18 July 2024
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An aerial view of the Gainesville Crossing Data Campus in Virginia
Data centre giant Corscale is nearing the opening of its initial 72MW facility at Gainesville Crossing Data Campus in Virginia, US, following the successful integrated systems testing (IST) of the recently installed Airedale by Modine cooling solution.
Advising on all areas of design, installation and operations, Airedale by Modine has worked closely with Corscale and its approved contractors to maximise system efficiencies. Following the approval of all four phases of IST, the specialist US commissioning agent appointed by Corscale has commended Airedale, noting that they have gone above and beyond their remit to drive optimisation and efficiency gains.
The independent commissioning agent was appointed to manage the testing and handover of this project, and they split the testing schedule into four 18MW data halls for increased scrutiny. With full expectation of the equipment to perform in all conditions, they put the fan wall units and chillers to the test in emergency simulations, for example fast-start and sequencer testing.
For a fast-start test, the power is switched off and reinstated after 30 seconds by a generator. An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) restores the 18MW power feed in the data hall, whilst the chiller system has to return to full load and remove the build-up of heat that occurred in the 30 seconds downtime. Sequencer testing involves deliberately ‘failing’ a chiller to ensure the next chiller in the sequence handles the heat load. Other critical scenarios are also tested and reported back to both Corscale and the unnamed hyperscale client who will eventually lease the data center space. The feedback from these reports has been exceptional, recognising Airedale’s expertise and willingness to drive efficiencies further.
Airedale was appointed by Corscale because of its innovative chiller economiser technology, paired with its in-depth knowledge and understanding of the data centre industry. The order for the first data center at Gainesville Crossing Data Campus includes 56 OptiChill chillers, 256 AireWall fan wall units, and 8 SmartCool computer room air handling units, providing 72MW of cooling.
Phase one of testing started late last year, and with all four phases now completed and signed off, the data centre will soon be handed over to Corscale.
A chiller at the Airedale by Modine facility in Rockbridge, Virginia
Nic Bustamante, Chief Technology Officer for Corscale, said: “We have been consistently reassured by Airedale’s technical expertise and commitment, seeing them go above and beyond, sharing their knowledge and experience with other specialist contractors to develop the most efficient and effective system for our clients.”
Rob Bedard, General Manager of Airedale by Modine North America, said: “Working with Corscale is a privilege that allows us to form a collaborative working environment with their appointed agencies and end-user clients. Such transparency and ease of communication has afforded us all the opportunity to further enhance efficiencies and maximise opportunities for sustainability gains. We look forward to undertaking more great work with Corscale on this and future projects.”
