Designing a Very Efficient Data Center
Apr 14, 2011Jay Park
Summary
This post details the design innovations of Meta's Prineville data center, a model for the Open Compute Project. Key contributions include achieving a PUE of 1.07 and WUE of 0.31 liters/kWH, reducing CapEx by 45% and OpEx. Innovations focused on elimination: centralized UPS (replaced with server cabinet-level 48VDC UPS), PDUs (replaced with 277VAC distribution), chillers (replaced with outside air evaporative cooling), and air distribution ductwork. Electrical efficiency was improved by reducing power conversion losses from 21-27% to 7.5%. Cooling innovations leveraged the high desert climate for evaporative cooling and ductless air distribution, with waste heat recirculation.
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