Proposed Cowlitz PUD Airflow Management Pilot

Presented at the RTF IT SubcommitteeMarch 5, 2013

Kerstin Rock, DirectorMichelle Lichtenfels, Senior Program Manager

• Pilot Design• Pilot Objectives• Pilot Scope

– Assessment– Customer Implementation– M&V

• Questions

Agenda

AFM Pilot Design

• Scaled for small to medium-sized data centers

• Typically focused on identification of a series of simple and low- or no-cost measures related to airflow and thermal optimization

• Implementation typically results in higher supply air temperature and reductions in airflow for improved energy efficiency

– Reduce HVAC system airflow to match IT equipment airflow and higher supply air temperatures

Pilot Objectives

1. Savings-generating pilot

2. Identify & facilitate implementation of energy-focused airflow improvements in the data center

3. Pilot AFM approach and collect region-

specific data– Test tools, protocols, and processes

4. Queue up airflow solutions for the utility environment

Pilot Scope• 3 sites (commercial and/or

industrial)

• Comprehensive assessment of data center

• Detailed energy savings report &

suite of recommendations

• Project implementation support• Follow-up verification of

measures

• Develop case study

AFM Assessment

Airflow Add partitions

Add strip curtains

Reposition floor tiles

Plug holes in floor tiles

Remove airflow obstructions

Blank off empty racks and cabinet / rack gaps

Add VFDs to supply fans

Turn off redundant CRACs

Improve RA pathway

Rearrange servers

Temperature

Increase SATs

Humidity

Coordinate humidity setpoints

Airflow and Temperature Management Measures

Customer Implementation

Install blanking panels

Add VFDs to supply fans

Add partitions

Remove airflow obstructions

Move floor tilesPlug holes in floor tiles

Turn off redundant CRACs

Rearrange servers

Increase SATs

Coordinate humidity setpoints

Pilot Project Estimates:

Implementation Cost: $13,000 Simple Payback: 2.6 years

M&V and Project Completion

• End-Use Metering Protocol

– Aligned with IPMVP Option B

Questions?