UK-based Datum Datacentres selects Minkels’ VED system for its cutting-edge, London area facility

Datum’s Farnborough data centre (Datum FRN1) is a 2N, high-resilience facility featuring advanced security measures and an available capacity of more than 1,000 co-location racks. Adiabatic cooling is just one of many unique features in this mission-critical facility, ensuring operational excellence and maximum energy efficiency with a calculated PUE of 1.25.

Minkels delivered an integrated solution, with not only the Vertical Exhaust Duct but also airflow optimised 19-inch racks, vertical power bars, Power Distribution Units (PDUs) and a variety of additional data centre accessories included.

MINKELS UK

The adiabatic flooded airflow design implemented in Datum’s facility in Farnborough uses ambient air to provide free cooling. Large fans located in a separate room along the length of the data hall combined with a separate ceiling return air path enable extremely energy-efficient, predictable cooling for high and low densities, whilst removing the cooling plant and associated water service risks completely from the IT space. Instead of using raised floors for cold air supply in the room, the fans supply cold air to the entire room – at very low speeds.

To create maximum energy efficiency, Datum needed the Vertical Exhaust Duct to feed the air back to high ceiling voids, meeting their building specific requirements. The modular characteristics present in Minkels’ entire product portfolio ensure a seamless integration of VariCondition® Vertical Exhaust Duct with the adjacent data centre infrastructure.

“At an early stage, Minkels invited us to their facility in High Wycombe, to have a look at all the Minkels data centre solutions available,” said Paul Garner, Data Centre Manager at Datum Datacentres. “There we became incredibly impressed with Minkels and their products. Each of these products is beautiful in its simplicity. It’s solid and very well manufactured and designed.”

Datum decided to select the Minkels’ newly launched VariCondition® Vertical Exhaust Duct solution, as well as a range of their other data centre products. “The flexibility of this solution and the superb integration with all the other data centre components is really impressive,” said Garner. “We just got a flat pack of modular components delivered, after which Minkels’ team of engineers built them together into an outstanding, custom made product.”

CUSTOM QUOTE ENGINE

“We’re absolutely delighted with the implementation,” added Garner. “Our clients are impressed by the look and feel of Minkels’ products and the innovative containment design. The technical results are also very good, with no hotspots and a very low PUE figure. Minkels’ products have been a contributor to the extreme resilience of our facility and its cost-effectiveness.”

Garner also noted that Minkels’ ordering process is very straightforward, with a sales configuration tool (Sofon) and predictable pricing. “I’ve never seen this before in the market. To place any orders, you don’t have to make a phone-call or to wait on a reaction. You just enter the product specifications into the system, after which your custommade product gets manufactured and delivered. It’s very reliable, with a quick turnaround time at very competitive prices and a predictable invoice.”