Data Center Air Cleaners

Pollution Increases Operating Costs, Highlighting Need for Effective Air Filtration

      With air pollution increasing globally, many data centers in urban areas are experiencing mechanical failures due to poor air quality, indicating the need for effective air filtration systems. Air pollution has become a major issue in many industrialized countries around the world, including cities such as Beijing, Los Angeles, Tokyo and New York. These cities have struggled with pollution caused by traffic congestion, manufacturing and other processes that release pollutants into the air. Many of these cities have large data centers and large networked computers that store companies' IT systems and equipment, which are critical to daily operations.

The Corrosive Effects of Pollutants

Data centers must be cooled to specific temperatures in order to remain operational, and physical equipment must be protected from these factors to avoid costly failures. The most pressing threat to data center sustainability is corrosion of electronic components, which can lead directly to mechanical or system failure. Contaminants entering from the outdoors through ventilation systems and from doorways as employees enter and exit the facility often contribute to this corrosion.

 While a variety of toxic gases can cause corrosion, the most common pollutants that seep into data centers are sulfur dioxide SO2, hydrogen sulfide H2S, and particulate matter (also known as PM). In cities like Beijing, particulate matter is produced by automobile emissions, coal power plant emissions, and fires, contributing to the dense fog that often plagues the Chinese capital. Beijing's severe pollution contributes to asthma, bronchitis, and other respiratory ailments that burden the healthcare system. Moreover, these pollutants can damage computer circuitry and metals, as well as cause current failures that can lead to power outages or burn out data center electronics as current flows through the wrong circuits.

  A little known fact about air pollution is that it accelerates the accumulation of salt in the air. Salt is a major contributor to corrosion, which is why poor outside air quality can cause damage to data center electronics.

Common Data Center Failures Caused by Contaminants

Since data centers are built to rely on components that work together at the same time, a disruption in any one function can negatively impact the entire system.

      One of the biggest problems with poor data center air quality is that indoor pollutants can affect the cooling system. This means that the cooling system fails, or more power is needed to generate cool air to keep components working properly. Additionally, salt and sulfur in these data centers can corrode critical electrical components and can lead to power shortages, electrical discharges, and physical damage to equipment.

Air Filtration is Essential

      Any company setting up a data center must adopt an effective air filtration system to eliminate the effects of poor indoor air quality. Systems that provide real-time monitoring are often recommended to ensure that air filtration equipment is operating at optimum efficiency. Filters clean the air inside the data center and pressurize the air to stop outside contaminants from entering the facility.