Learn How SET3 Is Solving Downtime Issues From Data Center Cooling Systems At Bisnow's Event On Sept. 4

When commerce is measured by clicks and connectivity, it is easy to forget there is a physical home to the equipment running it all. Data centers face increasing risks from dust, corrosive elements and pollutants that can lead to costly downtime.

Air systems in data centers face a tough challenge. Efforts to reduce energy consumption are weakening filtration controls, leading to a spike in contamination issues. Data center cleaning service SET3 is tackling these hidden threats with innovative, evidence-based solutions that safeguard data centers from contamination-related failures. 

SET3 Executive Director Jason Roth said that when it comes to current data center practices and industry regulations meant to prevent downtime, “it's like the Wild West.” 

SET3 is here to provide damage control.

“We are seeing these antiquated cooling system design regulations that lead to more corporations experimenting with higher temperatures and flows that reduce energy consumption,” he said. “The issue is, particles increase rapidly in these conditions, leading to serious corrosive problems, which often go neglected. The industry is evolving so rapidly that we find ourselves constantly finding new problems and devising ways to eliminate them, all while keeping the company’s data center fully operational and online.” 

Roth will share his expertise at Bisnow’s National DICE Management, Operations and Cooling West event at the Marriott San Jose in San Jose, California, on Sept. 4. He’ll be speaking on a panel called Higher Densities and Cooler Facilities: Enabling High-Performance Compute Through Effective Rack Management and Cooling. 

Click here for more information.

Bisnow spoke with Roth about what data center downtime issues he's seeing, how to mitigate contamination risks through cooling designs and how SET3 is playing a role in lowering contaminated-related corrosion.

Bisnow: What trends are you seeing with data center downtime issues in cooling designs?

Roth: As data centers become more powerful and complex, the risks of contamination grow. Industry standards, like those from The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, or ASHRAE, have guidelines on filtration levels required in these environments that sometimes should be considered a bare minimum for standard operation.

Our consulting work has revealed many facilities experiencing downtime from contamination and our tests show that most data centers cannot rely on simply the base standard MERV level filtration guidelines as the environmental influence is now too complex and many times those guidelines do not provide enough protection. The ever-present threat of corrosion and pollutants and their effect on servers demands more robust solutions.

Downtime from contamination and air issues are forcing companies to replace servers extremely early, long before their expected lifespan. According to a 2023 study Schneider Electric published, data centers' carbon footprints may be negatively impacted by having to apply Scope 3 GHG emissions and properly disclose all premature server replacements in the building.

Bisnow: What are some of the air quality downtime risks to AI data center cooling filtration designs, and how is SET3 implementing the latest strategies to help mitigate this in daily operations?

Roth: AI data centers, with their immense power and density, are particularly vulnerable. Most data centers can’t meet ISO-8 cleanliness standards mandated by manufacturers. This is a serious problem, as even minimal contamination of certain compounds in everyday outside air can lead to server board corrosion and failure.

Environmental particles can be invisible to the naked eye, and without detection instruments calibrated to the correct ISO standard, much of the downtime is classified as “unknown causes” and turned in as warranty issues. It’s not until the manufacturers deny warranty due to improper contamination that many data IT managers learn of their issues. By that time, it’s too late.  AI data center architecture will likely see these issues surface even quicker than typical current data center designs.

SET3 is at the forefront of combating these challenges. We’re implementing cutting-edge strategies like specialized cleaning processes that introduce neutralizing air-directed ionization variances to remove ionic influence on particles, dislodging contaminants from areas prone to causing servers to fail. The process allows efficacy without compromising air quality or causing downtime. We’re also partnering with industry experts to stop dust before it even enters the server environment.

Bisnow: Tell us what Computer Air Circuit Inc. is doing with cooling system designs. 

Roth: Air Circuit, a company that provides innovations to data centers, has new specialized air-cooling technology for servers they are working on that removes the threat of corrosion while also capturing waste energy and infusing converted energy back into the data center’s everyday processes.

Bisnow: How will SET3’s work impact the cooling of future data centers?

Roth: We provide testing and consulting for Air Circuit and we’re assisting in testing corrosive gases within the cooling system process. They’re effectively eliminating particle corrosion issues inside servers. One of their prototype iterations is environmentally friendly, allowing data centers to be built upward, ultimately reducing land sprawl as well.

SET3 already provides testing, consulting and interior computer server ionization services that free contamination from dangerous locations inside servers and we capture the freed server particle load into specialized containment units, lowering the risk of contamination-related downtime and corrosion. With SET3’s specialized cleaning services, companies reduce particle loads and impact the overall cooling efficiency as well as allow servers to escape downtime and extend the lifespan of servers.

Bisnow: What inspired you to attend Bisnow’s National DICE Management, Operations and Cooling West event?

Roth: Bisnow’s DICE events provide a platform for collaboration, research and innovation. SET3 can be instrumental in providing information and collaborating with industry professionals at the event.

Click here for more details about the event.

This article was produced in collaboration between Studio B and Sterile Environment Technologies. Bisnow news staff was not involved in the production of this content.

Studio B is Bisnow’s in-house content and design studio. To learn more about how Studio B can help your team, reach out to studio@bisnow.com.