Volume 67

Field Performance of Dew Point Cooling for Edge Data Centre with Evidence from a UK Operational Case Cheng Zeng, Zhichu Wang, Zishang Zhu, Brian Houston, Xiaoli Ma, Xudong Zhao

Abstract

Edge data centres and small server rooms are widely embedded in non-domestic buildings, yet their cooling systems remain energy intensive and under-optimised. This study reports the operational evidence of dew-point cooling (DPC) in a live edge data centre in Hull, the UK. The units feature a heat-and-mass exchanger, high-performance wetting medium, and intermittent water supply. Results from representative operating periods showed that the DPC system delivered stable cooling with low electrical input, achieving a Coefficient of Performance (COP) of up to 40. The monitored hourly profiles also showed important maintenance periods, with a legionella monitoring scheme as a routine risk management. These findings provide evidence to demonstrate that the DPC system is an efficient and practical cooling solution for small edge data centres and support its wider application in similar built environments.

Keywords Edge data centre, Dew point evaporative cooling, Energy Efficiency, Field performance