Whitepaper7 min read
Reducing PUE: Practical Steps for South African Data Centers
S
Sarah van der Merwe
Chief Executive Officer
An average SA data center has a PUE of 1.8. This means for every 1kW used by servers, 0.8kW is wasted on cooling and UPS losses.
Hot/Cold Aisle Containment
Simply arranging racks is not enough. You must physically contain the aisle with doors and roof panels. This prevents hot exhaust air from mixing with cold intake air, allowing you to raise the AC setpoint to 24°C without risking hotspots.
Free Cooling
In Johannesburg's highveld climate, the ambient temperature is below 20°C for large parts of the year. Using 'economizer' modes on CRAC units to use outside air can disable compressors for 40% of the year.