Demands of Society

Amount of data exchange around the globe is escalating, requiring unprecedented constraints on data center operation of space and power available. Advanced server systems tightly packed in small spaces are generating exponentially more computer power creating rejected heat. To protect and maintain at pick for those valuable equipment, environmental control for those spaces are becoming more critical.

Computer Rooms including Base Transceiver Station (BTS) site and Internet Data Center (IDC) require special environmental control. Data exchange equipment s rejected heat and also sensitive to dust, requires precision air conditioning to control the heat while isolating the high investments from the outside dusts. Regardless of the weather condition, the computer room’s temperature and conditions must be controlled for stable operation.
In spite of increasing demand on data exchange, environmental issue has become more important. Restrictions on greenhouse gases and depletion of ozone layers are becoming unprecedented challenge in the market.

VENTUS began VENTUS development for eco-friendly air conditioning since 1999. It is a precision air conditioning system dedicated to computer rooms. It uses indirect free cooling system during the winter and full to partial adaptive mechanical cooling when the weather is not substantial. The system flexibly stops or minimizes the operation time of compressor which drains most power within the air conditioning systems. Plus, VENTUS uses water (brine) as a main refrigerant and minimize the use of HFC series refrigerants. It is an eco-friendly air conditioning system reducing the emission of CO2 and usage of HFC series refrigerant.
Furthermore, by minimizing the operation of compressor hence minimize the wear and tear of the compressor and its related parts. This means it extends the replacement period for the compressor and its related parts and decrease the failure rate. This contributes to stable operation while giving additional cost-saving for maintenance.

International Regulations

The global warming problem was officially pointed out in the Report by the Council of the Club of Rome in 1972. WMO and UNEP officially declared that CO2 is mainly responsible for the global warming in 1985. Afterwards, UNCED adopted the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1992, began efforts to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases such as CO2, CFC, N2O, etc.

To take legal binding power, the Kyoto Protocol officially went into effect on Feb. 16, 2005. 38 advanced countries who were historically responsible for the greenhouse gas emissions to substantially reduce greenhouse gases. The Protocol demands to reduce CO2 emission by 5.2% in average compared to 1990’s emission for the first commitment period (2008-2012).
Therefore Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and Certified Emission Reductions (CER) markets have been active among the advanced countries. The research and development of eco-friendly products have been accelerated to reduce energy consumption and protect environment.

The regulation on HCFCs (Hydro-chlorofluorocarbons) which is the one of six major pollutants causing air pollution plan to completely abandon use of HCFCs by 2010. That is 10 years faster than the Montreal Protocol through stage-by-stage reduction plan. In case of developing countries, the protocol agreed to ban CFC usage by 2010 and freeze the HCFCs consumption by 2016 and ban by 2030. However, as the global warming is rapidly progressed faster than expected, voluntary participation of companies are increasing besides the regulations.