While I was perusing the interwebs this week I ran across this bit of news from Oak Ridge National Labs
A fan upgrade that will save Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s computing complex $150,000 a year in energy costs is just the latest step by the laboratory to reduce its computing carbon footprint. The fan upgrade will allow the laboratory’s Computer Science Building’s (CSB’s) 20 30-ton air conditioning units to operate at peak efficiency.
That’s a lot of cash from something that appears relatively simple — swapping out fans in existing air handlers. ORNL’s focus on energy awareness in their computer facilities, along with Cray’s ECOphlex cooling technology, has led to impressive results
Whereas most centers use 0.8 watts of power for cooling per every watt of power used for computing, ORNL enjoys a far more efficient ratio of 0.3 to 1, one of the lowest of all data centers measured.
“Whereas most centers use 0.8 watts of power for cooling per every watt of power used for computing, ORNL enjoys a far more efficient ratio of 0.3 to 1”
Is that quote correct? That is a large range. It includes 0.3 watts of cooling which is better than the 0.8 watts of cooling they are comparing with, but it also includes 1.0 watt of cooling which is worse than the 0.8 watts of cooling they are comparing with. Since it includes both ends of the spectrum – both better and worse values, it makes the quote meaningless.
Paul, that’s 0.3:1, as in better than 0.8:1.