Data centers used for bitcoin mining

If you think about it, this is not so different than how a traditional bank account works. Since bitcoin started in 2009, the use of cryptocurrency has continued to grow and gain in popularity. In data centers, the cooling systems are among the most expensive and energy-hungry (behind the servers)....

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Bibliographic Details
Published inConsulting - Specifying Engineer Vol. 55; no. 5; pp. 20 - 27
Main Author Kosik, Bill
Format Trade Publication Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Denver CFE Media 01.06.2018
Subjects
Computer centers
Cooling
Costs
Data centers
Design
Digital currencies
Efficiency
Emission standards
Energy
Energy consumption
Heat
Peer to peer computing
Power
Servers
Temperature
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Summary:If you think about it, this is not so different than how a traditional bank account works. Since bitcoin started in 2009, the use of cryptocurrency has continued to grow and gain in popularity. In data centers, the cooling systems are among the most expensive and energy-hungry (behind the servers). Since this is the case, reducing or eliminating components like chillers, cooling towers, pumps, piping, and ductwork will reduce or eliminate most of the cooling system. Reducing the use or eliminating these systems will also address the first-cost and energy-cost issues. Since the primary job of the cooling system is to keep the IT equipment operating at a prescribed temperature and moisture level, easing the indoor environmental requirements of the servers (for example, allowing them to operate at a higher internal temperatures) will reduce energy consumption and, in some cases, reduce the size of the cooling systems. If the outdoor air is approximately equal to the maximum allowable server temperature, no mechanical cooling is required. [...]the data center's geographic location and the server's maximum operating temperature must be taken into consideration in tandem; cooler locations and hotter server operating temperatures will have the lowest energy use, while the hottest locations and lowest server temperatures will use the most energy (Figure 2).
ISSN:0892-5046
1558-2876