This study is a collaborative effort providing the methodology for commissioning liquid-cooled High Performance Computing (HPC) solutions. While the main focus of this effort is directed at HPC cooling, the same commissioning principles are relevant for any liquid-cooled computing system.
The study includes cases from different data center sites and the varying approaches utilized in commissioning liquid-cooled solutions and establishes the fundamentals for liquid-cooled commissioning. Techniques employed include: a) pressure testing for leaks, b) flow tests to ensure proper valve operation, flow rates, and controls sequencing, and c) load simulation to ensure demand is met. Proper operation of liquid cooling systems is critical for liquid-cooled equipment because safety margins are very small and cooling fluid flow cannot be disrupted without causing a system outage and/or damage to computing equipment.
The objective is to develop a comprehensive approach to commissioning liquid-cooled systems that can ideally be incorporated into a universal commissioning plan. This universal plan will be presented to the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) data centers committee (TC 9.9) for adoption to establish the guideline for commissioning of liquid-cooled computing systems.