Emerson Network Power has launched its Liebert evaporative freecooling system (EFC) in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), backed by a new evaporative cooling validation area at its site in Padova, Italy.

Free cooling - using outside air instead of chillers - can drastically cut data center energy bills, and evaporative cooling allows free cooling to operate at warmer outside temperatures, by using the “wet T-shirt” effect, evaporating water to reduce temperatures. Emerson promises that evaporative cooling can drive partial power usage effectiveness (pPUE) down to figures of around 1.03 and reduce CO2 emissions.

Evaporation gets me down
The value of evaporative cooling depends on where your data center is, and what the climate is there - so Emerson’s evaporative cooling validation area in Italy will let customers test out the Liebert boxes a wide spectrum of operating conditions, with simulated IT loads of up to 400 kW, and airflow parameters up to 100,000 m3 per hour.

This can replicate typical peak conditions from anywhere in the EMEA region, with a performance measurement accuracy within a +/- 5 percent maximum tolerance, says Emerson’s announcement. The hope is that this can convince people to take the plunge and opt for a chiller-free environment without the fear that it might go wrong.

The Liebert units have patented control logic that optimizes internal air volumes and temperatures in accordance with the users’ server requirements, to match the servers’ airflow needs, so no power is power is wasted in moving or cooling unrequired air.

The system can also balance the use of water and electricity when operating in evaporative mode. Outside air and inside air are kept in seperate circulation systems at all times to avoid contamination.