Data centers

Why is humidity important for data centers and server rooms?

Humidification is required in data centers and server rooms to prevent electrostatic discharge (ESD) damaging servers.

Operation of the servers does create heat, which participates to surrounding air drying.

What is ESD?

Electrostatic discharge (ESD) is the release of static electricity when two objects come into contact. Familiar examples of ESD include the shock we receive when we walk across a carpet and touch a metal doorknob and the static electricity we feel after drying clothes in a clothes dryer. A more extreme example of ESD is a lightning bolt. While most ESD events are harmless, it can be an expensive problem for your data center or server room.

Recommended humidity level for your data center or server room

The recommended humidity level for Data center and a server room is between 30 and 60%RH.

Allowable Humidity levels for Class 1 and 2 is between 20 and 80%RH.

(Reference: ASHRAE Handbooks)

How can you bring humidity to your data center or server room?

The preferred humidification solution for Data center is evaporative humidifier and cooler. This humidification solution is able to satisfy very high capacity and will provide free cooling while humidifying.

Atomizing humidifier should be installed with caution. Their used have caused corrosion problems on electronic circuit boards and connectors in some sites,

For server rooms, the humidification capacity can sometimes be very small so other technology can be considered, such as ultrasonic humidifier.

In any case, the use of any isothermal humidifier should be avoided due to the increased energy consumption and thermal load caused by this humidification technology for an application that needs cooling rather that heating.