How FLIR thermal imaging helps prevent downtime in data centres

by Featured NewsFire DetectionIndustrialThermal Imaging

Thermal imaging aids data centre operations

FLIR has reported on the role of thermal imaging in maintaining data centres.

With the expansion of cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and big data, data centres are increasing in scale and complexity.

Preventing downtime is essential, as failures can result in financial losses and reputational damage.

Thermal imaging technology helps identify potential problems in power distribution, cooling systems, and electrical components before they lead to failures.

Maintenance teams use FLIR thermal imaging cameras to detect overheating, overloaded circuits, and mechanical faults.

The technology allows inspections to be conducted without shutting down equipment, reducing operational disruption.

Applications in electrical and cooling systems

Thermal imaging is widely used to inspect electrical infrastructure in data centres.

FLIR states that overheating in electrical systems can indicate loose connections, load imbalances, or failing components.

Detecting these issues early can prevent unplanned outages. Cooling systems also benefit from thermal imaging inspections.

Many data centres use a hot aisle/cold aisle cooling layout. FLIR thermal cameras assist in monitoring airflow efficiency, identifying misaligned ductwork, and detecting cooling failures that could lead to overheating.

Enhancing security and fire prevention

In addition to maintenance applications, thermal imaging is used for security and fire prevention.

FLIR reports that fixed thermal cameras can detect temperature anomalies before they lead to equipment failure or fire.

Early detection reduces the risk of asset damage and operational disruptions. Thermal imaging is also used for perimeter security.

Unlike standard video cameras, thermal cameras operate in low-visibility conditions such as fog, smoke, or darkness.

Integrated with analytics, these cameras can distinguish between humans and vehicles, reducing false alarms.

Thermal imaging supports renewable energy integration

Data centres are increasing their use of renewable energy, including solar and wind power.

According to FLIR, thermal imaging helps inspect solar panels for defects and assess wind turbine components for wear.

This technology supports efficiency and maintenance efforts in renewable energy integration.

How FLIR thermal imaging helps prevent downtime in data centres: Summary

FLIR has reported on the role of thermal imaging in data centre maintenance.

The technology is used to inspect electrical systems, cooling infrastructure, fire prevention systems, and security operations.

Thermal cameras help detect overheating, faulty circuits, and equipment failures before they cause downtime.

FLIR states that thermal imaging can be used for predictive maintenance without interrupting data centre operations.

The technology also supports security applications by monitoring perimeters and detecting threats in low-visibility conditions.

Additionally, thermal imaging is used to inspect solar panels and wind turbines as data centres integrate renewable energy sources.

Data centre fire safety under scrutiny after multiple incidents

by Breaking NewsSafety

Data centre fires raise questions over safety measures

Several recent data centre fires have raised concerns over the adequacy of existing fire safety protocols in these facilities, as reported by JLL.

In September, a fire in a Singapore data centre disrupted services for numerous technology companies and caused significant damage to its critical infrastructure.

Similarly, a blaze at India’s largest telecom provider resulted in a nationwide outage.

A 2022 fire at a South Korean data centre in Pangyo also caused prolonged outages, highlighting the recurring nature of these incidents.

The common factor in many of these cases is the use of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries in uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems.

These batteries provide backup power during outages, but their fire risk has raised concerns.

Andrew Green, Regional Data Center Practice Lead for Asia Pacific at JLL, explained: “Li-ion batteries, while highly efficient for energy storage, pose a fire risk when the lithium gas is exposed to oxygen.”

The dangers of lithium-ion batteries

Li-ion batteries are a staple of modern data centres, typically housed in dedicated battery rooms fitted with gaseous fire suppression systems.

While this setup aims to reduce the spread of fires, other risks such as human error or design flaws can still cause issues.

Green pointed to a 2022 South Korean government investigation that found the design of the Pangyo data centre contributed to its fire.

The failure to separate batteries from UPS modules, along with inadequate fire prevention, worsened the damage.

Green noted: “Delayed replacements of batteries or lapses in round-the-clock monitoring operations could still contribute to fires.”

The need for stronger regulations

Data centre operators are carefully reviewing investigations into these incidents, hoping to identify vulnerabilities in fire safety measures.

According to Green, this could lead to the introduction of new industry regulations within the next few years.

However, costs could slow down the implementation of these changes.

Since Li-ion batteries typically have warranties of up to 15 years, the need for regular replacement becomes a costly but necessary part of maintaining a safe facility.

“From a business perspective, companies must balance the risk and expenditure,” Green stated.

Balancing fire safety with operational efficiency

Achieving better fire safety in data centres will require careful regulation that balances cost, safety, and energy efficiency.

While implementing stricter measures could help prevent further fires, it is vital that these standards are financially sustainable for operators.

Green concluded: “All these factors are equally essential for data centres to be resilient and operate without downtime.

Neglecting any of these elements can result in significant repercussions for your data centre operations.”

Data centre fire safety under scrutiny: Summary

Recent fires in data centres across Singapore, India, and South Korea have raised concerns over the adequacy of current fire safety measures, as reported by JLL.

Many incidents have been linked to the use of lithium-ion batteries in uninterruptible power supply systems.

Andrew Green of JLL highlighted the fire risk posed by these batteries, particularly if they are exposed to oxygen.

Investigations into these incidents have prompted data centre operators to review fire safety protocols, with a focus on enhancing regulations in the coming years.

However, the financial costs of battery replacement and other safety improvements could present challenges for data centres trying to balance safety and operational efficiency.

Chubb presents high tech solutions to protect data centres from fire

by Projects

Due to the growing usage of mobile data, the production and consumption of rich internet content anytime and anywhere, as well as secure data storage demand from a variety of industries, our lives now rely on data centres. These data centres host and manage the data that makes our day-to-day activities possible – from energy and lighting, to urban traffic management, collaborating with friends, family, co-workers and customers, and even security systems.

Data centres are one of the fastest-growing categories of real estate assets in our cities, and London alone has over 300 data centres. According to commercial real estate firm JLL, there are currently 63.4 million square feet of data-centre space globally and another 4.3 million square feet under construction*. The U.S. and EU currently have the most, and the number in the Middle East and Asia is also growing rapidly**.

Data centres are large, complex and mission-critical facilities. The high-value equipment contained within them needs to be running 24/7/365 with uninterrupted electricity and a constant flow of cool air to secure IT equipment and information. Any interruptions to its operation can have an enormous ripple effect. The operational risks around any disruption are high, in terms of time, money and reputation. A recent report found that, on average, a single hour of downtime can cost an organisation around $300,000***.

One of the key operational disruption risks to a data centre can be from a fire event. The threat of fire at a data centre is higher than people might imagine, with electrical fires a significant risk given the vast networks of power, cabling and electronic equipment used. The risk of fire not only poses a threat to property and human safety, it can also pose a dramatic threat to a business. For co-location and cloud service providers, fire events can be highly significant as service providers are often held to strict service level agreements for application availability.

Businesses rely on highly technical, advanced computer storage and networking resource availability. These are dependent on the availability and performance of the underlying critical infrastructure of which fire systems is an important component. For some businesses, a power outage at a data centre would be detrimental to its survival. For example, ‘business as usual’ at a financial services institution, such as a bank or trading platform, would be seriously compromised by a data centre fire. Hospitals also rely on huge swathes of readily available data and computer power, and so are dependent on the fire and security measures in place to avoid an outage. It is true that fire events are not commonplace, however, they can be costly and catastrophic.

The dependence of businesses on data centres is only going to increase, with the global roll out of 5G in addition to the rise in company outsourcing to third parties for their data needs. This has resulted in the development of large-scale data centres, utilising Internet of Things (IoT) technology or providing AI/ML capabilities, which use high speed and high power. Seconds matter when dealing with data centres, so the solutions need to be fast-acting. They also have to be very reliable, as false alarms result in unnecessary stoppages, which must be avoided at all cost.

There are a number of different ways of protecting a data centre from fire. Before deciding on the type of system required to protect a data centre, it is important to conduct a risk analysis to understand the needs of the organisation, the environment and the main risks. This analysis is complicated by the fact that the data centre industry is constantly evolving, with the development of new technologies and systems posing new challenges for fire and security professionals. For example, Edge Computing systems feature high-powered and advanced data processing at the edge of a network and are typically “lights-out” compared to a centralised data processing centre. This means that fire and security systems have to be set up and engaged remotely, often without industry professionals present. Adding to this complexity, is the high speed processing and power densities that can result in higher temperatures across the network.

In the case of the Hong Kong financial markets operator, after a thorough study of the existing operational and fire and security protection requirements, Chubb designed and recommended an intelligent, integrated solution. This leveraged 3,000 fire detectors and a surveillance system with 400 CCTV cameras to enhance building safety.

One of the choices for fire and security protection methods is between a water or gas solution. Gas protection consists of injecting halogenated gas into the room, which both reduces the oxygen content and interferes with the combustion process.

A second method is to reduce the oxygen level by injecting an inert gas into the room. When activated, gas systems may require evacuation of staff if the event is not localised. However, in order to minimise disruption to the data centre, the extinguishing gas nozzles can be fitted with sound absorbers that limit the noise associated with gas release and prevent damage to data centre equipment.

Alternatively, there are two water-based options to consider – conventional sprinkler or water mist systems. Water mist will spray a fine, high-pressure water mist into the burning area. It may sound strange to introduce water into an area with electricity and mission-critical information, but in fact the high-pressure water mist system brings together the best of sprinkler and gas methods and is highly suitable for suppressing fires.

Indeed, it can be favoured in certain instances because in order to incorporate methods using gas, the room housing the data centre needs to be either purpose-built with gas suppression in mind or retrofitted to withstand a semi-pressurised environment.

The systems involving water do not require the room to be pressure sealed, the ventilation system to be switched off, or require people to be evacuated. The discharge is localised so it minimises the water damage, and resetting to standby position is both fast and inexpensive.

However, recently, a shift has been taking place across our cities, as buildings utilise integrated solutions to manage their fire and security solutions. An integrated system can include surveillance systems, fire suppression systems and alarms – all aligned to optimise response time and protect vital internal infrastructure. In Hong Kong, we helped a financial client utilise 3,000 fire detectors and a surveillance system with 400 CCTV cameras to enable them to have real-time video of fire alarm scenes. The data centre operators can see the actual fire situation, so the whole process of identification to extinguishing takes 10 seconds, reduced from 15 minutes with a traditional fire alarm response.

The dependence of businesses on data centres is only going to increase. Key considerations across all these system choices are safety, cost of implementation and best utilisation of the space available. In addition to this, it is important to be mindful of the impact on the environment and operations around the systems that make up part of the data centre’s infrastructure. Ultimately, business continuity is the most important factor for data centre fire solutions.

Footnotes 

*https://www.jll.co.uk/en/trends-and-insights/investor/global-capital-shows-commitment-to-booming-data-centre-market

**Kaiser Research – Technavio (2016) Global Data Center Market 2016 -2020

***Gartner: The cost of downtime

www.chubbfiresecurity.com