ServSorp

The growing global demand for air cooling and air drying equipment requires the development of innovative, energy-saving and climate-friendly solutions to provide the energy required for this purpose. One approach is liquid sorption technology, which can be used both for drying and cooling process air flows. In the ServSorp project, this technology replaces the previously used cooling technology in server cabinet systems by means of compression refrigeration systems.

Server rack cooling systems are experiencing rapid growth both nationally and internationally due to the rapidly increasing digitalization. In areas with existing waste heat or solar heat, the possibility of server rack cooling using liquid sorption technology means a reduction of up to 80% in the drive energy required for cooling. This innovative server cabinet cooling thus makes a decisive contribution to the necessary reduction of global CO2 emissions and ozone-damaging coolants.

In the cooperation project with the company Schwämmle GmbH, investigations of liquid sorbents for liquid sorption systems are carried out and the performance potential of newly developed liquid sorption modules is analysed. In parallel, various application concepts for sorption-supported server cabinet cooling are being developed and specific operating points of the system are being defined and examined on the sorption test bench. Subsequently, a prototype of a sorption-supported server cabinet cooling system will be constructed and a performance comparison of the prototype with a conventional cooling system with compression refrigeration will be carried out. During the monitoring phase, an energy evaluation and an optimisation of the technical details of the system is carried out. Finally, Schwämmle GmbH carries out an economic analysis of the developed sorption-based server cabinet cooling system and investigates further areas of application of liquid sorption technology with regard to the technical and economic potential for possible new business fields.

The overall objective of the joint project is to develop a prototype for server cabinet cooling using liquid sorption technology. The project objectives of saving primary energy, reducing operating costs and avoiding the use of climate-damaging operating materials are to be demonstrated by means of scientific monitoring and the technical, energetic and economic potential of liquid sorption technology is to be demonstrated.