Chemstar WATER Ensures Risk-Free Operation of Evaporative Cooling System at Hyperscale Data Center

THE CHALLENGE

The Hyperscale Data Center in Ashburn, Sterling, and Manassas, Virginia faced a significant challenge in 2018 when it came to maintaining the safety and efficiency of its evaporative cooling system. The system, which consisted of 30+ buildings with a capacity of 20+ MW per building, relied on Direct Evaporative Cooling or Direct Adiabatic Cooling [DAC] from manufacturer Silent-Aire. However, all condenser water systems are prone to corrosion and microbial contamination during idle operation, and the risk of Legionella is particularly high under these conditions.

SOLUTION

To address this issue, the data center operator turned to Chemstar WATER for service and maintenance on the evaporative cooling system. Chemstar WATER was able to provide a full range of services to ensure risk-free operation of the cooling system, including maintaining and servicing equipment related to biocides to control and mitigate Legionella, sampling and testing of DC make-up water, winterization and de-winterization of water tanks and treatment equipment, and consultation on improving water usage effectiveness (WUE) and power unit effectiveness (PUE) for direct evaporative cooling make-up and blowdown.

RESULT

As a result of Chemstar WATER’s efforts, the data center was able to achieve good microbiological and corrosion control within its evaporative cooling systems. This helped to ensure the safety and reliability of the system, allowing the data center to continue operating at peak efficiency. It also helped to reduce the risk of costly repairs or downtime due to corrosion or microbial contamination, saving the data center operator time and money in the long run.

Overall, Chemstar WATER’s services were crucial in helping the Hyperscale Data Center maintain the safety and efficiency of its evaporative cooling system. By addressing the challenges of corrosion and microbial contamination, Chemstar WATER was able to ensure that the data center could continue operating at its full potential, providing reliable and secure hosting for its customers.