An airside economizer is a component of a data center’s cooling system that brings cold outside air into a data center to cool the equipment. The warm exhaust air is then directed outside instead of continuously being recirculated and cooled. If the outside air is below ASHRAE- or manufacturer-recommended ranges, the airside economizer can mix outside air with exhaust air to reach the intended temperature and humidity.
Airside economizers increase energy efficiency by enabling free cooling or partial free cooling in which cold outside air can be used to replace or supplement costly mechanical cooling. Even in warmer climates, airside economizers can be used to take advantage of cool evening air or winter air temperatures.
When properly integrated with a facility’s central air handling system, airside economizers can provide up to 30% energy savings on cooling, improving Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE). Plus, airside economizers reduce the risk of downtime by providing cooling even if mechanical cooling systems are offline.