08 June 2022

Custodian Data Centres, the colocation provider for MSPs, cloud, enterprise and digital entertainment organisations, has enlisted Aqua to design, supply and install an innovative temperature control system and the new 10MW site located in Dartford, Kent.

The former’s Maidstone facility is nearing capacity, so it commissioned its new ‘DA2’ facility in Dartford, Kent, to “meet the continued growth demands of its customers”. Less than 15 miles outside of central London, Custodian’s goal was to provide an advanced facility for end-users to relocate and host their mission-critical applications. The new site is carrier-neutral, operating at a PUE rating of below 1.3 and powered by resilient, 100% dual diverse renewable energy feeds.

Aqua delivers an energy-efficient, bespoke, closed-loop air cooling system with integrated free cooling. The design for Custodian’s DA2 includes 12 custom-designed cooling coils and a free cooling chilled water system, comprising of 3 x 500kW Aqua EcoPro+ optimised free cooling chiller units, to accommodate for the initial phase of the site opening. The EcoPro+ units operate on R454B green refrigerant. Utilising integrated free cooling chillers, drastically reduces the amount of time mechanical cooling is required, saving significantly on energy usage, carbon impact and wear & tear of components parts, in particular the compressor.

“With the new DA2 Dartford site boasting a 10MW capacity, we needed a reliable cooling system that could handle the increased demands from the bigger site,” said Callum Woodhouse, M&E manager at Custodian Data Centres. “As our customer base continues to grow and expand over time, this Aqua solution allows us to adapt to the additional demands, in a seamless and efficient way”.

The system is also future-proofed, with the option for expansion into higher density cooling further down the line, as Custodian continues to grow and expand.