller plant.  As a result, energy-savvy owners are looking for solutions to squeeze out as much efficiency as possible from their chiller plants.

This white paper explores the effectiveness of using an Integrated Water Side Economizer (IWSE), which differs from the traditional water side economizer, as it pipes a Heat Exchanger (HX) in series with the chillers. Energy savings can be recognized in a water cooled chiller plant by implementing the IWSE operation. Truly “integrating” a HX into a chiller plant will require the addition of motorized valves and piping, and will demand controls modifications. IWSE operation will enable the plant to capture a substantial amount of “partial cooling” hours during the Fall/Spring seasons. Consequently, the kW input requirements of the chiller are reduced.

This efficient design approach can reduce energy costs significantly, especially if a plant already includes a waterside economizer operation. Additionally, this system arrangement can be used for new plants and legacy plants alike. However, IWSE operation can also have several pitfalls if not designed, installed, and commissioned properly.

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Alex Myers, an associate with Syska Hennessy Group, has focused on the design of Critical Facilities for the past five years. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in the state of North Carolina and is a LEED Accredited Professional. He has worked with multiple HVAC systems that support various tier level data centers. Alex is a contributing member of Syska Hennessy’s internal “Data Center Green Team”, a member of the ASHRAE, and Co-Chair of the USGBC-Charlotte Region Chapter’s Programs Committee.
Vali Sorell, PE, Associate Partner, has 25 years of experience as an HVAC design engineer. He is one of the lead technical resources for mechanical design for Syska Hennessy Group’s Critical Facilities Team. Through industry publications and speaking engagements, Sorell has become a leader in updating best practices and advancing the principles of sustainable design for critical facility work. He is also a voting member of ASHRAE TC-9.9 “Mission Critical Facilities, Technology Spaces & Electrical Equipment,” and serves as the TC-9.9 Program Subcommittee Chair.
UPCOMING INDUSTRY EVENTS 7X24 Exchange - 2009 Fall Conference November 15-18 JW Marriott Desert Ridge Phoenix, AZ As part of the Vendor Knowledge Exchange at the conference, Christopher Johnston, PE will presenting "The Criticality Levels of Facilities: Directed and Balanced" on Nov. 17 of the conference - The presentation will familiarize attendees with Syska’s C-Level system for assessing the criticality level of a facility and potential availability. The C-Levels differs from other tier ranking systems in that it considers all influences on criticality levels, not just power and cooling. When: Tuesday, November 17 @ 3:15pm Please visit their website for information on how to attend.   Visit our website for a complete list of our speaking engagements >>