Sustainable Data Centre Expansion for the University’s High-Performance Computing Needs
University of Cambridge
West Cambridge Data Centre
The University of Cambridge’s West Cambridge Data Centre was developed to support three major stakeholders: Cambridge Assessment (including Cambridge University Press), University Information Service, and the High Performance Computing Service. Designed as a central facility for the University’s data strategy, the data centre comprises four data halls, along with supporting technical and administrative spaces.
Key project requirements included the installation of a new electrical substation providing 4.5MVA to meet the high power demands of High Performance Computing. A back-of-rack cooling solution was devised, allowing for future upgrades to direct chip cooling. To meet the University’s sustainability goals, the cooling system went beyond traditional air evaporative methods, implementing a ‘cooled’ water system that mimicked evaporative cooling but without the need for chillers. This design effectively supported both low (hot-aisle contained/CRAH cooled) and high (rear-door cooled) IT densities.
The facility’s resilience was ensured through two 11kV feeds from UKPN, along with N+1 standby generators delivering 1,760 kW. Cooling was provided by a combination of back-of-rack and CRAH systems, while the uninterruptible power supply (UPS) had a capacity of 1,620 kW in an N+1 configuration. The project successfully reduced CO2 emissions by 40%, aligning with the University’s sustainability targets.
West Cambridge Data Centre
The University of Cambridge’s West Cambridge Data Centre was developed to support three major stakeholders: Cambridge Assessment (including Cambridge University Press), University Information Service, and the High Performance Computing Service. Designed as a central facility for the University’s data strategy, the data centre comprises four data halls, along with supporting technical and administrative spaces.
Key project requirements included the installation of a new electrical substation providing 4.5MVA to meet the high power demands of High Performance Computing. A back-of-rack cooling solution was devised, allowing for future upgrades to direct chip cooling. To meet the University’s sustainability goals, the cooling system went beyond traditional air evaporative methods, implementing a ‘cooled’ water system that mimicked evaporative cooling but without the need for chillers. This design effectively supported both low (hot-aisle contained/CRAH cooled) and high (rear-door cooled) IT densities.
The facility’s resilience was ensured through two 11kV feeds from UKPN, along with N+1 standby generators delivering 1,760 kW. Cooling was provided by a combination of back-of-rack and CRAH systems, while the uninterruptible power supply (UPS) had a capacity of 1,620 kW in an N+1 configuration. The project successfully reduced CO2 emissions by 40%, aligning with the University’s sustainability targets.