Humidifying Facebook
JS Humidifiers has made and supplied 52 HumEvap MC3 evaporative humidifiers to Facebook for its new data centre in Luleå, Sweden. They add moisture to incoming cold, dry air to condition the atmosphere inside the data halls.
Peter Liddle, associate at Cundall, consulting M&E engineers for the project, explains, ‘Facebook Luleå is employing a direct-air-cooling strategy within their data halls, which uses the cold outside air to maintain the required internal temperature. The cold, dry climate means that humidification is an essential component within the air-conditioning processes, as without it the internal humidity could drop as low as 2%.’
The humidification system is one of the largest installations of its type in the world. Two penthouse ventilation areas above the data halls each incorporate 26 evaporative humidifiers, with the full length of each system being over 67 m wide and 5 m high. At full output, both systems combine to deliver 11 700 l/h of moisture to the airstream entering the data halls, using a maximum of 32 kW of electricity.
The humidifiers installed at Facebook incorporate ultra-violet water purification in the tanks to inhibit microbial growth and maintain hygienic operation.
