From Pioneers to Leaders: 60 Years of IT Cooling Expertise

Of course, we cannot only look at how FlaktGroup have defined the industry but how customer demands, and worldwide expectations have changed over the years, and how we must stay ahead of this. For Mike, it is about reflection, using your knowledge, and behaving with integrity to deliver the best solutions to customers,

“…put aside all the inevitable sales and marketing speak to consider what cooling infrastructure you would actually install in your very own data centre, if you had one. This idea has served to keep my feet on the ground over the years. For the record, personally it would now always be a direct expansion (DX) system with inverter compressors and electronically commutated (EC) fans, both indoors and outdoors. A secondary “Free Cooling” circuit could at times get me down to the magical 1.05 power usage effectiveness (PUE) but whilst still retaining the reliability, flexibility and serviceability that I think can only be provided by multiple, autonomous systems.”

Denco advertisement, 1970. 

As such, engineering excellence and problem solving has served as the backbone to everything we have done and is the secret to 60 years of success. Solutions are designed by engineers to be reliable, flexible, scalable as required, energy efficient and serviceable.

“Ultimately, for the future of our cooling units, we are looking to minimise reliance upon evaporative cooling and at new concepts, possibly even involving a new generation of environmentally friendly and safety proven refrigerants."

With all eyes on sustainability and a joint effort from us all to contribute to stabilising global warming, the future of data centre cooling is no different. Solutions must be continuously improved to meet the increasing demands for efficiency as well as an ever-growing demand for data storage solutions that match our complex world.

Scalability is increasingly important; a scalable solution is our Aria-DENCO® Fan Wall Unit, an air-cooling solution deployed by Hyperscale and Co-Location providers globally with large data centre developments. FläktGroup has the capability to provide bespoke design for the desired configuration tailored to the specific needs of the client and their project. We have a dedicated team of multi-disciplined engineers – mechanical, electrical, controls specialists – who have a deep understanding of data centre applications and extensive experience of supporting the “Engineer of Record / Design Consultant” with developing the project design.

At FläktGroup we have taken many steps to support a more sustainable and energy-efficient future, such as by building a team dedicated to this topic and headed up by a Sustainability Director. Of course, products and solutions are continually scrutinised for further improvement and as Mike explains we are now “getting into the territory where you don't need any mechanical refrigeration. And that's the way we're looking at the future.”

Our experts can talk about PUE, CRAC, CRAH or CDU all day long I am sure, and maybe even PDP or VAX if you speak to someone like Mike. But at the core of everything we are doing is the people we are doing it for and with. Data centres fuel our modern world, ensuring that people stay connected, essential functions take place and our data driven society remains in balance.