Goethe University Frankfurt - Germany
The Centre for Scientific Computing (CSC) of the Goethe University Frankfurt created the LOEWE-CSC, a hybrid cluster used for research purposes. The energy consumption, inherent to the use of super computers, was tackled by implementing passing cooling elements and using power generated in local biogas station and local waste incineration powerplant.
The energy efficiency of the LOEWE CSC computer is reflected in its PUE value of 1.076. Compared to a traditional similarly sized data centre (with a PUE value of 2.00), the computer saves 3,37 GWh/year, i.e. approximately €462,000/year. In addition to reducing power consumption, the large utilization of passive cooling elements and the reduction of electrical components in the cooling circuit led to improved reliability and lower maintenance costs.
The cooling system implemented contained four electrically powered components: primary pump (6 kW), secondary pump (28 kW) and two fans located in the towers (4.5 kW each). The cooling towers used the principle of evaporation cooling. In addition, each rack contained an autonomous Linux based microcontroller, which monitored air and water temperature and adjusted cooling performance accordingly for the cooling performance to match heat load.
None identified for now.