Data Center Cooling in Hot and Desert Climates
تبريد مراكز البيانات في المناخات الحارة والصحراوية
- Next date
- 18–22 January 2027Online
- Fees from
- £2,950per delegate
- Formats
- Online · Classroom4 sessions
- Duration
- 5 daysCertificate
Overview
Data centers in the Gulf, North Africa, Central Asia and other hot regions face design conditions that are far harsher than those assumed in many international reference designs. Outdoor temperatures above 45 °C, high humidity along coastlines, sandstorms, fine dust and scarce fresh water all affect cooling capacity, equipment reliability and operating cost. Rapid growth of cloud and AI capacity in these regions has made climate-specific engineering a priority. Designs copied from cooler climates often lose capacity on the hottest days, consume large amounts of water or suffer from dust-related failures.
This course provides engineers with the knowledge needed to design and operate data center cooling systems that perform reliably in hot and desert climates. Participants learn how to select realistic design conditions, analyze climate data and evaluate the true potential of economization and evaporative cooling. The course covers chiller and heat rejection selection for extreme ambient temperatures, dry cooler and adiabatic performance, water scarcity strategies, dust and sand protection, coastal corrosion, and the effect of high temperatures on electrical equipment. It also explains liquid cooling opportunities, resilience during heat waves and operation and maintenance practices suited to harsh environments.
Objectives
- Select realistic design conditions using local climate data and extreme value analysis
- Evaluate economization and evaporative cooling potential in hot and humid regions
- Select chillers, dry coolers and adiabatic systems for extreme ambient temperatures
- Develop water management strategies for cooling in water-scarce locations
- Protect equipment from dust, sand, salt and high ambient temperatures
- Apply liquid cooling and higher water temperatures to reduce climate penalties
Who should attend
Mechanical, HVAC and electrical engineers, consultants and facility engineers working on data centers in hot regions.
Training methodology
The course is grounded in real climate data from Gulf, desert and coastal locations. Participants analyze weather files, plot annual conditions on psychrometric charts, and estimate economizer and evaporative cooling hours for several cities. Equipment selection exercises use manufacturer data at extreme ambient conditions to reveal capacity derating. Water balance calculations compare cooling options for water-scarce sites. Case studies of capacity loss, dust damage and corrosion in operating facilities highlight practical lessons. Teams develop a climate-adapted cooling concept for a regional site, and each day ends with a quiz.
Programme outline
Day1Climate Data and Design Conditions
- Why reference designs from cooler climates often fail in hot and desert regions
- Climate data sources, weather files and how to read them for engineering purposes
- Selecting design dry-bulb and wet-bulb temperatures and extreme value conditions
- Climate change trends and adding margin for future heat waves
- Coastal humidity, dew point and condensation risks in Gulf locations
- Microclimate effects, including heat islands, rooftop temperatures and exhaust recirculation
- Exercise: deriving design conditions for three regional data center sites
Day2Economization and Evaporative Cooling
- Air-side and water-side economization hours in hot climates compared with temperate regions
- Direct and indirect evaporative cooling and their performance in dry heat
- Limits of evaporative cooling in humid coastal locations and during dust events
- Raising supply air and water temperatures to extend economizer operation
- Hybrid cooling modes and control strategies for seasonal and daily changes
- Annual energy modeling to compare cooling options for a specific site
- Exercise: estimating annual economizer hours for several regional cities using weather files
Day3Equipment Selection for Extreme Heat
- Chiller performance and capacity derating at very high condenser temperatures
- Air-cooled chillers, dry coolers and adiabatic coolers at extreme ambient conditions
- Condenser coil spacing, coatings and layouts that reduce hot air recirculation
- Generator, transformer and UPS derating at high ambient and enclosure temperatures
- Equipment room ventilation and cooling for electrical and battery spaces
- Redundancy planning to protect capacity on the hottest days of the year
- Exercise: selecting heat rejection equipment with realistic derating factors for summer peaks
Day4Water, Dust and Corrosion
- Water consumption of cooling options and water usage effectiveness as a metric
- Using treated wastewater, desalinated water and closed systems in scarce regions
- Sand and dust ingress, filtration strategies and protection of outdoor equipment
- Coil fouling, cleaning programs and their effect on heat rejection capacity
- Coastal salt corrosion, protective coatings and material selection for durability
- Monitoring air quality and particulate levels inside data halls and plant rooms
- Exercise: comparing water use of three cooling concepts for a desert site
Day5Liquid Cooling, Resilience and Operation
- Why warm water liquid cooling is especially attractive for hot climate sites
- Designing for resilience during heat waves, sandstorms and utility disturbances
- Operational procedures for extreme heat days, including load and setpoint management
- Maintenance planning for dust, filters, coils and outdoor equipment in harsh conditions
- Lessons learned from data centers operating in Gulf and desert environments
- Team project: presenting a climate-adapted cooling concept for a regional site
- Final assessment and discussion of climate challenges in participants' facilities
Dates and fees
Fees are in GBP. per delegate.
Certificate
Every delegate who attends the full programme receives a Harfard Technology certificate of completion stating the course title, duration, dates and venue.
Frequently asked questions
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