1.

 Continuous  Cooling

©  2016  Uptime  Institute,  LLC

15.Tier  IV
1. Continuous  Cooling

Ability  to  provide  a  stable  thermal  environment  to  any  critical  

area  for  the  amount  of  time  it  takes  for  the  mechanical  
systems  to  restart  and  provide  full  rated  cooling

• Uptime  Institute  bases  this  definition  off  2015  ASHRAE  

Recommended  Thermal  Guidelines  for  Data  Processing  
Facilities

©  2016  Uptime  Institute,  LLC

15.Tier  IV
1. Continuous  Cooling
1. Definition

• Clarifies  the  requirements  for  Continuous  Cooling  in  the  

context  of  Uptime  Institute’s  Tier  Standard:  Topology
• Tier  IV  is  the  only  Tier  that  requires Continuous  Cooling
• Uptime  Institute  recommends  Continuous  Cooling  at  densities  
above  and  beyond  4  kilowatts  (kW)  per  rack,  regardless  of  the  
Tier  level
— Based  on  empirical  evidence

©  2016  Uptime  Institute,  LLC

15.Tier  IV
1. Continuous  Cooling
2. Why  Continuous  Cooling

• Provides  IT  devices  thermal  stability  without  site  power  until  

the  mechanical  system  is  providing  rated  cooling  to  the  IT  
devices  at  the  extreme  ambient  conditions
• Lockouts  occur  frequently
— Chillers/CRACs/Switchgear  Relays
— Consider  a  UPS  battery  plant  is  often  designed  for  15  minutes  or  
more

©  2016  Uptime  Institute,  LLC

15.Tier  IV
1. Continuous  Cooling
2. Why  Continuous  Cooling

• “Normal  Sequence  of  Operations”  can  take  several  minutes

— Programmed  engine-­generator  start  delay
— Start  and  parallel  sequence  
— Switchgear  transfer  
— Chiller  or  CRAC  restart  sequence
• Non  Tier  IV  Certified  data  centers  may  still  want  to  consider  
providing  ride-­through  time  for  full  battery  discharge  time

©  2016  Uptime  Institute,  LLC

15.Tier  IV
1. Continuous  Cooling

ASHRAE  2011:
• Recommended  operating  envelope  for  IT  equipment
— Temperature  Limits
§ 64.4°F-­80.6°F  Dry  Bulb
§ (18°C-­27°C)
— Temperature  Rate  of  Rise
§ 9°F  per  hour
§ (5°C)
— Moisture
§ ≤60%  Relative  Humidity  and  41.9°F-­59°F  Dew  Point
§ (5.5°C-­15°C)

©  2016  Uptime  Institute,  LLC

15.Tier  IV
1. Continuous  Cooling

ASHRAE  2015:
• Recommended  operating  envelope  for  IT  equipment
— Temperature  Limits
§ 64.4°F-­80.6°F  Dry  Bulb
§ (18°C-­27°C)
— Allowable  Temperature  Change
§ 36°F  per  hour
§ (20°C,  but  no  more  than  5°C  in  any  15  minute  period)
— Moisture
§ ≤60%  Relative  Humidity  and  15.8°F-­59°F  Dew  Point
§ (-­9°C-­15°C)

©  2016  Uptime  Institute,  LLC

What  is  the  Mechanical  Restart  Time?

• Considers:
— Time  for  engine  generators  to  start  and  sync  to  the  load
— Time  for  mechanical  systems  to  regain  power  and  restart
— Time  for  mechanical  systems  to  provide  rated  cooling
§ Evaluated  by  fan  speed,  compressor  speed,  temperature  difference

©  2016  Uptime  Institute,  LLC

Tier  IV  Continuous  Cooling

• Cooling  technology  drives  the  solution

• Typically  requires,  as  appropriate  for  cooling  solution:
— Uninterruptible  power  for  cooling  fans
— Uninterruptible  power  for  secondary  chilled  water  or  water/glycol  
pumps
— Thermal  storage  or  uninterruptible  refrigeration
• Uninterruptible  CRAC-­based  Continuous  Cooling  is  
conceivable

©  2016  Uptime  Institute,  LLC

Containment  Strategies

• Cold  Aisle  containment  limits  the  size  of  the  cold  sink  in  the  
data  hall
— Will  typically  result  in  increased  inlet  supply  air  temperatures  
quicker
• Hot  Aisle  containment  increases  the  size  of  the  cold  sink
— May  reduce  the  temperature  rate  of  rise  in  the  space

©  2016  Uptime  Institute,  LLC

Rapid  Restart

• More  vendors  offering  variations  of  Rapid  Restart  capability

— Inclusive  of  both  chilled  water  and  DX  systems
• Can  help  reduce  the  temperature  increase  before  cooling  is  
regained
• Uptime  Institute  has  seen  increased  instances  of  “hunting”  with  
rapid  restart,  causing  overall  high  temperature  deviations
— Namely  results  in  drastic  overcooling,  which  may  not  meet  
ASHRAE  allowable  temperature  change  requirements

©  2016  Uptime  Institute,  LLC

Rapid  Restart

• Rapid  restart  will  also  impact  engine  generator/DRUPS  power  

consumption
— Can  lead  to  high  in-­rush  currents,  potentially  beyond  the  intended  
design  load  of  the  on-­site  power  supply

©  2016  Uptime  Institute,  LLC

High  Density  Applications

• High  density  data  centers  require  dynamic  and  fast  acting  

control  algorithms  for  stable  temperature
• Supply  vs.  return  air  temperature  control  can  drastically  
impact  chilled  water  system  algorithm  response  capability
• DX  system  algorithms  typically  not  as  fast  acting  nor  
dynamic
— Compressor  cycling  and  safety  lockouts  may  inhibit  ability  to  
respond  quickly  to  a  rapid  temperature  change

©  2016  Uptime  Institute,  LLC

High  Density  Applications

• Type  of  compressor  in  a  DX  system  can  also  impact  algorithm  
functionality
— Digital  scroll  compressors  may  be  able  to  modulate  better  and  
reduce  compressor  cycling  and  lockouts
— More  typical  legacy  compressor  systems  will  lockout  frequently  in  
high  density  applications
§ Will  be  hard  to  meet  definition  of  a  stable  temperature

©  2016  Uptime  Institute,  LLC

UPS  Power  for  Control  Elements

• Most  effective  with  air-­cooled  and  water-­cooled  chillers

• Restart  of  a  chiller  when  control  power  is  lost  can  require  
several  minutes
• Having  the  chiller  controllers  on  UPS  power  can  drastically  
reduce  the  overall  restart  time  to  regain  cooling
— Can  reduce  the  required  volume  of  thermal  storage  tanks

©  2016  Uptime  Institute,  LLC

2.  Compartmentalization

©  2016  Uptime  Institute,  LLC

Compartmentalization
• Tier  IV  requires physical  isolation  to  prevent  a  single  event  
from  simultaneously  impacting  more  than  the  number  of  
redundant  components  or  systems  
— Physical  Isolation    -­ structural  or  architectural  devices  between  
complementary  systems  and/or  components
— Must  contain  the  fault
— Required  indoors  until  the  systems  reach  the  room  they  serve
— Goes  to  Fault  Tolerance  where  faults  or  impacts  are  external  to  
the  system  maintaining  N  capacity

©  2016  Uptime  Institute,  LLC

Compartmentalization  Requirements
• Compartmentalization  Means  Must:
— Provide  physical  isolation
— Provide  fire  separation
§ One  hour  rated  fire  partition
— Provide  impact  protection
§ Amount  is  dependent  upon  the  risks  of  the  area  of  installation
— Contain  the  fault
§ Construction  should  stand  up  to  the  expected  fault
§ Prevent  the  fault  from  impacting  the  Complementary  System
— One  solution  does  not  apply  to  all  situations
§ The  proper  method  is  driven  by  the  system  and  possible  faults

©  2016  Uptime  Institute,  LLC

Application
• No  more  than  the  redundant  number  of  capacity  components  
in  a  single  compartment
• Actual  routing  of  distribution  paths  is  critical  and  must  be  
clearly  shown  on  drawings
• May  not  be  required  in  the  room  which  the  systems  serve  –
Room  of  Use

©  2016  Uptime  Institute,  LLC

Room  of  Use
• This  is  not  an  exception  it  is  part  of  the  definition
— If  we  are  using  the  term  Point  of  Use  Exception  or  Room  of  Use  
Exception  – Please  stop
— This  is  not  an  exception  to  the  requirements  it  is  a  practical  and  
logical  application  of  the  principle.
• It  is  not  practical  to  Compartmentalize  Complementary  
Systems  in  the  room  they  serve
• If  an  event  occurs  in  the  room,  the  processes  could  be  halted  
and  thus  not  important  to  cool  or  power  the  room.

©  2016  Uptime  Institute,  LLC

Room  of  Use
• Complementary  systems  are  not  allowed  to  run  together  from  
one  critical  space  to  another  if  a  fault  in  one  space  will  impact  
the  critical  load.
— Two  UPS  Rooms.    A  &  B  chilled  water  system.    A  &  B  chilled  water  
systems  cooling  UPS  Room  A  and  UPS  Room  B.    Chilled  water  
pipes  run  from  UPS  Room  A  to  UPS  Room  B.    
— This  is  not  allowed  as  a  fault  in  UPS  Room  A  can  impact  UPS  
Room  B  which  impacts  the  critical  load.
— Multiple  Independent  Data  Halls  can  create  complexity  as  well.

©  2016  Uptime  Institute,  LLC

Outdoors
• General  Rule:
— Compartmentalization  is  not  required  outdoors  in  open  air  
situations.
— However  fault  tolerance  is  still  required.
• Reasoning:
— Essentially  not  practical
— For  most  systems  the  only  way  to  Compartmentalize  outside  is  to  
build  walls  and  a  roof  to  separate  capacity  components  at  this  
point  the  equipment  is  inside.
— What  separation  distance  is  required  to  protect  against  tornados,  
wild  fires,  floods,  etc.

©  2016  Uptime  Institute,  LLC

Application  Outdoors
• If  outside  in  free  air  and  no  structure  surrounding,  then  
Compartmentalization  is  not  required.
• If  walls  and  a  structure  overhead  exists  –
Compartmentalization  is  required.
• If  piping  or  cabling  is  contained  in  a  duct  bank,  pipe  vault,  or  
other  structure  – Compartmentalization  is  required.
• No  Structures  enclosing  systems  – Compartmentalization  is  
not  require.
• Structures  enclosing  systems  – Compartmentalization  is  
required.

©  2016  Uptime  Institute,  LLC

Application  Outdoors
• Pipes,  conduits,  cables  of  Complementary  Systems  must  be  
separately  supported  – Fault  Tolerance
• We  can  make  Operate  Comments  recommending  separation  
or  isolating  one  system  from  another.

©  2016  Uptime  Institute,  LLC