Proper Cleaning and Maintenance of HVAC Systems Keeps Data Centers Online
Stamford, Conn. – April 21, 2021 – The global pandemic generated a boost in demand for data centers as businesses and individuals increasingly turn to online services. To keep work and life moving, Goodway Technologies is reminding building and data center managers of the importance of HVAC systems maintenance to keep data center operations running properly. Interior climate conditions inside a data center drastically impact the performance of server operations and affect the efficiency of data transfer.
“Maintaining an efficient and healthy HVAC system is one of the best approaches to counteracting potentially expensive data center costs,” says Tim Kane, president of Goodway Technologies. “It also helps to ensure that data centers are kept online and able to serve customers.”
According to a report from Gartner, IT spending on data center systems worldwide could reach $248B in 2022. While the pandemic may have sparked a boost in data consumption, consumer behavior will likely continue to lean on digital solutions.
Unlike human-occupied spaces that can have varying cooling demands, the heat output of a data center is relatively constant. American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning (ASHRAE) states the standard data center requires room conditions to be between 18 and 27 degrees Celsius (64 to 81 degrees Fahrenheit), with a dew point between -9 and 15 degrees Celsius (15 to 59 degrees Fahrenheit), and relative humidity of 60 percent. The climate, heat output, building construction and makeup of the data center are just some of the numerous variables that make maintaining a room within those conditions both difficult and costly.
Implement a Preventative Maintenance Program
Planned maintenance of the HVAC system serving a data center is a crucial aspect of building management. Larger data centers may be designed with chillers and heat exchangers for increased cooling capacity and colder indoor temperatures. Over time, the heat transfer tubes within the equipment become fouled with sediment, corrosion or scale that restricts water flow and decreases heat transfer—ultimately reducing efficiency, increasing costs and providing an unstable climate for data centers. Periodic scheduled cleanings of system components pay significant dividends in energy savings for an HVAC system.
Find the Right Equipment
Regularly cleaning chillers, coils and other components of the HVAC system may seem like a daunting task. However, there are clean-in-place equipment available to make the job easier and more effective such as coil cleaning systems, tube cleaners, cooling tower fill cleaners, and descaling and cleaning solutions to properly clean and maintain the system.
Create a Chiller Operation Log
If your data center uses chiller water, the foundation of a solid maintenance program is the use of a chiller operation log to record critical operating parameters. Maybe even more important than keeping records is to review the data collected. Since maintenance issues such as tube fouling develop over time, monitoring the log can help building managers intervene in time to prevent costly equipment failures.
Cleaning and Maintenance of HVAC Systems is a Priority
Keeping data centers online is a tremendous responsibility and HVAC service technicians play an important role behind the scenes. Because HVAC systems are such a key element in the operation of data centers, proper maintenance is a must. Suitable coil cleaning tools, effective cleaners and descalers, and the removal of biofilms all contribute to a well-functioning HVAC system. When the HVAC system works, servers stay cool, data stays online and customers trust their data company.
Visit www.goodway.com to learn more about Goodway’s full line of innovative solutions or call 1-800-333-7467. The 2021 catalog is also available online.
About Goodway Technologies
Founded in 1966, Goodway Technologies has been delivering better maintenance solutions for more than 50 years. Goodway Technologies provides innovative maintenance solutions for a wide variety of industries including commercial HVAC, food and beverage processing, power generation and manufacturing. Over the decades, Goodway has worked with our customers to create better solutions for tube cleaning systems, industrial vacuums, cooling tower maintenance systems, dry steam solutions, descaling systems, coil cleaning products and practically everything else for the care and maintenance of HVAC systems. Further information is available at www.goodway.com. Goodway is recognized as an ISO 9001:2015 certified company.
