The power and liquid cooling solutions implemented meet the objectives of 'The Hybrid Green Data Center Expansion' project to improve energy efficiency, reduce operating costs and optimize available space
VERTIV (NYSE: VRT), a global provider of critical digital infrastructure and continuity solutions, has been chosen by the University of Pisa to expand the existing data center infrastructure and provide new power and liquid cooling equipment necessary to meet the needs imposed by High Performance Computing systems and to maintain high operational flexibility.
The University of Pisa, founded in 1343, is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in Italy and Europe. Its organization is made up of 20 Departments, which include humanities, science and IT faculties, with approximately 50,000 students enrolled in different degree courses. The University already had three data centers in the city to support teaching and research activities and needed to further enhance the infrastructure to ensure greater efficiency and agility. In 2016, the University of Pisa undertook a project to develop a new data center called “The Green Data CenterVertiv was selected to provide the critical power and cooling infrastructure, and the successful implementation of the project has led to a strong technical and strategic relationship with the University. More recently, the University turned to Vertiv to expand this data center and support infrastructure needs for high-performance computing applications.
“The main objective of the project known as ‘The Hybrid Green Data Center Expansion’, was to use the available wing of the building, keeping the original design and user interface intact", said Maurizio Davini, CTO of the University of Pisa. We also had to integrate new technological elements capable of meeting the growing needs of high-performance computing, while ensuring excellent operational flexibility. The requirements were perfectly respected by Vertiv which allowed us to keep energy costs under control for efficient management of our new data center."
“The growing adoption of high-density and artificial intelligence applications requires innovative infrastructure strategies,” said Giordano Albertazzi, CEO of Vertiv. “Vertiv's solutions, including liquid cooling solutions for direct-to-chip applications and high-density power systems, will provide the University of Pisa with the capabilities needed to immediately support the latest generation computing applications and to satisfy future generations of researchers.”
Vertiv provided a mix of power, cooling, racking, networking and services solutions, including four VertivTM DCC Containment for closing corridors. In terms of air conditioning, the hybrid solution that has been put in place includes twenty Vertiv™ Liebert infrarack units® CRV and two Liebert Vertiv™ direct expansion floor cooling units® PDX-PI with variable speed compressors, plus three Liebert liquid cooling units® XDU, which control the temperature and flow of coolant to servers in a direct-to-chip application.
Vertiv has also provided several units for power supply, including two Vertiv UPS systems (uninterruptible power supplies)TM Liebert® 500kVA APM and VRLA batteries, eight Liebert switchgear units® RXA, a 400kW Vertiv™ Power Module prefabricated solution, 76 VertivTM Geist Switched PDU (power distribution unit) and 38 VertivTM VR racks. In particular, the Vertiv external power module enabled the expansion of the data center despite space constraints within the building. Vertiv provided a turnkey solution, managing suppliers and subcontractors to integrate the internal space with fire detection and suppression systems, while a 630kW external backup generator was integrated with the Vertiv Power Module.
Finally, Vertiv also provided consultancy, design, installation and commissioning services, including the integration of the Vertiv™ Environet™ Alert software, which allows the customer to remotely monitor the entire infrastructure.
“Based on the needs highlighted, we suggested that the University of Pisa adopt Liebert liquid cooling systems® XDU and therefore we created bespoke hybrid corridors, which integrate both air-cooled equipment and new liquid cooling solutions,” continued Andrea Faeti, sales director for enterprise accounts in Italy at Vertiv. “The hydraulic infrastructure has been upgraded, allowing previously installed cooling units to supply chilled water to the new data center equipment. Additionally, space constraints pushed us to design a Vertiv external power module customized to specific building requirements. The solution is completed with our monitoring service which provides real-time visibility and control of the entire data center infrastructure.”
Among the main benefits ensured by the new Vertiv solutions provided to the University of Pisa, we highlight first and foremost the implementation of liquid cooling in existing data centers with air cooling. The combination of air and liquid cooling is one of the latest trends in thermal management, allowing you to reduce energy usage for higher cooling capacities. Finally, the new infrastructure offers a number of benefits such as high resiliency, efficient cooling for high-density equipment, and improved monitoring and management to maintain system availability.
