Chilled water has been used extensively within the Data Centre industry as the primary heat exchange medium between the air moving into the data halls and the outdoor environment.

With a volumetric heat transfer capacity that is over 3,000 times greater than that of air, water based (hydronic) systems provide a much more effective solution in terms of equipment footprint and system efficiency.

However, such hydronic systems are becoming more critical and complex as they are required to provide the same standard of quality, reliability and flexibility as other computer room support systems.
The design of Data Centre cooling system topology in many existing facilities has often been limited to redundancy of the main system components like CRAH units, Chillers, Pumps and Cooling Towers, with perhaps less emphasis placed on the availability and resilience of the chilled water distribution paths. Limited thought may have been given to the proper arrangement of Isolation Valves for a redundant and continuously available piping system, with the potential for a failure across a main distribution pipe or leakage of an accessory or fitting, that cannot be resolved without a partial or complete interruption of the cooling system. 

To read the full White Paper, please visit https://www.bray.com/knowledge-center/PublishedPaper/data-centre-europe-(en-eu)