STULZ Water-Side Economizer Solutions

STULZ Water-Side
Economizer Solutions
with STULZ Dynamic Economizer Cooling
Optimized Cap-Ex and Minimized Op-Ex
STULZ Data Center Design Guide

Author: Jason Derrick PE
Date: January 5, 2015
STULZ Air Technology Systems, Inc. www.STULZ.com 1 Page

Table of Contents
ASHRAE Standards and Guidelines relative to Precision Cooling Pages
ASHRAE TC 9.9................................................................................................................ 5 - 6
ASHRAE 90.1 ................................................................................................................... 7
Comparison of CRAC and CRAH at different conditions .................................................. 8 - 9
STULZ Water-Side Economizers based on a CRAC with a Free Cooling Coil

Circuits explained .............................................................................................................. 10
Traditional Economizer Cooling ......................................................................................... 11
Variable Economizer Cooling ............................................................................................ 12
Evaporative Tower Economizer Solution .......................................................................... 13
Comparison of DX Economizer Cooling ........................................................................... 14
STULZ Water-Side Economizers based on a CRAH with single or dual circuit

Dual-Source Chilled Water Economizer Cooling .............................................................. 15
STULZ Dynamic Economizer Cooling .............................................................................. 16
STULZ Dynamic Economizer Cooling Conditions Chart .................................................. 17
Comparison of CRAHs with single or dual circuit ............................................................. 18
STULZ Dynamic Economizer Cooling and Supervisory Controls

STULZ Dynamic Economizer Cooling Components ......................................................... 19 - 21
STULZ Supervisory Controls ............................................................................................. 22 - 23
STULZ Dynamic Economizer Cooling Conditions............................................................. 24
Comparison of Economizer Cooling ................................................................................. 25
Appendix A
Energy Measurement, Cap-Ex Savings............................................................................ 26 - 27

STULZ Water-Side Economizer
with STULZ Dynamic Economizer Cooling
• Optimized Cap-Ex
• Lowest Op-Ex
Technology Leader
STULZ has the broadest line of precision cooling

equipment in the industry, from outdoor cooling, to
indoor cooling, to retrofit and conditioning. STULZ is
leading the way in energy efficient cooling solutions in
the data center environment. All STULZ products can be
applied to the latest ASHRAE standards and guidelines
and used in water-side economizer solutions.
Leading the Way
As a leading manufacturer of precision cooling

equipment, STULZ is able to support state-of-the-art
energy efficient water-side economizer cooling solutions
for data center applications. This design guide will
develop why economizers are necessary, illustrate
various designs of economizers, and focus on the latest
leading-edge solution of STULZ Dynamic Economizer
Cooling – including controls, and provides hard data
on the tremendous value and cost savings that can be
achieved.
STULZ Story of Innovative Economizer Cooling:
DX Economizer Solutions
STULZ provides industry
leading DX and CW-based
water-side economizer
cooling solutions - detailed
in this design guide. The
CW Economizer Solutions state-of-the-art “STULZ
Dynamic Economizer
Cooling” solution
represents an exciting new
approach - with proven
results.

ASHRAE Standards and Guidelines Relative to Precision Cooling
Industry Standards
These standards are very important to the data center industry In hot aisle containment configurations (Figure 1), the raised
and are having a large impact on how data centers are being floor is pressurized with cold air from the precision cooling
designed and operated. units, which passes through perforated floor tiles, taken into
the servers, heated and exhausted into the contained hot aisle,
directed back to the ceiling plenum, then returned to the CRAH
ASHRAE TC 9.9 Recommendations units.
Thermal Guidelines for Data Processing Environments – Perimeter Cooling w/raised floor and hot-aisle containment
Expanded Data Center Classes and Usage Guidance - provides
thermal guidelines for data processing environments. The 2011
guideline outlines changes for server inlet temperature and
humidity.
These changes to server inlet temperatures, and the allowance

for increased delta-T across the server equipment, offer an
opportunity to raise the return air temperatures to the cooling
equipment. The trend for maximum efficiency in the data center
is to isolate the hot return air from the cold supply air preventing
air mixing.
What Has Changed Service Moisture Content

Inlet Air Figure 1
Temperature
2004 Recommended (old) 68-77.0°F DB 40% RH to 55% RH
An alternate form of containment (Figure 2), is to utilize server
2011 Recommended (new) 64-80.6°F DB 41.9°F DP to 60% RH &
59°F DP
racks that have a top ducted chimney connection. A CRAH
with front discharge floods the space with cold air, allowing the
2011 Allowable (A1) 59-89.6°F DB 20-80% RH up to 62.1°F DP
servers to take cold air in from the front and discharge hot air
out to the chimney. This hot air is discharged into a return duct
or ceiling plenum and returned to the CRAH unit.
High Dew
Point 59°F
Perimeter Cooling w/slab floor and rack-containment
High Relative
Humidity 60%
Low Dry
Bulb 64°F
Lowest Allowed High Dry

Dew Point 41.9°F Bulb 80.6°F
Figure 2
The opportunity is to raise the delta-T between the supply air

temperature from the cooling equipment to the IT equipment Higher return air temperature to the CRAC/CRAH equipment
and the return air temperature from the IT equipment to the increases cooling efficiencies, as illustrated in the coil calculation
cooling equipment. This is achieved by implementing hot aisle on page 6.
/ cold aisle orientation of racks and optimized with various rack
containment strategies.

Coil Calculations based on different design conditions to achieve different system optimizations:
CFD-230-C CRAH Selection 1 Selection 2 Selection 3 Selection 4

Entering Air DB (°F) 75 95 95 95
Entering Air WB (°F) 61.1 67.8 67.8 67.8
Coil Leaving Air DB (°F) 51.0 54.1 54.2 69.9
Coil Leaving Air WB (°F) 50.5 53.1 53.1 59.2
Gross Total Capacity (BTU/H) 513,800 755,700 503,400 464,800
Gross Sensible Capacity (BTU/H) 461,200 755,700 503,400 464,800
Net Total Capacity (BTU/H) 493,800 735,700 494,500 444,800
Net Sensible Capacity (BTH/H) 441,200 735,700 494,500 444,800
Air Flow (ACFM) 18,000 18,000 12,000 18,000
External Static Pressure (in) 0.30 0.30 0.30 0.30
Altitude (ft) 0 0 0 0
Entering Fluid Temperature (°F) 45 45 45 55
Fluid Type Water Water Water Water
Percent Glycol (%) 0 0 0 0
Fluid Flow (GPM) 105 105 52 43
Leaving Fluid Temperature (°F) 55 59.7 64.7 77.1
Coil Fluid Pressure Drop (FT-H2O) 10.2 10.2 2.7 1.9
Unit Fluid Pressure Drop (FT-H2O) 23.3 23.3 8.6 7.0
Estimated Unit Power (kW) 5.3 5.3 2.6 5.3

Improved Net Sensible Capacity
Baseline
Selection 1
Reduced Unit Power Consumption
Additional Benefits
Shows a baseline standard unit selection for a CRAH, using By simply raising
standard conditions of 75°F entering air, a 52.2°F dew point, the air temperature
entering water of 45°F and leaving water temperature of 55°F. entering the CRAH,
Increased Chiller Efficiency
tremendous benefits
in efficiency can be
Selection 2 +66%
accomplished. The
scenarios shown
Shows that an elevated return of 95°F at the same 52.2°F dew point and the same
can be mixed and
105 GPM as the baseline selection provides an increase in capacity of 66%.
matched to achieve
Selection 3 -51% optimal conditions.

Results include more
economizer hours,
Shows that an elevated return of 95°F at the same 52.2°F dew point and reduced airflow from
lower PUE, and lower
18,000 CFM to 12,000 CFM provides the same or better net sensible capacity as the baseline
energy costs.
selection, and a reduction in unit power consumption of 51%, and lowers the pump power required.
Selection 4 +22%
Shows that an elevated return of 95°F at the same 52.2°F dew point and increasing the entering water
temperature from 45°F to 55°F provides the same or better net sensible capacity as the baseline selection,
and increases the efficiency of chiller operation by more than 22%, and lowers the pump power required.

ASHRAE 90.1 Energy Efficiency Standard The Evolution of Measuring Efficiency
This Energy Efficiency Standard for Buildings - requires the The efficiency of comfort air conditioners is typically rated by
use of air and water economizers in many locations to meet the Energy Efficiency Ratio or EER, which is the ratio of cooling
the prescriptive path. Since data centers have been identified in British thermal units (BTU) to the energy consumed in watts
to consume ~3% of the total energy consumed in the U.S., the (W), generally calculated using an outside temperature of 95°F
former process cooling exemption was removed. Water-side and a return air tempeature of 80°F and 50% RH. While this
economizers must meet 100% of the expected load with cooling is an appropriate metric for comfort cooling equipment, high
towers when operating at or above 40°F dry bulb / 35°F wet bulb sensible cooling equipment efficiency is measured using the
and with dry coolers when operating at or below 35°F dry bulb. sensible coefficient of performance (SCOP).
SCOP is a ratio calculated by dividing the net sensible cooling

capacity in watts by the total power input in watts at any given
set of rating conditions. The net sensible cooling capacity is the
gross sensible capacity minus the energy dissipated into the
cooled space by the fan system.
In this paper, STULZ is following ASHRAE 90.1 – 2010 guideline

for SCOP.
The DOE is mandating that all states adopt ASHRAE 90.1-

2010, or a standard as stringent, for new data center design and
construction by October 2013.
These changes to ASHRAE standards mean that we will have to

rethink how data centers are designed.
Economizers are generally described as one of two types:
Air-Side Economizer Water-Side Economizer

Direct free cooling is directly introducing outside air into the Indirect free cooling can be achieved with a water/glycol fluid
space to cool the space. The downside of this is the requirement loop that is pumped through an external heat exchanger of some
of high levels of filtration and the potential introduction of sulfides form, and then providing cooled fluid as a cooling medium to
an other air contaminates into the data center environment. This a water/glycol coil that absorbs heat from hot return air. This
additional filtration requires the use of larger fan motors to move method is referred to as indirect because the intermediate
the required air to directly free cool the space. Another concern fluid is contained in a closed system that is isolated from the
is humidity control. data center white space. In this white paper, we illustrate how
a water-side economizer can be used to achieve indirect free
When the air is cool enough to be used for economization, you cooling.
still have a high percentage of time where the grains of moisture
per pound are too low and require additional humidification. The There are several water-side economizer options that STULZ is
solution is to either limit the outside air based on dew point, which able to support. Each of these designs can be integrated with
will limit the economizer hours, or add additional humidification STULZ indoor cooling (perimeter / ceiling) or STULZ outdoor
into the space, which could potentially offset the energy savings cooling (air handler unit / modular container unit).
of being in economization mode of cooling.
STULZ offers direct and indirect air-side economizer cooling The focus of this design guide is the various methods of Water-
solutions with CW or DX mechanical cooling and/or direct or Side Economizer Cooling, with an emphasis on Dynamic
indirect adiabatic cooling. Economizer Cooling.

Elevating Return Temperatures on a DX System CRAC
When elevating the return air temperature of a CRAC, both power consumption and SCOP are impacted. As is shown below the SCOP
is increased as the return temperature is increased. Adding a traditional economizer reduces unit yearly power consumption, this power
consumption reduction is further increased with the increase in return air temperature allowing for more available Free Cooling and
Assist hours.
30 ton CRAC: 75°F 40% RH Return Air

Baltimore, MD
Savings
CRAC with Constant Speed Pump CRAC with
and DryCooler Traditional Economizer Cooling Comparison
Mode kW Hrs % of Yr Total kWh kW Hrs % of Yr Total kWh

Total kWh
Full Compressor Operation 53.0 8760 100% 463,930 55.7 5998 68% 333,789 Savings Per
Year:
Free Cooling Assist 39.2 1249 14% 48,923 46,888
Free Cooling 22.7 1513 17% 34,330

Total Cost
Yearly Total Unit Power Savings Per
463,930 417,042
Consumption (kWh) Year:
$4,688
SCOP 2.1 2.1
30 ton CRAC: 80°F 30% RH Return Air

Baltimore, MD
Savings
CRAC with Constant Speed Pump CRAC with
and DryCooler Traditional Economizer Cooling Comparison
Mode kW Hrs % of Yr Total kWh kW Hrs % of Yr Total kWh

Total kWh
Full Compressor Operation 53.2 8760 100% 466,120 55.9 5272 60% 294,652 Savings Per
Year:
Free Cooling Assist 39.3 1975 23% 77,598 59,540
Free Cooling 22.7 1513 17% 34,330

Total Cost
Yearly Total Unit Power Savings Per
466,120 406,580
Consumption (kWh) Year:
$5,954
SCOP 2.3 2.3
* 10¢ per kWh
Benefit of Increasing Return Power Savings for CRAC Power Savings for CRAC
Air Temperature from with DryCooler with Free Cooling
75°F 40% to 80°F 30% -0.5% 2.5%
SCOP Increase SCOP Increase

9.5% 9.5%
• Based on 0.10 $/kWh • Full compressor operation includes compressors, fan, and pump
• Based on 0% glycol

CRAH Elevating Return Temperatures on a Chilled Water System
When elevating the return air temperature of a CRAH coupled to an air cooled chiller, power consumption is reduced. Further savings can
be obtained by introducing a form of economizer into the system to allow for cooling without compressor operation. This is shown below
with a Dual Coil CRAH with one circuit on an air cooled chiller and the other circuit on a closed loop cooling tower. Both the economizer
system and non-economizer system consume less power at an elevated return temperature.
30 ton CRAH: 75°F 40% RH Return Air, 45°F Entering Water

Baltimore, MD
Savings
CRAH with Dual Coils Coupled to
CRAH Coupled to an Comparison
an Air Cooled Chiller & Coupled to
Air Cooled Chiller
an Evaporative Cooling Tower
Mode kW Hrs % of Yr Total kWh kW Hrs % of Yr Total kWh Total kWh

Savings Per
Year:
Air Cooled Chiller Operation 46.2 8760 100% 404,362 47.0 6638 76% 311,654
68,771
Evaporative Cooling Tower

- 11.3 2122 24% 23,936
Operation Total Cost
Savings Per
Yearly Total Unit Power Year:
Consumption (kWh)
404,362 - - - 335,590 $6,877

Baltimore, MD
Savings
CRAH with Dual Coils Coupled to
CRAH Coupled to an Comparison
an Air Cooled Chiller & Coupled to
Air Cooled Chiller
an Evaporative Cooling Tower
Mode kW Hrs % of Yr Total kWh kW Hrs % of Yr Total kWh Total kWh

Savings Per
Year:
Air Cooled Chiller Operation 43.1 8760 100% 377,556 46.3 6245 71% 289,144 62,609
Evaporative Cooling Tower

- 10.3 2515 29% 25,804 Total Cost
Operation
Savings Per
Year:
Yearly Total Unit Power
377,556 - - - 314,974 $6,261
Consumption (kWh)
* 10¢ per kWh
Benefit of Increasing Return Power Savings for CRAH

Power Savings for CRAH
Air Temperature from with Dual Coil
75°F 40% to 80°F 30%
7.1%
6.1%
• Based on 0.10 $/kWh • 1.23 kW per ton Air-Cooled Chiller

• Pump is 65% efficient • Based on 0% glycol

STULZ Water-Side Economizers based on a CRAC with a Free Cooling Coil
STULZ DX CRAC with Economizer

Coil and Condenser Loop
When ambient temperature drops, the flow of the resulting
A standard CRAC cooling unit with water-side economizer lower temperature fluid is diverted into the water / glycol coil,
capability consists of a CRAC with a direct expansion (DX) coil providing a cooling assist mode of operation.
and a chilled water / glycol coil.
As temperature continues to drop, the required data center
When the fluid temperature is warm, the unit operates as a fluid cooling capacity can be satisfied using only the cooling fluid,
cooled DX unit, rejecting the heat into a heat rejection device then the CRAC will turn off its compressors and only cool using
(dry cooler or closed loop cooling tower). the water / glycol loop.
Outdoor Dry Cooler
Pump
Free Cooling Valve Economizer

Coil
Head Pressure Control Valve
DX
Evaporator
Coil
Water Cooled
Compressor
Condenser
Refrigerant
STULZ is currently using highly efficient scroll compressors

with available tandem and stepped capacity in 1, 2, 3, or
4 stages of operation, each with a hot-gas bypass option.
Following is a table that illustrates how this highly effective
Used with the following means of DX cooling works:
STULZ Water-Side Economizers: Capacity

Tandem Compressor Compressor
1a 1b 2
• Traditional Economizer Cooling 25% X
• Variable Economizer Cooling 50% X
75% X X
• Evaporative Tower Economizer Cooling
100% X X X

Traditional FC DX
Economizer Cooling Coil Coil
Traditional Economizer Cooling is

comprised of a constant fan speed
dry cooler (with fans being cycled on
Warm Glycol
and off based on fluid temperature),
constant speed pumps, and water/
glycol cooled free cooling CRACs Cold Glycol
(consisting of both a DX cooling coil
and a water/glycol free cooling coil).
Constant Speed Constant Air Handler, Perimeter,

Fan Dry Cooler Speed Pump Row or Ceiling
30 ton CRAC with FC Coil - 80°F 30% RH Return Air
Baltimore MD
CRAC with Constant Speed Pump CRAC with Free Cooling Coupled with
Total kWh
and DryCooler Constant Speed Pump and DryCooler
Savings Per
Mode kW Hrs % of Yr Total kWh kW Hours % of Year Total kWh Year:
59,540
Full Compressor Operation 53.2 8760 100% 466,120 55.9 5272 60% 294,652
Free Cooling Assist - 39.3 1975 23% 77,598 Total Cost
Savings Per
Free Cooling - 22.7 1513 17% 34,330 Year:
$5,954
Yearly Total Unit Power Consumption (kWh) 466,120 - - - 406,580
Salt Lake City, UT (calculated at 4,500 ft altitude)
Total kWh
and DryCooler Constant Speed Pump and DryCooler Savings Per
78,929
Savings Per
$7,892
Portland, OR
Total kWh
and DryCooler Constant Speed Pump and DryCooler
Savings Per
51,537
Savings Per
Yearly Total Unit Power Consumption (kWh) 466,120 - - - 414,583 $5,153
* 10¢ per kWh

• Using a nominal Drycooler • Full compressor operation includes compressors, fan, and pump
• Using Pump Power for CRAC and Drycooler Pressure Drop • Based on 0% glycol
• Pump is 65% efficient

Variable FC DX
Economizer Cooling Coil Coil
Variable Economizer Cooling

is comprised of a variable fan
speed dry cooler (with fan
speed controlled based on fluid Warm Glycol
temperature), variable speed
pumps (controlled based on fluid
Cold Glycol
pressure), and water/glycol cooled
free cooling CRACs (consisting of
both a DX and a water/glycol free
cooling coil).
Variable Speed Variable Air Handler, Perimeter,
Fan Dry Cooler Speed Pump Row or Ceiling
30 ton CRAC with FC Coil: 80°F 30% RH Return Air

Baltimore, MD
CRAC with Constant Speed Pump CRAC with Free Cooling Coupled with Variable Speed
Total kWh
and DryCooler Pump and DryCooler
Savings Per
Average Hours % of Year
Mode kW Hrs % of Yr Total kWh Total kWh Year:
kW 142,644
Savings Per

Total kWh
and DryCooler Pump and DryCooler
Savings Per
Average Hours % of Year Year:
Mode kW Hrs % of Yr Total kWh Total kWh
kW 156,345
Savings Per
$15,634
Portland, OR
Total kWh
and DryCooler Pump and DryCooler Savings Per
Average Hours % of Year Year:
kW 134,108
Savings Per
$13,410
• Nominal 30 ton Drycooler • Full compressor operation includes compressors, fan, and pump * 10¢ per kWh
• Using Pump Power for CRAC and Drycooler Pressure Drop • Based on 0% glycol
• Pump is 65% efficient • kW average shown as actual kW varies over ambient range

Evaporative Tower
Economizer Cooling FC DX
Coil Coil
Evaporative Tower Economizer
Cooling is comprised of a closed
loop evaporative cooling tower
(fan speed controlled based on
Warm Water
fluid temperature), a constant
speed pump, and water/glycol
cooled free cooling CRACs Cold Water
(consisting of both a DX and a
water/glycol free cooling coil).
Fixed-Speed
Variable Air Handler, Perimeter,
Closed-Loop
Speed Pump Row or Ceiling
Cooling Tower

Baltimore, MD
CRAC with Constant Speed Pump CRAC with free cooling coupled with
and DryCooler fixed-speed closed loop cooling tower Total kWh
Savings Per
149,036
Savings Per
$14,904
and DryCooler fixed-speed closed loop cooling tower Total kWh
Savings Per
172,003

Savings Per
$17,200
Portland, OR
Total kWh
and DryCooler fixed-speed closed loop cooling tower
Savings Per
109,727

Savings Per
$10,973
• Nominal 30 ton Cooling Tower • Full compressor operation includes compressors, fan, and pump
* 10¢ per kWh
• Using Pump Power for CRAC and Water Tower Pressure Drop • Based on 0% glycol
• Pump is 65% efficient

Comparison of DX Economizer Cooling
CRAC with Traditional Variable Evaporative
Constant Speed Economizer Economizer Tower Economizer
Pump & DryCooler Cooling Cooling Cooling
Baltimore System kWh Per Yr 466,120 406,580 323,476 317,084
MD System Operational
Cost Per Yr
$46,612 $40,658 $32,348 $31,708
13%
% Energy Savings
kWh Per Yr & Associated Operational Cost Per Yr
31%
32%
Salt Lake City System kWh Per Yr 478,603 399,674 322,258 306,599
UT System Operational
Cost Per Yr
$47,860 $39,967 $32,225 $30,660
17%
% Energy Savings
33%
36%
Portland System kWh Per Yr 466,120 414,583 332,012 356,393
OR System Operational
Cost Per Yr
$46,612 $41,458 $33,201 $35,639
11%
% Energy Savings
29%
24%
• Power Cost $0.10 per kWh
• Indoor conditions are 80/30%
Summary: Various DX-based economizer solutions display how different economizer systems
compare with one another and how effective each solution is in different Climate Regions.
A further analysis of return on investment (ROI) is provided in Appendix A.

STULZ Water-Side Economizers based on a CRAH with Single or Dual Circuit
Dual-Source Chilled Water Air-Cooled Chiller

(Full Capacity or Trim) CW CW
Coil Coil
Economizer Cooling
Dual-Source Chilled Water Economizer
Cooling is comprised of an evaporative cooling
tower (controlled based on fluid temperature),
cooling tower pumps, chiller (controlled based Warm Water
on fluid temperature), chiller pumps, and Cold Water

a CRAH unit (with dual circuited interlaced Warm Water
chilled water cooling coil).
Cold Water
The solution data is based on operating only

one circuit at a time. Fixed-Speed Air Handler,
Closed-Loop Variable Speed Variable Speed Perimeter,
Cooling Tower Cooling Tower Pump Chilled Water Pump Row or Ceiling
30 ton CRAH: 80°F 30% RH Return Air, 50°F Entering

Baltimore, MD
CRAH with Dual Coils Coupled with Air-Cooled
CRAH Coupled with Air-Cooled Chiller Total kWh
Chiller and Evaporative Cooling Tower
Savings Per
62,609
Air Cooled Chiller
43.1 8760 100% 377,556 46.3 6245 71% 289,144
Operation
Total Cost
Evaporative Cooling Tower Operation - 10.3 2515 29% 25,804 Savings Per
Year:

CRAH Coupled with Air-Cooled Chiller
Chiller and Evaporative Cooling Tower Total kWh
Savings Per
86,302
Air Cooled Chiller
44.0 8760 100% 385,440 47.0 5624 64% 264,328
Operation
Total Cost
Year:
Portland, OR
CRAH Coupled with Air-Cooled Chiller
Chiller and Evaporative Cooling Tower Total kWh
Savings Per
22,532
Air Cooled Chiller
43.1 8760 100% 377,556 46.3 7357 84% 340,629
Operation
Total Cost
Year:
• Pump is 65% efficient • Nominal 30 ton Cooling Tower * 10¢ per kWh
• Chiller power is assumed as 1.23kW per ton • Based on 0% glycol
• Nominal 30 ton Chiller

STULZ Dynamic Economizer Cooling
STULZ Dynamic Economizer Cooling STULZ DEC is designed to provide

(DEC) is a state-of-the-art water-side maximum system economization,
economizer solution, and is comprised which provides minimal operational
of an evaporative cooling tower, cooling cost. This is achieved by increasing
tower pump, chiller, chiller pump, cooling tower run hours and minimizes
control mixing valves, and chilled water chiller operation.
CRAHs.
Water Tower Cooling Mode and Chiller Assisted Cooling Mode
Water Tower Cooling Mode and Chiller Assisted Cooling Mode
Water Tower Cooling Operation

Closed-Loop
Cooling Tower Air-Cooled Chiller
STULZ CRAH
with one CW Coil
When ambient conditions are near
or below required cooling fluid
temperature, the Chiller Assisted
Cooling system operates in the Chiller Pump
cooling tower mode, providing
cooling without energizing the
chiller.
Cooling Tower
Pump
Chiller Assisted Cooling Operation

Closed-Loop
If ambient temperature increases STULZ CRAH

with one CW Coil
above the required cooling fluid
temperature some flow from the
tower is diverted to the chiller
to provide the trim needed
to maintain the cooling fluid Chiller Pump
temperature. This system is
designed to minimize the hours
of chiller operation and optimize
opportunity for economization.
Cooling Tower
Pump

Baltimore, MD
CRAH Coupled with Air-Cooled Chiller STULZ Dynamic Economizer Cooling
Average Hours % of Year Total kWh
kW Savings Per
Year:
Chiller 43.1 8760 100% 377,556 43.8 4107 47% 179,895 111,022
Chiller Assist - 24.5 2711 31% 66,364
Wet Tower - 11.1 1135 13% 12,575

Total Cost
Savings Per
Dry Tower - 9.5 807 9% 7700 Year:
$11,102

kW Savings Per
Year:
Chiller 44.0 8760 100% 385,440 44.7 3268 37% 146,077 133,833
Chiller Assist - 23.3 3527 40% 82,259
Wet Tower - 12.6 1038 12% 13,062

Total Cost
Savings Per
Dry Tower - 11.0 927 11% 10,209 Year:
$13,383
Portland, OR
kW Savings Per
Year:
Chiller 43.1 8760 100% 377,556 43.7 3362 38% 146,952 110,916
Chiller Assist - 22.8 5098 58% 116,299
Wet Tower - 11.5 262 3% 3001

Total Cost
Savings Per
Dry Tower - 10.2 38 0.4% 388 Year:
$11,092
• Nominal 30 ton Chiller • kW average shown as actual kW varies over ambient range
Summary: The STULZ Dynamic Economizer Cooling Solution provides improved energy efficiency
at a return temperature of 80°F and an entering water temperature of 50°F; however,
the system efficiency can be optimized further by elevating the return air temperature
and utilizing warm water cooling.

Comparison of Chilled Water Economizer Cooling
30 ton CRAH: 80°F 30% RH Return Air, 50°F Entering Air / 60°F Leaving Water
CRAH with Dual Coils Coupled STULZ Dynamic
CRAH Coupled with
with an Air Cooled Chiller & Economizer
Air Cooled Chiller
Evaporative Cooling Tower Cooling
System kWh Per Yr 377,556 314,947 266,534

Baltimore
MD System Operational
Cost Per Yr
$37,757 $31,495 $26,653
% Energy Savings 17%
29%
Salt Lake City System kWh Per Yr 385,440 299,138 251,607
UT System Operational
Cost Per Yr
$38,544 $29,914 $25,161
% Energy Savings 22%
35%
Portland System kWh Per Yr 377,556 355,024 266,640
OR System Operational
Cost Per Yr
$37,756 $35,502 $26,664
% Energy Savings 6%
29%
• Power Cost $0.10 per kWh

• Indoor conditions are 80/30%
Summary: Various CW-based economizer solutions display how different economizer systems compare
with one another and how effective each solution is in different Climate Regions. A further
analysis of return on investment (ROI) is provided in Appendix A. In the following pages we
focus in on how the STULZ Dynamic Economizer Cooling Solution can be can be optimized
significantly further by elevating the return air temperature and the supply water temperature.

STULZ Dynamic Economizer Cooling
The STULZ Dynamic Economizer Cooling System utilizes a Chiller, Closed Loop Evaporative cooling
tower, and variable speed pumps packaged with modulating valves to achieve incredible efficiency.
The STULZ (DEC) is not only an infrastructure but a design philosophy to optimize every piece of equipment in order to operate at
the highest efficacy and lowest power usage through the entirety of the year. This is achieved using full containment and a warm
water cooling strategy maximizing economizer and minimizing chiller assist hours, ensuring that chiller loading is kept to a minimum.
Mechanical System Schematic
Pump
Pump
2-way
Valve
3-way Valve
Pump
The STULZ DEC Philosophy utilizes full containment to ensure that all heat is captured and returned to the CRAH
unit. Capturing all of the server heat increases the return air temperature to the CRAH unit. This increased return air
temperature allows the elevation of the supply water temperature. This warmer water temperature allows for increased
economizer hours as the warmer fluid temperature is above the ambient temperature for more hours per year.
Reference Design - Dynamic Economizer Cooling with Optimized Operating Conditions

100°F (37.8°C) Return Air
90°F (32.5°C) Return Water
74°F (23.3°C) Supply Air

65°F (18.3°C) Supply Water
• 9°F (5°C) delta between Supply Water and Supply Air temp
• 26°F (14.5°C) delta between the Supply Air and Return Air temp
• 25°F (14.2°C) delta between the Supply Water and Return Water temp

System Components
The STULZ Dynamic Economizer Cooling (Chiller Assisted Cooling) is an infrastructure and control system
that involves multiple heat rejection devices. Each device operates at varying loads depending on the ambient
dry bulb and wet bulb conditions. The system consists of the following primary components:
1 STULZ CRAH with Optimized Coil and Fan Speed

Provides Highly Efficient “Warm Water” Cooling
STULZ perimeter CRAH cooling units are ideal for “warm water”
cooling. STULZ has designed chilled water coils with circuiting that
enables a large water-side temperature difference. This contributes
to significant increases in cooling tower and chiller efficiency, and thus
energy savings. The coil is designed for the highest sensible heat
ratio, while maintaining face velocities below 500 feet per minute.
Lower fan speeds promote additional energy savings.
The fan location in the CRAH has been taken into careful consideration
so that the EC fans provide the same highly efficient pressure and
flow of air that you are used to with a STULZ CRAH with bottom
discharge into a raised floor.
STULZ provides optional front discharge. This allows for the

elimination of the raised floor, providing capital savings. In full
containment infrastructure where server heat is ducted above the
drop ceiling the entire room becomes the cold aisle.
CRAH Fan Airflow vs Power

8000
7000
Power (Watts)
6000
5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
Flow (CFM)
Standard Design Above Standard
Optimized conditions for efficiency
Graph based on 1 unit; scalable to multiple units

2 Closed-Loop Cooling Tower
All-Year Primary Economizer Cooling
Dry Tower Mode: Wet Tower Mode:

In dry tower mode the ambient dry bulb temperature is well As the ambient temperature increases, the closed-loop cooling
below the required cooling fluid temperature. In this mode, tower transitions from a dry operation to a wet operation. The
the leaving fluid from the CRAH unit is pumped through the wet operation of the closed loop cooling tower allows the tower
closed loop cooling tower and back into the CRAH unit. The to reject cooling fluid heat at a higher ambient temperature. This
chiller and the chiller pump are not in use. This is referred is achieved by an adiabatic cooling effect of small water droplets
to as dry mode because the needed heat rejection can being pumped from the sump and spayed over the coil surface.
be achieved without the sump on the cooling tower being The ability to reject the heat at a higher ambient temperature
used, thus the cooling tower can operate even when the extends the amount of time you can operate without running the
ambient is below freezing. chiller and chiller pump, thus saving on compressorized cooling.
3 Air-Cooled Chiller used for Chiller Assisted Cooling

Sized to act as an assist device to provide additional (trim) capacity when the
ambient conditions are unfavorable to run solely on cooling tower operation, or
to maintain white space load should cooling tower fail.
Chiller Assist Mode:

The Chiller Assist Mode is used when the ambient or
internal load has increased to a point that the cooling tower
can no longer maintain the required water temperature. until fluid temperature is at set point or the chillers compressor is
The 3-way valves change positions from bypassing the fully loaded.
chiller to allowing a small amount of flow to go through the
chiller. The chiller pump turns on and runs at a minimum Compressorized operation uses significantly more power than
initial speed. The Chiller powers up and the compressor just pumping a fluid or moving air with a fan. As such the cooling
begins, fully unloaded, and then slowly loads up to maintain tower operation is always more efficient to operate than the
the required leaving water temperature. compressors on the chiller.
As the water temperature increases, the flow being diverted The reason the chillers must be present is because when the
to the chiller by the chiller three-way valve increases, as ambient WB approaches the fluid temperature, the efficiency and
does the speed of the chiller pump. When the flow increases heat rejection capacity of the water tower decreases, thus making
to the chiller, the compressors continue to increase loading it impossible to maintain the data center white space temperature
to maintain the fluid temperature. This increase continues without some form of direct expansion cooling.
4 Pumps and Valves

Reduced Flow and High Delta-T
• Two variable speed pumps are used, one to provide flow • A three-way mixing valve is used to mix water from the cooling
to the cooling tower, and one to provide flow to the chiller. tower and chiller, or to bypass one device or the other.

Monitoring and Controls
Controls are the key element of a chiller assist cooling system and provide the link between the individual components.
In order to ensure redundancy and fail-safe operation, an ideal control system provides a control structure based on a
supervisory approach with a “top-down” configuration. The control system would need its own hardware platform with a
link to the individual component controllers via a BMS protocol. In the event of a loss of communication, all component
controllers would switch to a fail-safe mode and continue local operation at a pre-defined component-specific set point. All
local set-points would be aligned with each other to allow uninterrupted operation. The system optimization is interrupted
only until operation of the supervisory controller can be restored.
Example of Controls:
Racks (with load banks to simulate IT equipment)

74.4°F 100.6°F
1. Inlet Temperature: measures temperature into racks to ensure proper
74.4°F 100.6°F cooling of servers
74.4°F 100.6°F
2. Power Monitoring: measures power consumption of the racks IT

equipment to determine what internal heat load is being generated
Outdoor Sensors
1. Ambient Temperature: measures the ambient Dry Bulb (DB)
temperature to understand the effect on the outdoor equipment’s
mode of operation
2. Ambient Humidity: measures the Wet Bulb (WB) and the potential for
using the wet mode of operation on the cooling tower
3. Barometric Pressure:
- Determines the air density
- Used as an input to both CRAH capacity calculations and
CRAH airflow calculations
STULZ CRAH
1. Return Temperature Sensor: measures the return air temperature from
100.6°F
29%
the room
74.4°F
2. Supply Temperature Sensor: measures temperature supplied from
74.0°F
the CRAC
3. Fluid Flow Meter: used to verify the flow rate, to see the effects on
65.1°F
efficiency, and to increase the flow prior to increasing the fan speed on
90.2°F
the cooling tower.
4. Power Monitoring: measures power consumption of the unit to help

determine efficiency in different operating modes.

Cooling Tower Pump
1. VFD Percentage: determines the speed of the pumps
2. Power Monitoring: measures power consumption of the pump to

determine efficiency in different operating modes
Cooling Tower
90.2°F
65.1°F 1. Inlet Fluid Temperature: measures fluid temperature returning from
the CRAH
2. Outlet Fluid Temperature: determines the delta-T across the tower at

varying ambient conditions
3. Fan Speed: determines fan speed and the fan speed effect on tower
operation at varying ambient conditions
4. Sump On/Off: monitors and determines the optimal effect of operating

the tower as a wet tower
5. Power Monitoring: measures power consumption of the cooling tower

to help determine efficiency in different operating modes
Chiller Pump and Valves

1. VFD Percentage: determines the speed of the pumps
90.2°F 90.2°F 2. Power Monitoring: measures power consumption of the pump to help
determine efficiency in different operating modes
65.1°F
65.1°F
3. Temperature sensor determines position of mixing valve
Chiller (Assist)
1. Inlet Fluid Temperature: measures fluid temperature returning from
the Cooling Tower or the CRAH unit, depending on the mode of
operation
65.0 °F
2. Outlet Fluid Temperature: determines the delta-T across the chiller at
varying stages of loading

STULZ Dynamic Closed-Loop
Economizer Cooling
STULZ CRAH
With the STULZ Dynamic Economizer

Cooling system operating under
optimized conditions, it becomes clear Chiller Pump
that the system provide state-of-the-

art efficiency and contribute to some of
the lowest PUE numbers found in the
industry. A further discussion of ROI and
PUE can be found in Appendix A.
Cooling Tower
Pump
30 ton CRAH: 100°F 20% RH Return Air, 65°F Entering Water /90°F Leaving Water
Baltimore, MD
CRAH Coupled with Air Cooled Chiller STULZ Dynamic Economizer Cooling
Total kWh
Mode kW Hrs % of Yr Total kWh Average Hours % of Year Total kWh
kW Savings Per
Year:
Chiller 43.1 8760 100% 377,556 43.8 368 4.2% 16,116 225,578
Chiller Assist - 26.02 4,139 47.2% 107,697
Wet Tower - 8.60 765 8.7% 6,604 Total Cost
Savings Per
Dry Tower - 6.18 3,488 39.8% 21,562 Year:
$22,558
Total kWh
kW Savings Per
Chiller 44.0 8760 100% 385,440 45.65 555 6.3% 25,336 Year:
247,027
Chiller Assist - 24.83 2,890 33.0% 71,773
Wet Tower - 9.95 1,192 13.6% 11,858 Total Cost
Savings Per
Dry Tower - 7.14 4,123 47.1% 29,446 Year:
$24,703
Yearly Total Unit Power Consumption (kWh) 385,440 - - 138,413
Portland, OR
Total kWh
kW Savings Per
Chiller 43.1 8760 100% 377,556 44.3 84 1.0% 3,720 Year:
263,691
Chiller Assist - 18.0 4,560 52.1% 81,990
Wet Tower - 8.7 599 6.8% 5,196 Total Cost
Savings Per
Dry Tower - 6.5 3,517 40.1% 22,959 Year:
$26,369
• Nominal 30 ton Chiller • kW average shown as actual kW varies over ambient range

Comparison of Economizer Cooling
CRAC DX CRAH CW
100°F 20% RH Return

80°F 30% RH Return Air, 50°F
80°F 30% RH Return Air Air, 65°F Entering/90°F
Entering Water /60°F Leaving Water
Leaving Water
Evaporative STULZ Dynamic STULZ Dynamic

Traditional Variable Dual-Source
Tower Economizer Cooling Economizer Cooling
kWh Per Yr 406,580 323,476 317,084 314,947 266,534 151,978

Baltimore
57%
Savings
MD Operational
Cost Per Yr
$40,658 $32,348 $31,708 $31,495 $26,653 $15,197
Salt Lake City kWh Per Yr 399,674 322,258 306,599 299,138 251,607 138,413
55%
Savings
UT Operational
Cost Per Yr
$39,967 $32,226 $30,660 $29,914 $25,161 $13,841
kWh Per Yr 414,583 332,012 356,393 355,024 266,640 113,865

Portland
42%
OR
Savings
Operational
$41,458 $33,201 $35,639 $35,502 $26,664 $11,386
Cost Per Yr
• Power cost is $0.10 per kWh
Accumulation of Curves:
STULZ Dynamic Economizer Cooling STULZ Dynamic Economizer Cooling - OPTIMIZED

80°F 30% RH Return Air, 50°F Entering Water /60°F Leaving Water 100°F 20% RH Return Air, 65°F Entering Water /90°F Leaving Water
50
50
45
45
40 40
35 35
Power (kW)
30
Power (kW)
30
25 25
20 20
15 15
10 10
5 5
0 0
0 10 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 10 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95
Dry Tower
Temperature
Wet Tower
(°F)
Chiller Assist Chiller Temperature (°F)
Dry Tower Wet Tower Chiller Assist Chiller Dry Tower Wet Tower Chiller Assist Chiller
9% 13% 31% 47% 40% 9% 47% 4%
Operation percentage per year Operation percentage per year
The chart illustrates the minimization of chiller operation by optimizing the conditions of the STULZ DEC Solution.
When selecting a water side economizer solution the optimal solution is dependent on several
factors and preference including available infrastructure, climate region, redundancy requirements,
ability to support/service different equipment and available capital versus operating budget.

Appendix A
Energy Measurement (PUE)

Power Usage Effectiveness or PUE was developed and recently clarified by Green Grid. PUE is a measurement for how efficiently a data
center uses energy. It looks at how much energy is used by the computing equipment in contrast to cooling and power infrastructure and
other overhead. In other words, PUE is a measure of the data center’s effective use of power. It is the ratio of total amount of energy
used by a computer data center facility to the energy delivered to computing equipment. PUE is dynamic and changes with outdoor
temperature and humidity. Low PUE is the goal. The power used by mechanical cooling has represented a substantial portion of the
overall data center power, however with the STULZ Dynamic Economizer Cooling System, PUE can be reduced significantly when
deployed using optimized conditions.
PUE = Total Facility Energy / IT Equipment Energy. Greater than 2.0 is currently common. 1.6 is considered good. 1.2 or under is
considered excellent.
STULZ economizer solutions help our customers achieve the lowest PUE’s, and with the latest state-of-the-art economizer designs,
customers can achieve PUE ‘s less than 1.2.
Return on Investment
Each of the water-side economizers detailed in this paper provide significant energy savings, but it is also necessary to look carefully at
an overall return on investment (ROI) to determine which is right for you. Following is a table to help illustrate the potential ROI with each
system based on weather conditions in Baltimore, MD:
Comparison - 1 MW System - Baltimore, MD

80°F / 30RH Comparison - 1 MW System - Baltimore, MD
80°F / 30RH
CRAC DX FC CRAH CW
Baseline Model
CRAC with CRAH with STULZ STULZ
Evaporative
Glycol Cooled Traditional Variable Air Cooled Dual-Source Dynamic Dynamic
Tower
Condenser Chiller Economizer Economizer
CapEx Total $ 358,300 $ 425,270 $ 544,471 $ 500,840 $621,680 $ 774,200 $ 757,780 $ 733,180
OpEx Annual $ 438,153 $ 382,185 $ 304,071 $ 298,055 $ 354,897 $ 296,053 $ 250,538 $ 142,852
Additional Initial
Base $ 66,970 $ 186,171 $ 142,540 $ 263,380 $ 415,900 $ 399,480 $ 374,880
Investment
Yearly Energy
Base $ 55,968 $ 134,082 $ 140,098 $ 83,256 $ 142,100 $187,615 $295,301
Savings
ROI Base 1.2 years 1.4 years 1.0 year 3.2 years 2.9 years 2.1 years 1.3 years
Opex Savings for
Base $ 559,676 $ 1,340,816 $ 1,400,976 $ 832,558 $ 1,420,998 $ 1,876,146 $2,953,010
10 years
• System pricing includes major mechanical cooling system components only.

Does not include piping, electrical support systems, freight, or installation costs.

Additional Capital Savings (Cap-Ex)
Using the STULZ Dynamic Economizer Cooling System, there is opportunity for significant savings.
• The raised floor was eliminated by utilizing STULZ CRAH’s with front discharge and racks with integrated hot air
containment. The entire data center white space was used as a cold aisle.
• The generator CapEx requirements and related maintenance was reduced, by specifying/sizing for the much lower
energy required by the system.
Energy Rebates
STULZ water-side economizer solutions often qualify data center owners for significant energy rebates. Many utility companies are
reaching high levels of capacity. They are offering incentives to companies that implement ways to save energy. With this guide,
customers can demonstrate the tremendous energy savings that can be achieved. STULZ customers have received hundreds of
thousands of dollars in rebates each year.
Author Bio:
Jason Derrick is a licensed professional engineer who has worked in multiple engineering disciplines. Jason has
been employed as a senior applications engineer at STULZ Air Technology Systems since February of 2007.
He is an expert in all aspects of precision air conditioning and data center cooling with a specialty concentration
in ultrasonic humidification and water side economization. Prior to joining the STULZ team Jason worked as a
consulting engineer in the petrochemical industry. Jason holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Mechanical
Engineering from West Virginia University.

®
Registered STULZ Air Technology Systems, Inc.
ISO9001 ISO-9001 Quality Registered
Quality System 1572 Tilco Drive, Frederick, Maryland 21704
Phone: 301.620.2033, Fax: 301.662.5487
E-mail: [email protected]
Designed & Made in the USA www.STULZ.com

QC-DEC0081 REV-E © January 2015
Technical data subject to change without notice.

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STULZ Water-Side

STULZ Data Center Design Guide

STULZ Air Technology Systems, Inc. www.STULZ.com 1 Page

STULZ Water-Side Economizers based on a CRAC with a Free Cooling Coil

STULZ Water-Side Economizers based on a CRAH with single or dual circuit

STULZ Dynamic Economizer Cooling and Supervisory Controls

STULZ Air Technology Systems, Inc. www.STULZ.com 3 Page

STULZ has the broadest line of precision cooling

Leading the Way

As a leading manufacturer of precision cooling

STULZ Story of Innovative Economizer Cooling:

STULZ Air Technology Systems, Inc. www.STULZ.com 4 Page

These changes to server inlet temperatures, and the allowance

What Has Changed Service Moisture Content

Lowest Allowed High Dry

The opportunity is to raise the delta-T between the supply air

STULZ Air Technology Systems, Inc. www.STULZ.com 5 Page

CFD-230-C CRAH Selection 1 Selection 2 Selection 3 Selection 4

Entering Air WB (°F) 61.1 67.8 67.8 67.8

Coil Leaving Air DB (°F) 51.0 54.1 54.2 69.9

Coil Leaving Air WB (°F) 50.5 53.1 53.1 59.2

Gross Total Capacity (BTU/H) 513,800 755,700 503,400 464,800

Gross Sensible Capacity (BTU/H) 461,200 755,700 503,400 464,800

Net Total Capacity (BTU/H) 493,800 735,700 494,500 444,800

Net Sensible Capacity (BTH/H) 441,200 735,700 494,500 444,800

Air Flow (ACFM) 18,000 18,000 12,000 18,000

External Static Pressure (in) 0.30 0.30 0.30 0.30

Fluid Type Water Water Water Water

Percent Glycol (%) 0 0 0 0

Fluid Flow (GPM) 105 105 52 43

Leaving Fluid Temperature (°F) 55 59.7 64.7 77.1

Coil Fluid Pressure Drop (FT-H2O) 10.2 10.2 2.7 1.9

Unit Fluid Pressure Drop (FT-H2O) 23.3 23.3 8.6 7.0

Estimated Unit Power (kW) 5.3 5.3 2.6 5.3

Selection 3 -51% optimal conditions.

STULZ Air Technology Systems, Inc. www.STULZ.com 6 Page

SCOP is a ratio calculated by dividing the net sensible cooling

In this paper, STULZ is following ASHRAE 90.1 – 2010 guideline

The DOE is mandating that all states adopt ASHRAE 90.1-

These changes to ASHRAE standards mean that we will have to

Economizers are generally described as one of two types:

Air-Side Economizer Water-Side Economizer

STULZ Air Technology Systems, Inc. www.STULZ.com 7 Page

30 ton CRAC: 75°F 40% RH Return Air

Mode kW Hrs % of Yr Total kWh kW Hrs % of Yr Total kWh

Free Cooling 22.7 1513 17% 34,330

30 ton CRAC: 80°F 30% RH Return Air

Mode kW Hrs % of Yr Total kWh kW Hrs % of Yr Total kWh

Free Cooling 22.7 1513 17% 34,330

* 10¢ per kWh

SCOP Increase SCOP Increase

STULZ Air Technology Systems, Inc. www.STULZ.com 8 Page

30 ton CRAH: 75°F 40% RH Return Air, 45°F Entering Water

Mode kW Hrs % of Yr Total kWh kW Hrs % of Yr Total kWh Total kWh

Evaporative Cooling Tower

30 ton CRAH: 80°F 30% RH Return Air, 50°F Entering Water

Mode kW Hrs % of Yr Total kWh kW Hrs % of Yr Total kWh Total kWh

Evaporative Cooling Tower

* 10¢ per kWh