Daikin keeps cool at Norway’s largest data centre

NORWAY: Daikin has supplied 71 EWFH-TZ D air-cooled free-cooling chillers, 330 fan array units, and eight control systems for Norway’s largest data centre in Hamar. 

Owned by Green Mountain, OSL-Hamar is the largest data centre in Norway and supports TikTok as its single tenant. 

The construction of OSL-Hamar included state-of-the-art infrastructure, with significant installed power and an average PUE of 1.2, setting a new industry standard.

The facility currently consists of three main buildings, each including 30MW of IT power, and runs exclusively on renewable energy from multiple hydropower plants.  

OSL-Hamar data center is cooled down with a water-based system, where free cooling chillers feed the fan arrays with chilled water. The average temperature in the area is 5.8°C. July is the hottest month of the year with an average temperature of 16.8°C.

The EWFH-TZ D air-cooled free cooling chillers feature screw compressors, variable frequency drives and integrated active harmonic filters.  

The Daikin-developed VFD is cooled down by refrigerant, meaning it can operate in every condition without being affected by temperature, dust or humidity. 

Designed and manufactured by Daikin, the screw compressors use one main screw meshing with the star rotor to produce a volume-matching compression cycle. Due to the main rotor being balanced in both radial and axial directions, the compressor bearing is said to have extremely high reliability. 

Daikin’s active harmonic filter mitigates harmonic distortions by continuously monitoring the electrical system and dynamically adjusting to filter out harmonic distortions. This reduces total harmonic distortion to less than 5%. The filter is refrigerant-cooled, allowing it to operate efficiently in various environmental conditions without being affected by ambient temperature, dust, or humidity. 

The Daikin Intelligent Data Centre Manager control system leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning to optimise data centre operations. This system continuously monitors unit sensors, adjusting operational parameters in real time to ensure efficient and reliable performance. It also has the ability to quickly adapt to changes in demand, improving the overall efficiency of the data centre. 

The Daikin Pro-W fan array units are designed with a modular approach, allowing for easy scalability and redundancy. They can be stacked or positioned directly against each other without compromising airflow, making them suitable for large to hyperscale data centre installations. The use of EC fans ensures high efficiency and low energy consumption. 

Pro-W units are equipped with advanced control systems that allow for precise adjustment of fan speed and cooling output, ensuring that the cooling is always matched to demand. 

The compact design of the Pro-W units allows for flexible installation in various data centre layouts, maximizing space utilization and improving airflow management. 

Daikin is supplying the equipment from its four applied systems development centres in Italy and the UK – chillers and screw compressors from Ariccia (Rome), Italy; variable frequency drives for screw compressors and harmonic filters from Vicenza, Italy; fan arrays from Settala (Milan), Italy, and Cramlington, UK.