Net Zero Water Use At Data Centers

Abstract

According to the Department of Energy, as of 2014, there are over 3 million data centers in the United States. It is estimated that for the average 500-ton cooling tower approximately 14.8 million liters of water per year are wasted without being reclaimed. The NetZero system specializes in water recovery and wastewater minimization for existing industrial plants, specifically data centers. The scope of this report is to outline and assess the impact that the system has on carbon emissions and costs associated with the system. The NetZero system is specifically designed for a plant with a 500-ton cooling tower capacity, with an 80% wastewater recovery target. This is an estimated yearly reduction of about 11.8 million gallons of water and 34,000 metric tons a carbon dioxide emission. As said above, many data centers source high volumes of water for the purpose of cooling. A batch of water is used until a buildup of minerals and organic compounds from exposed cooling towers occurs, decreasing the efficiency of heat exchange and cooling potential. The NetZero system removes these contaminants by using sixty-eight membrane distillation units in parallel. The levelized cost of water to produce 1 m3 is estimated to be $4.74.