Minkels, a European provider of integrated data center solutions for monitoring, cooling, power distribution and enclosures, presents its Varicondition-DX to the market.
The Minkels Varicondition-DX has been specifically designed for small and medium-sized businesses and larger organizations with local departments that have their own server rooms. The Varicondition-DX is specifically designed to cool small server rooms.
A modular principle for server room cooling,
the Minkels Varicondition-DX is a server room cooling system suitable for both closed-loop and cold aisle configurations. Furthermore, Varicondition-DX does not require raised flooring for installation. Given its low total cost of ownership (TOC), Varicondition-DX is also suitable as a backup cooling solution in a data center.
“This further complements Minkels’ data center cooling solutions portfolio,” says Jeroen Hol, Chief Commercial Officer at Aegide Group, Minkels’ parent company. “This means Minkels now has a cooling solution for the cooling needs of any data center. The modular nature of this new product, which is consistent with other Minkels products, was one of our key design principles. Furthermore, the scalability of Varicondition-DX makes it a sound investment, as it is suitable for expansion in line with the growing business needs of small and medium-sized enterprises.”.
The highly efficient
Varicondition-DX is capable of cooling high-power installations, from 2.5 to 22.5 kW per server rack, in any small server room. “Generally speaking, otherwise, anyone would have to opt for water cooling to cool those capacities,” says Patrick Timmer, Business Development Engineer at Minkels. “Water cooling allows you to cool up to 25 or 30 kW per rack. However, water cooling is not a cheap solution. In a small or medium-sized business, many prefer to avoid the additional investment required for a water cooling solution. Water cooling is needed for substantial infrastructure modifications with their corresponding level of investment. Water cooling is often simply too expensive for small businesses. Our DX cooling system now offers an excellent alternative.”
Data Center Monitoring:
In developing Varicondition-DX, Minkels' R&D department modified the DX principle to create a precision cooling solution. Timmer explains: “One of the aspects we focused on was achieving proper relative humidity control in the room. Excessive dehumidification must be avoided, given the resulting risks of static electricity. Conventional DX cooling doesn't take this into account at all, while Varicondition-DX does. Furthermore, Varicondition-DX is easily controlled remotely using the integrated data center monitoring solution, Minkels Varicontrol, for example.”
Minkels' R&D department also pays particular attention to the system's energy efficiency. "The conventional DX cooling compressor isn't particularly energy efficient, although this is more or less a mandatory requirement in a server room these days," Timmer adds. "We've therefore significantly improved the energy efficiency of the DX principle, which is very much in line with the shared business objectives of Minkels and its parent company, Aegide Group, to operate in an energy-efficient, environmentally conscious, and socially responsible manner.".
“We have achieved excellent energy efficiency performance through a combination of reduced complexity, the use of the efficient and environmentally friendly R410A refrigerant, load balancing, and pressure controls,” says Timmer, adding, “However, we also recommend implementing cold corridors to further reduce energy consumption within the server racks themselves. After all, separating hot and cold airflow can be particularly beneficial, even in smaller server rooms.”.
DX Server Room Cooler Testing
. Timmer also points out that many of the conventional DX solutions available on the market are not truly suitable for use in a data center environment. “Their development is based on a different discipline, one that doesn't consider the requirements applicable in a data center environment. Different regulations apply in a data center, requiring different standards regarding compressors, temperature control, refrigerants, air volume, and so on.”
Varicondition-DX is based on proven technology and has been extensively tested for ease of maintenance, energy efficiency, product continuity, and reliability. According to Timmer, “Varicondition-DX is therefore a highly reliable and sustainable cooling solution for server rooms used in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as well as small local server rooms within corporate environments, while also offering excellent value for money. Moreover, its modular and scalable nature makes it a stable investment that can be developed in line with the potential growth needs of an SME.”.
About Minkels:
Minkels BV is a European manufacturer of total solutions for data center infrastructure. Its headquarters, R&D department, and assembly lines are located in Veghel, Netherlands. The company also has branches in the UK, Switzerland, Belgium, and France. Minkels' product portfolio is divided into data center cooling solutions (Varicondition®), data center enclosures (VARICON®), and data center monitoring (Varicontrol®). Key products within the Minkels range include water-based data center cooling solutions (Varicondition H2O), hybrid air-water cooling solutions, and Cold Corridor®, which offers an efficient way to separate hot and cold airflows in the data center.
Minkels' clients include Swisscom (Switzerland), Radboud University Nijmegen, Equinix Data Centers, and De Persgroep (Belgium). Given the considerable knowledge and experience Minkels has acquired over the years in the field of data center infrastructure solutions, it was selected in 2008 by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (EU-JRC) to assist in the development of the European Code of Conduct for Data Centers.
Minkels is a subsidiary of Aegide Group, one of the leading European players in the comprehensive development, manufacturing and marketing of high-quality enclosure solutions for ICT and OEM.
