Technology has advanced so much in the past 50 years. From having a simple dial-up connection to super fast broadband, and from mobile phones that just made calls to having everything on our smart phones, things have changed so much.
With these huge technology advancements, we need powerful servers to house the billions of websites that are live on the internet today. Servers are kept in a secure unit known as Data Centres. As you can imagine, data centre power consumption is estimated to be up to 50TWh worldwide. This equates to approximately between 1.5%-3% of all Earths’ total usage.
With electricity, and servers that operate 24/7, it’s very important to have measures in place to combat any electrical fires that may happen. The way to do this would be by having a sprinkler system in place. Although rare, having these measures in place help contain data centre fires.
Of course, sprinklers don’t just generate water from thin air. The water must come from a storage tank. In order to keep the storage tanks in tip top condition, services such as water tank relining must be undertaken regularly.
Data Centres vary in sizes, and power all different websites and projects on the website. Did you know that this website you are viewing right now is stored on a server in London?
With the amount of data we access on the internet, having fully functional data centres are so important.
Echo Square were asked to provide a solution to reline a concrete fire sprinkler system tank which had just been built.
We proposed that the tank be given long term protection by the application of a solvent free polyurethane coating.
The product employed was a solvent free polyurethane, ES 988 DWPU, which offers numerous economic, technical and environmental features and benefits.
Preparing The Tank
The tank had just been formed and had been coated with a cementitious coating. The tank was thoroughly dried with heaters / dehumidification plant and vacuumed to remove all dust & building debris. The high level steels were then prepared to accept the coating.
Surface Repairs
Echo Square experts thoroughly examined the walls, and to prevent coating issues, filled all surface pinholes with flexible polyurethane sealant.
Primer Coat & Base Coat
We primed the walls with a damp-tolerant primer, applied at 150 microns thickness. The primer coat, first after preparation, penetrates steel or concrete to seal pores and create a smooth, uniform surface. The primer coat is critical for ensuring that the relining system bonds properly, lasts longer, and resists corrosion or leaks.
We coated all walls with a base coat of ES 988 DWPU at a nominal thickness of 400 microns. The base coat is the main structural layer of the new lining system.
Top Coat
Finally, the top coat was applied which is the final coat. Also known as the finishing layer it’s main purpose is to provide a final barrier against water, chemicals and wear.
Conclusion
To conclude this post, we spoke about what Data Centres are and how important they are in this ever-changing world of Technology.
We explained that data centres require a water tank and sprinkler system because servers generate significant heat and electricity.
We reviewed our work on a London data centre and explained how we prepared the water tank for long-term success.
Do you have a Data Centre with a water tank that needs relining or inspecting? Get in touch with Echo Square today.