Data centers are increasingly concentrating powerful servers, generating continuous heat 24/7. Controlling this heat is crucial to ensure the performance and durability of IT installations. Under these conditions, the slightest cooling system failure can lead to rapid overheating, threatening server availability.
To maintain service continuity, it is therefore essential to supplement conventional air conditioning systems with suitable spot solutions.
For specific needs or uncovered areas, OberA‘s IC range of evaporative coolers provides a mobile, economical, and immediate supplementary solution, without disrupting existing infrastructure.
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The Challenges of Cooling in Data Centers
IT infrastructures generate intense and permanent heat, 24/7, which must be dissipated without ever interrupting service. The density of equipment means that every watt of computation adds its own heat, making thermal management a vital issue.
Thus, peripheral rooms (isolated cabinets, technical premises, etc.) are often less effectively cooled by the main air conditioner, which requires local backup solutions to prevent failures. Faced with these challenges, choosing efficient and flexible cooling systems is essential to secure the data center.
Adiabatic Cooling: A Fast and Economical Solution
Adiabatic cooling utilizes the natural principle of water evaporation to cool hot air. In practice, hot air is drawn through humidified pads, and the evaporation of water lowers its temperature without any compressor or refrigerant.
This technology, without a compressor or refrigerant, allows for significant energy savings (up to 80% compared to a conventional air conditioner), while ensuring a rapid reduction in ambient temperature.
Adiabatic units are also mobile and “plug-and-play”: a simple electrical connection and a water tank are sufficient to operate them, without any work on existing installations.
- No refrigerant: these coolers operate solely with water and a powerful fan.
- High airflow: they quickly circulate large volumes of hot air for instant cooling.
Quick installation: plug-and-play, with no structural modifications or downtime.
IC Range: Mobile Models for Data Centers
The OberA IC range offers three mobile coolers adapted to the constraints of server rooms. Each model (IC 12, IC 22, IC 30) targets a different type of installation, while remaining compact and easy to move. These complementary units integrate easily into an existing data center to reinforce cooling where needed.
Discover our IC range to select the model that matches your flow and environment needs.
IC 12
The IC 12 cooler is the most compact in the range. It delivers an airflow of 12,000 m³/h and is designed for small IT environments (isolated cabinets, single bays, micro-data centers). Thanks to its reduced size and quiet design, it is very easy to move and position directly near hot zones.
- For isolated cabinets or micro-data centers: ideal as a temporary reinforcement for small IT rooms.
- Airflow 12,000 m³/h: targeted cooling for small air volumes.
- Compact and mobile: quiet, easy to move and store.
IC 22
The IC 22 cooler offers an intermediate airflow of 22,000 m³/h, suitable for hot aisles and shared racks in medium-sized data centers. It stands out with its UV water sterilization system, which continuously treats the water in the circuit for use in sensitive environments (hospitals, research centers, etc.).
- For technical aisles and secondary rooms: perfect for reinforcing cooling in intermediate zones.
- Airflow 22,000 m³/h: more power to manage multiple server bays.
- Integrated UV sterilization: protects the water circuit against microorganisms.
- Moderate water consumption: only 10–15 L/h, with 80% less energy consumed compared to a conventional air conditioner.
IC 30
The IC 30 is the most powerful in the range, delivering an airflow of 30,000 m³/h. It is designed for large extended server rooms, modular installations (prefabricated rooms, IT containers), or backups.
With its maximum performance, the IC 30 can even be used in a semi-open configuration for sites with partial cooling. Its large capacity makes it the ideal solution for large-scale data centers.
- For large server rooms and backups: ideal for vast infrastructures or modular units.
- Airflow 30,000 m³/h: maximum power to quickly lower the temperature.
- Usable in semi-open environments: suitable for containers and prefabricated modules exposed to heat.
- Maximum performance: designed for critical environments where every cubic meter counts.
Each model in the IC range effectively complements a fixed air conditioning system, offering mobile reinforcement where standard air conditioning struggles to reach. Thanks to their adiabatic concept, all these coolers use water evaporation to generate cool air, without any refrigerant.
Benefits for Data Center Operators
OberA adiabatic coolers offer several advantages for modern data center management: they can be moved to critical areas when needed, connected instantly, and provide customized cooling without requiring any work. Among their benefits:
- Targeted thermal reinforcement: a spot solution that adjusts to hot zones without impacting the main infrastructure.
- Energy savings: up to 80% lower consumption than conventional air conditioning.
- Instant installation: no activity interruption necessary, just an electrical connection and a water tank.
- Total mobility: units on wheels, easy to redeploy as needed in minutes.
- Temporal versatility: ideal for maintenance phases, server migrations, or transient overloads.
- Flexible rental: available on demand for temporary needs (events, construction sites, specific projects).
What are the risks if a data center is poorly cooled?
A poorly cooled data center is a thermal time bomb. IT servers continuously generate intense heat, and without an effective cooling system, this heat can quickly reach critical levels.
Server Overheating
The primary consequence is the direct overheating of equipment. Electronic components (processors, drives, power supplies, etc.) operate within precise temperature ranges. An excessively high ambient temperature causes:
- slowdowns,
- unintended restarts,
- or even the complete failure of entire servers.
In the worst-case scenarios, this can lead to the loss of critical data or the complete interruption of hosted services.
Reduced Equipment Lifespan
Excessively high temperatures, even without immediate failure, prematurely wear out components. Constant thermal cycles accelerate the aging of motherboards, power supplies, and storage units. The result: more frequent replacements, leading to higher energy and financial costs in the medium term.
Risk of Fire or Critical Shutdown
Uncontrolled temperature in an IT room can lead to a dangerous chain reaction: fans at full power, saturated cooling circuits, and at the end of the cycle… risk of fire or sudden shutdown. Even with safety systems, a sudden shutdown can result in major losses for operators.
Regulatory Non-Compliance
Increasingly, standards govern the energy performance of data centers, particularly concerning cooling (PUE, ISO 50001…). Inadequate cooling can render the installation non-compliant, or even lead to penalties in the event of an inspection or incident.
Increased Environmental Impact
Finally, inefficient cooling often forces air conditioners to run at full capacity, which increases energy consumption. This goes against the energy sobriety objectives pursued by many data center operators. Without an adapted thermal solution, the site’s carbon footprint explodes.
OberA Coolers: An Economical and High-Performance Solution
In an environment as demanding as a data center, every degree counts. OberA’s mobile IC adiabatic coolers offer a flexible and complementary response to manage unexpected thermal peaks, secure operations, and maintain server performance.
Thanks to their energy efficiency and rapid deployment, these solutions ensure serene data center operation without compromising overall energy efficiency.
