As energy prices continue to rise, operators are exploring every avenue for reducing energy consumption and cutting operating costs. Likewise, many are focused on how to cool a variety of equipment as reliably and economically as possible.

When a shelter is located where weather conditions are favorable, free cooling can be a viable strategy for reducing energy use – potentially as much as 50 percent – and cutting costs. Free cooling is not a recent concept; this has been in existence for decades but has come to the fore only in the past few years due to the burgeoning energy prices.

But since business continuance is the ultimate goal of any telecom operator, it is important to weigh the benefits of using free cooling device against their associated costs and risk.

Weighing the Pros & Cons of Free Cooling

Pros

• Energy and OPEX savings – free cooling does not use electricity thus leads to substantial energy savings, which consequently reduces operational costs.
• Environmentally Friendly – free cooling is environmentally friendly since it helps reduce a telecom operator’s carbon footprint.
• Fast ROI – although precision cooling units with free cooling features could cost more than the one without, payback time is relatively short. The added cost can be recovered in a matter of two to three years.

Cons

• Lack of Understanding – there is still a limited awareness among end users regarding the concept of free cooling and the way it works. It is important for end users to work with IT infrastructure vendors, such as Emerson, so they can assess and implement the most appropriate solution for their IT infrastructure. 
• Dependent on External Temperatures – since free cooling takes advantage of the ambient temperature outside, it might not work very well in some areas. Moreover, it cannot work all year round due to seasonal weather conditions.

Is Intelligent Free Cooling for You?

If the system involves technological systems or industrial processes which operate continuously throughout the year, and therefore also with low external temperatures, it is conducive to use systems which have been designed to exploit these conditions; cooling systems with free-cooling and monitoring device are the best solution. Not only do these units have lower energy consumption than traditional systems, they also limit the quantity of indirect carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere, and therefore contribute to safeguarding the environment reducing green house gases.

If external temperatures are low enough, it is possible to reduce or even eliminate, depending on the external temperature, the use of air conditioning. Free cooling devices coupled with intelligent monitoring and controls allow operation even when the external temperature is able to guarantee only partial rather than complete dissipation of the thermal load.