Airedale Echo

At the hub of the ECHO system is an ACE (Active Cabinet Exhaust) unit which sits on top of the server cabinet, drawing precisely the right amount of hot discharge air from the servers and rejecting it away into the ceiling void, without any impingement into the IT environment. The air is ducted directly to an Airedale ECHO CRAC unit which in turn is linked to one or more Airedale ECHO free cooling chillers via interactive controls logic. This smart, controls logic, matched with all the latest technology direct drive EC fans and chilled water coil technology, is key to the ECHO’s ability to communicate from rack to chiller and gives the ECHO system its intelligence, high efficiency and resilience.

Key features:

Variable rack load densities to a maximum of 20kW per rack
Higher operating temperatures allow for more free cooling, more of the year
Ensures correct air quantity, temperature and pressure is fed to server inlet
No chilled water/refrigerant connections at the rack or in the IT space
Control is led from rack level, rescheduling the Airedale ECHO CRAC and free-cooling chiller to optimise performance
Pressure differential management so ACE fans mirror the server fans
Eliminates hot spots
With no hot/cold aisle configuration, the technical space available for IT equipment is increased

Main benefits:

Efficiency

Outstanding energy efficiency reducing operating costs and CO² impact
67% energy saving compared with a conventional downflow system
50% less air volume, using less power by varying the air volume
Up to 95% free-cooling per annum

Flexibility

Control is led from rack level, rescheduling the Airedale ECHO CRAC and free cooling chiller to optimise performance
Higher density cabinets can be designated as the technical space is populated, rather than at day one
With no hot/cold aisle configuration, the technical space available for IT equipment is increased

Resilience

n + 1 fans for complete confidence
The Airedale ECHO CRAC unit does not overcool as airflow demand is communicated via the ACE and the rack demand
The use of thermal inertia in the room in the event of ACE failure means no rapid overheat
The entire technical space is at the server inlet temperature, thus avoiding hot spots and providing a buffer of cool air in the event of failure