USU Data Center

In 2007, Utah State University faced an engineering challenge. An increase in server units demanded an increased cooling load for the university data center without allowing for additional space. A chilled water system was the only way to provide sufficient cooling, but piping water into the room introduced additional risks. Water from leaks or from pipe condensation could easily damage the delicate servers, resulting in lost information and lost time for repairs.

To eliminate these risks, the engineers decided to use Aquatherm’s polypropylene piping system, Climatherm. Climatherm uses heat fusion for its connections, resulting in joints that will never leak or fail. And, because of polypropylene’s natural insulation value, all the pipes were installed without additional insulation, saving valuable space and eliminating the risk of condensation in the event of the vapor barrier being damaged.

The system is supplied by steel piping flanged into the Climatherm. Climatherm forms the distribution mains throughout the server room, and the water is carried to and from the cooling units via flexible tubing, threaded into Aquatherm’s fusion outlets.