Tri-Generation for Data Centres
Lessons Learnt from a Recent Installation
White Paper
Michael McPhee Dip Mech Eng, MIE Aust, Chartered Engineer, MAIR
Brian Lacey Dip Mech Eng, MIE Aust, Chartered Engineer
August, 2011
With data centre sector carbon emissions expected to exceed those of the airline industry by 2020 and rapidly increasing energy costs, the use of Tri-Generation systems is seen as a key strategy available to Australia’s Data Centre owners and managers to mitigate these risks Requiring significant capital investment, large Tri-Generation systems can provide high payoffs in terms of carbon emission and energy cost reductions. Whilst tri-Generation systems are being considered for new data centre facilities, retrofitting and commissioning of large Tri-Generation systems is considered to be particularly challenging within a live data centre environment. NAB are making a significant commitment to the environment through their Carbon Neutral 2010 Program, with carbon emissions associated with their Data Centres targeted for particular attention. In 2010 they completed the installation of a 2000kW Tri-Generation system at their primary data centre facility with the joint aims of reducing the Data Centre’s carbon emissions by some 20,000 tonnes of CO2 per annum as well as providing a positive financial return. It should be noted that the installation of the Tri-Generation plant in the Data Centre was an NAB initiative. The initiative was supported by Bank’s Facility Managers, United Group Services, who provided significant input and cooperation during the design and construction phases of the project. The project presented many engineering, installation and commissioning challenges whilst assuring the overriding requirement that the data centre’s service availability and system reliability were not compromised through the project delivery. Now that the plant is up and running, Brian and Michael present some of the key lessons learnt through the project implementation from the design phase through to final client handover, as well as review the performance of the system to date.
About the Author
Michael McPhee Dip Mech Eng, MIE Aust, Chartered Engineer, MAIR Associate Director, Umow Lai Pty Ltd Michael has specialist expertise in Data Centre Upgrades having completed a number of major projects for financial institutions and telecommunication service providers in recent years.
Brian Lacey Dip Mech Eng, MIE Aust, Chartered Engineer Senior Mechanical Engineer, A.G. Coombs Pty Ltd Brian has been involved in a number of data centre upgrades as well as the installation of a number of cogeneration systems including both micro-turbine and lean gas engines for commercial, data centre and industrial projects.