Sustainability for datacom installations means providing the necessary cooling while using a minimum of energy, a minimum of water, and with a minimum release of pollutants to the environment. Designing a system that maximizes the use of waterside economizers may be a way to achieve significant energy savings. This paper will examine three choices in evaporative cooling (open cooling towers, closed-circuit coolers, and hybrid water/air systems) and the benefits and issues with their operations in waterside economizer mode. In addition, advancements in non-chemical water treatment of the open loop in evaporative cooling equipment will be discussed.

Units: I-P