Refrigerant stabilisation as an energy-efficient solution for server microclimate maintenance
Among all known methods for energy saving based renewable energy sources, those aimed at improving the quality of equipment regulation are of particular importance. The use of renewable energy sources ensures an increase in energy saving; however, the equipment used in engineering systems should also be reliable. At present, almost every office building has a special facility for server equipment. Such facilities are rarely furnished with devices for removing excess heat, which may hinder stable operation of computer equipment and shorten its service life. In the present study, the energy efficiency of a method for stabilising the refrigerant in air conditioning systems operating on freon is experimentally verified. The stabilisation of the refrigerant is based on bringing the gas-liquid freon in the circuit to a uniform state prior to its entry in the thermostatic expansion valve (TEV). A refrigerant stabilisation device was embedded in the circuit of the on/off type split system, the working substance in which was R410A. During 3 months, the temperature of the server mobile station and the power consumption of the split system were monitored in real time, 24/7. On the basis of the obtained results, the energy saving was calculated. The test results were independent of external factors. Reasons for a more efficient cooling of the split system by bringing the refrigerant to a homogeneous state with a decrease in its temperature prior to its entry in the TEV were investigated. It is shown that, in the evaporator, freon requires more time and energy for the phase transition, which process consumes more heat from the facilities under cooling.