IDEC offers alternative solution where contaminants pose a threat

As data centres work towards reducing their overall Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) rating and increase their Return on Investment (ROI) they continually seek out more efficient cooling methods to tackle the high heat loads.

IDEC (Indirect Evaporative Cooling) offers an alternative solution for users not wishing to use direct adiabatic cooling. IDEC uses free ambient cooling in conjunction with adiabatic cooling to reduce energy usage from mechanical DX systems whilst also addressing issues associated with direct fresh air/adiabatic cooling systems.

The indirect evaporative process cools ambient external air on one side of an air to air heat exchanger which is then transferred to the internal/process air without raising the humidity or introducing ambient air to the process air stream, there is no direct contact between and moisture and the airstream that is being cooled.

By separating the air streams Eaton-Williams can offer engineered AHUs that are designed to use fresh air as the predominant cooling source, but which has the potential to significantly reduce operational costs as indirect evaporative cooling technologies reduce the running hours of back up mechanical cooling, which can result in significant savings.

Indirect evaporative cooling versus direct evaporative cooling

Direct evaporative cooling draws warm ambient air through a wetted media and cools and supplies air into the internal space, whereas indirect evaporative cooling uses a heat exchanger to separate the cooling medium (external fresh air/adiabatic cooling) from the internal process air.

Advantages of IDEC

Provides a sensible cooling only process

Separates the ambient air from the process air

Minimises the need for mechanical refrigeration cooling and reduces the power supply infrastructure

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Eaton-Williams is already trialling systems at several sites prior to launching later in the year.