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Vicky was born in Lares, Puerto Rico on April 14, 1954 and for many years had worked in property management for the Besta Corp.
She was the wife of Andres Luciano and also survived by her three sons, Andres Luciano Jr. of Waterford, Francisco Perez of New London and Daniel Perez of Colchester; and two grandchildren.
Her family will be holding visiting hours on Thursday from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Byles Memorial Home, 99 Huntington St., New London.
Vicky's burial service will be held in Puerto Rico.
The My Memorials Facebook app allows you to:


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Our new devotional "If God Loves Me, Why Did I Lose My Job?" explores the struggle of unemployment. Sign up here.
friend of God. (1.) A son of Esau and Bashemath (Gen. 36:4, 10; 1 Chr. 1:35). (2.) "The priest of Midian," Moses' father-in-law (Ex. 2:18)=Raguel (Num. 10:29). If he be identified with Jethro (q.v.), then this may be regarded as his proper name, and Jether or Jethro (i.e., "excellency") as his official title. (3.) Num. 2:14, called also Deuel (1:14; 7:42).

subset: commoncrawl


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Pooling water beside drain
mrplattsJanuary 6, 2007
I've looked at some similar threads, but none describe exactly what I want to do.
In my laundry room floor there is a slight depression beside the floor drain. Whenever there is water on the floor most of it flows into the drain, but some pools right beside the drain. Is there an easy way to level out this area?


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Taking no chances with its District 1-A/AA girls soccer semifinal game, the Lady Cyclones ran away from Happy Valley for a 13-0 victory Tuesday night at Rider Field.Comments
A resolution headed to the Washington County Commission's Budget Committee authorizes the use of $1 million from the county's general fund to help East Tennessee State University begin construction on its new $40 million fine arts facility.Comments
Even as No. 3 Ole Miss continued its fastest start in over half a century with the 35-20 win over Texas A&M, allowing two touchdowns in the last nine minutes of the game left a sour taste in their mouths.Comments
Brittney Ezell admits she wasn't particularly close to her younger brother, Ben. These days, they are making up for lost time.Comments
With one NASCAR Sprint Cup race to go before the Chase field is sliced from 12 drivers to eight, what should one expect this Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway? Honestly, I don't know.Comments
Dale Earnhardt Jr. has no issues with NASCAR's championship format, even as he heads to Talladega Superspeedway on the brink of elimination.Comments
The organizers of next month's First Friday celebration in downtown Johnson City have a contest up their sleeves that might be able to warm up what could be a chilly night.Comments
East Tennessee State University's student government representatives say it was concerns voiced by a Tennessee Board of Regents official that led to the student Senate's denial of funding for a proposed sexual education and awareness week.Comments
Local restaurant manager helped by United Way advocates to help others.Comments
Camp provides adventure for children with special needsComments


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Stories from the NCU Community
Check out what these members of the NCU community have to say about their experience.
The spiritual atmosphere on campus is definitely one of my favorite things about North Central. It is so refreshing to be encouraged by other students and to fellowship in worship. The many opportunities available, whether it be Praise Gathering, chapel or entry, will be the things that I will remember most about NCU. They have definitely helped shaped me during my time here and to grow closer to God. I have also bonded with many of the girls on my floor and learned to truly appreciate the community. When problems came, their prayers and genuine concern kept me going and encouraged me in my walk with God. ...more
I might not have always known the exact plans for my life, but because I've taken the opportunities North Central has to offer to connect with God, I know I've heard from Him, which is why I don't fear my next step in life. ...more
Chapel encourages risk taking, leadership, and love to be shown through everything I do with Jesus' name on it not for my cause, but for His will to be done. Could there be any better preparation for life? ...more
One time, a professor told the class how much he loved us... and then he cried. It was awesome. ...more
The student body is my favorite thing about North Central. When I first showed up, everybody said 'hi' to me - and I had no idea who they were! Everyone is so welcoming. ...more
I love that the whole environment is centered on Christ and everyone has the same goal of honoring Him through what they are doing with their lives. ...more
I think my favorite part about North Central is getting to go to Chapel every day. I know that when I graduate I won't get a chance to take a break in my work day to worship the Lord in a community. It really puts my day into focus. ...more
It feels good to know that even when I leave North Central, my profs are still just a phone call or text message away. ...more


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While I agree that Infowars
Submitted by Musicians and H... on Sat, 07/28/2012 - 20:30. Permalink
While I agree that Infowars gets carried away with fear mongering and wild speculation, this Colorado shooting stinks to high heaven.
And check this out - http://www.dailypaul.com/246594/dhs-releases-propaganda-vide...
And this is annoying, but makes some interesting points - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yn72V9Lv-Aw
Resist the temptation to feed the trolls.
- Login to post comments


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Charles Brinsley Restaurant Mullingar
Mother's Day at the Charles Brinsley Restaurant
Sunday 15th March
Dinner is an occasion at the Charles Brinsley Restaurant overlooking the shores of lough Ennell. Our experienced team of Chefs use the finest produce to create imaginative Irish and International cuisine, providing a dining experience that will delight the palate and your senses. A must for those who appreciate good food in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Our efficient and friendly staff will make dining a pleasure in this beautifully appointed lake-side setting. Click to see our sample Dinner Menu and sample Kids Menu.
The highest standard of cuisine is assured at all times and this coupled with an extensive wine list offering the best of old and new world wines will ensure you truly enjoy your dining experience. Click here for our Sunday Lunch Menu. For that special occasion, we are happy to customise a menu to suit your party or group. Private dining can be arranged in the conservatory where the panoramic views of Lough Ennell are greatly enhanced and also afford guests scenic views of the countryside that surrounds Bloomfield House. Click here for more.


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RJ Dupre Column: You don't know what you've got until it's gone
Very often, we do not realize how we miss things until they are taken away from us and we can't have them. This concept came to my attention last week.
Are you a newspaper subscriber but you don't have a Digital Access account yet? https://secure.forumcomm.com/?publisher_ID=40&event=subscriber/lookup.
You will need your subscription account number and phone number. Not sure if you have an account? Email us at firstname.lastname@example.com and we can help you.


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Item in stock
Junior Scrabble Floor Puzzle
Item No.1710011807
This Junior Scrabble jumbo puzzle is more than just a regular floor puzzle! Once the sturdy 49 piece puzzle is completed, children will have hours of learning fun with the special Scrabble activities. Some of the words featured in the puzzle each have a letter missing. There are 26 missing letters - one for each of the alphabet. Use the special letter tiles that come with the puzzle to find the right letter for each blank space. To make sure you're right, you can match the picture on the back of the tile with the given word on the puzzle. This puzzle also contains seven pairs of words that go together - can you find them all? Amongst all the different pictures on our Scrabble puzzle there are ten different living creatures - can you find them all? The answers to both are on the bottom of the box! Piecing together this puzzle, children can enjoy some educational fun, while learning about co-ordination and matching.
This item is available for
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- Box Age: 3 years+
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- Contents: 49pc puzzle
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- Assembled Product HWD:50 x 50cm x 0.5cm
- Educational fun, while learning about co-ordination and matching.
- Warning! Not Suitable for children under 36 months, small parts, choking hazard
- Exclusively available online


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Valere Jobs in Alton
Currently, there are no Valere jobs available in Alton, Illinois. You may wish to explore jobs in nearby locations on the Valere jobs in Illinois page or view related jobs below.
VALERE Consulting and Recruiting is seeking a Accounting Analyst for our client in Richfield, MN! This is a contract position. Description: Fixed asset team is responsible for managing the fixed assets for both the US and Canada. This includes setting assets up, making asset adjustments and retiring assets all in the Oracle projects accounting/fixed asset modules. Canada is upgrading to Oracle R...
VALERE Consulting and Recruiting is seeking a Business Analyst for our client in Edina, MN! This is a permanent position. Description: As a Business Analyst at, you will have the opportunity to work on a wide range of interesting and innovative solutions. The BA serves as the liaison between business units and technology teams to define business system requirements and coordinate small to large ...
VALERE Consulting and Recruiting is seeking a Dev Ops Internet Analyst for our Retail client in Madison, WI! This is a permanent position! Responsibilities: A DevOps Internet Analyst works closely with various development teams on successful deployment from testing environments through to Production, the design & implementation of appropriate Production monitoring/alerting solutions, as well as ...
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The InterrogatorSeries Website »
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In a rare interview with Ali Soufan, the FBI agent who was at the center of the 9/11 investigations, FRONTLINE correspondent Martin Smith uncovers an insider's view on the "war on terror." One of only eight Arabic-speaking FBI agents, Soufan explains why he believes the attacks on the World Trade Center could have been prevented and how the use of torture failed to produce actionable intelligence. Also in this hour: Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post reporter Dana Priest investigates the terrorism-industrial complex that grew up in the wake of 9/11. In "Are We Safer?" Priest explores the growing reach of homeland security, fusion centers, battlefield technologies, and data-collecting into the lives of ordinary Americans.
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worries of buying a home
Ok, my husband and I looked at a house over the weekend. I thinks its the perfect deal, 5 bedrooms, 3 full bathrooms, 2,888 sq ft, newer deck, brand new water heater, roof is 10 yrs old. Apparently house was gutted and remodeled inside but isnt completely finished. Seller disclosed that previous owner heavily insulated the house, theres not drafts, windows are newer - double pane, previous owner was electrician and all wiring was put in over last 5 years. It's on 0.65 acres, asking price is 65k, seller is willing to do a rent to own at 495/mo for 36 mo then finance the rest. Is this a good deal? I think so, however my husband is being Mr. Negative. Saying "the "electrician" could have not done the wiring to code and the house will catch fire". It has been on market for almost 2 years and he says "its because its over priced and there's too much work to do" (its in Sidman, Pa). Basically, I am looking for some professional opinions that I can show my husband to help ease his mind. My mother sells real estate and I know a good bit about it myself. I know the factors that go into appraising a house and this house doesn't have a whole lot going against it other than the fact that the inside needs some work to make it livable (new carpet in upstairs, minor floor repairs downstairs, & paint) and some rooms need finished yet.
It's been on the market for 2 years because it still has a lot of renovating to do, and because it's in a small town where there aren't a lot of sales. It lacks all the trim (baseboards, window & door casings), paint, flooring. And--this isn't a judgement, just a fact--they've used lower-end materials, like hollow-core slab doors and HD in-stock cabinets for kitchen and bathrooms.
In its current condition, it would be tough to get a mortgage (bank wouldn't allow), thus the openness to "creative financing." The owner bought it 4 years ago for $10K and apparently ran out of money or energy to complete the remodel.
So is it worth it? There are 3 comp sales in the past 2 years in your neighborhood, for $25K, 100K, and 208K. And only 3 others currently for sale, from $53K-85K. So it's a very mixed place, and hard to say exactly what this one would be worth fixed up.
I wouldn't take it on unless you guys are handy DIY-ers and can do most of the work yourselves. You can use an inspection contingency as a protection against bad electrical work. Also, check to see if permits were pulled and any inspections were done. Sidman may not require permits or inspections for DIY work (I've lived in such places), but it's another way to check.
5/3 and all of that yard is a lot to keep up. That's part of why it's sitting. Halve the price and it might be a good deal to finish out right, if you're handy and enjoy home improvement as a hobby. You're not going to get your husband on board with it though.
You need to reevaluate what you're looking for in a home. Are you doing real estate investment? Then you need to view it in a more business like fashion. Are you buying a home? Then you need to have a more critical eye towards things that will get old fast like poor layouts and the amount of yard work. Right now, sounds like you're inexplicably in love and aren't viewing things clearly.


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Private Escorts Make A Night In Perth Something To Remember
If you are looking for a night that you will remember for the rest of your life, you should spend an evening in Perth with a sexy private escort on your arm. These ladies are sexy, classy and are dedicated to making sure that you have an experience that will blow your mind.
Meeting a sexy private escort in Perth is easier today than it has ever been. Now you can simply go online and do a few Google searches for escorts in Perth and find some great escort directories and websites that put all the ladies at your fingertips. These directories can give you all the information you need about these sexy ladies. They feature pictures as well as information about the ladies ages and physical attributes. You can also find out what these sexy private escorts are into, what they charge and even information about their personalities including their likes and dislikes.
Another great aspect of many of these directories is that they allow you to read reviews about the escorts. You can see what other people have to say about them which can help you pick the right lady.
Once you find an escort that you like you can contact her through the website to ask any questions you may have and then set up a date with her. By spending a little time online first you will make certain that the woman you end up meeting with is the right person with you. If you share some common interests and you tell her what you had in mind for your date and she agrees that it would be a good idea then you greatly increase the odds of having a great night with her.
Perth is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. If you are just visiting the city or you haven't lived there for very long you might consider hooking up with a private escort that has been around the city a little longer. Allowing her to show you the city and maybe even taking you to some of her favorite places will help make your night a memorable one.
A night out in a great city with a classy, sexy and sophisticated private escort on your arm can easily be a memory that you will cherish for a lifetime.Read More
The Secret To Hookups In Perth
When you are trying to find a sexy lady to hook up with in Perth and you are having no luck with it you can start to feel like there is some kind of great unknown secret to it. In reality the secret to hooking up in Perth lies in technology.
Between a variety of websites and mobile apps there are multiple ways for you to meet up with someone to hook up with. With a little research and effort you will be up to your elbows in dates. Here are a few options you should explore if you are looking to hook up in Perth.
Adult dating sites are likely one of the best ways to find someone to hook up with. There are plenty of different adult dating sites out there to choose from. My advice would be to pick one that either focuses on the Perth area or has a fairly large Perth section in it. Many of these sites will allow you to try them out for free so you can check it out and see how many people from your local area there are before spending any money. Adult dating sites are just like regular dating sites only the people on them are typically just looking for some casual fun.
Another good choice is to meet up with a sexy escort. There are plenty of high quality escort directories or private escorts that have their own sites. With these sites you can browse around and find local escorts that you are into. You can typically contact them and in some cases even read reviews about them. These girls are often classy, discreet and are willing to do more with you than just hook up so if you want someone to take to dinner or do something with outdoors they are a great option.
If you have a smartphone there are some cool new apps like Tinder that allow you to locate women that are online right then and are within a certain distance of you. You can see their picture and read a short description of what they are looking for then decide if you want to send them a message. While this is technically a "dating" app, many people use it as a way to hook up. Just be honest and post a current picture and say what you are looking for. If a like-minded woman sees your profile she will contact you.
Between dating sites, mobile apps and escorts you now have so many easy ways to hook up in Perth you will never have another night alone.Read More
Do They Have Sex Clubs In Perth?
When it comes to sex clubs in Perth there are a few different options for you. If you are part of a couple and looking for a swingers club there are some great choices. If you are not in a couple and still want to have a good, naked time there are some other options for you.
Let's talk about the swingers clubs first. Perth is a fun city that has a hot, sexy vibe. There are at least eight different clubs in Perth that hold swingers events. Not all of them are full time swingers clubs, but they do offer different swingers events throughout the year. Clubs like Pleasure Lounge are full time swingers clubs. They put on a variety of different themed events during the year and have a very nice facility. A place like Delta Social is a little less structured. Here they offer a pool, hot tubs, showers and a variety of different things like stripper poles, themed rooms and plenty of beds. They provide the facility and you provide the good times. Still other places like Voodoo Lounge offer a wide range of different entertainment. From strippers to burlesque shows, they are primarily a club that has a very sexy edge to it, but they do periodically host swingers events.
If you are not part of a couple and you still want to get busy you have a few other options. For starters you can always hit one of the legal brothels in Perth. Here you will have your choice of sexy ladies and you can get exactly what you are looking for. There are also clubs like LP's that host a diverse collection of erotic entertainment. They allow single men in and offer many different rooms including couples only rooms, gay/bi rooms and voyeur options for those who just want to watch. If you are a single, straight guy it may not be as much of a sure thing as visiting a brothel, but it is an option.
Of course if you just want to see some sexy nude women you can always check out any of the numerous strip clubs in the city. Here you can get some very sexy shows including shower shows and there are private rooms where you can have some very erotic one-on-one dances.
Perth is bursting at the seams with sexual energy. If you are looking for some carnal fun, there are plenty of great choices that will bring a smile to your face.Read More
Perth Women Are The Hottest In Australia
Perth, Australia is one of the most beautiful cities in the entire world. It is bathed in sun that keeps the city warm all year around and featuring some of the most amazing beaches and countryside you will ever see. To go along with its warm climate, this city is home to some of the hottest women in all of Australia.
Perth has become a destination city. Located on Australia's southwestern coast, it is a very isolated city, but it is a favored destination for many people from all over the globe. Perth is growing at a very quick rate and now roughly 40% of the population of Perth is not native Australians. This influx of different cultures has brought a certain exoticness and sexiness to the city that many other cities can't lay claim to.
Part of what makes Perth women so hot is that overall they are a fit, athletic and energetic group. Many of the women in Perth love to spend time at the beaches, riding their bikes around the city and in the various nature trails outside the city, hiking, camping and otherwise just enjoying the amazing outdoor offerings. Because of this, many of the women in Perth are fit and have a very health conscious attitude which helps to make them sexy.
Sexiness can also be a matter of attitude. Over the last decade, sexual attitudes in Australia have gotten more and more relaxed. Aussies are now more open, adventurous and daring in their sex lives. This open and fun attitude can add a certain sexy vibe to just about any woman. If she is fun, laid back and open about sex that can make her hot in just about anyone's eyes.
Australian women in general are known for their beauty and that is also very true in Perth. Just walking around you will see plenty of hotties showing off their great legs in shorts. If you hit the beach you will be treated to some eye candy as beautiful women take to the warm sand in their sexy bikinis. There are even some well-known topless and nude beaches in the area where you can get a real eyeful of the beauties from down under.
One of the few things in this world to rival the amazing natural beauty of the city of Perth is the gorgeous, hot women that live there.Read More
Is The Perth Club Scene Wild?
Perth is an interesting, unique city that may find itself isolated from much of the rest of Australia, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have a vibrant, wild club scene. There are many different clubs and bars in this city that are guaranteed to cater to just about every taste.
If you are looking for something on the sexy side you might check out Voodoo Lounge. This club as a decidedly erotic feel to it with hot go-go dancers, stripper poles that can be used by both the dancers and the patrons and cabaret shows on certain nights. It's a fun, energetic and exciting club that pulses with great music and sexual energy.
On the opposite end of the spectrum is a place like 1907 which has a very classy feel to it and focuses on providing the best cocktails and drinks to the patrons. If you are looking for unique and cool drinks and a relaxed atmosphere this is the place to be.
Ambar Nightclub has been voted the best dance club in Perth for several years in a row and DJ Magazine ranks it as the 42nd best dance club in the world. They regularly bring in some of the biggest, hottest DJs in the world to spin and provide an environment that will have you working up a sweat on their world class dance floor. If you want to dance and enjoy visiting the hottest clubs in town you must visit Ambar.
If you are looking for something with a sportier vibe you can check out Leederville Hotel. This bar has been in business for over 100 years and is located just across the street from the WA Ruby Union. This place is often packed to the rafters with sports fans who are looking to have some great drinks and soak up the fun, relaxed vibe.
Perth is a fun city with a lot of unique things going for it. Its club scene is not only on the wild side, but it contains some of the hottest clubs in the world. No matter what you are looking for and what kind of night you want to have, you are sure to find a fun, sexy and crazy club to fit your needs.Read More


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- Publisher: Hothead Games
- Release Date: May 21, 2008
- Also On: PC, PlayStation 3
- Critic Score
- Most active
- Publication
- Most clicked
Unless you don't find Penny Arcade remotely funny, or if you demand that your action-RPGs be really deep and really challenging, then I'd highly recommend Episode One.
Most people will be reluctant to fork over that much coin for an XBLA title but considering the game's box feel and content both Penny Arcade and non-Penny Arcade fans will enjoy, you should get over that concern and play this game.
Finally, a reason to spend your Live points. Though take note that this is an 18+ rated title, but still a great game for your hard drive.
User Score
Generally favorable reviews- based on 26 Ratings
User score distribution:
Positive: 1 out of 1
Mixed: 0 out of 1
Negative: 0 out of 1
TravisJul 3, 2008Five hours? Does anyone take their time and play video games for fun anymore? This isn't a long game by any means, but I would have had Five hours? Does anyone take their time and play video games for fun anymore? This isn't a long game by any means, but I would have had to skip through a lot of funny dialog to beat this game in five hours. Don't trust reviewers to take their time and enjoy everything; it's their job to finish it quickly to get the review out. Take your time and have some fun. Also, I've read probably 10 Penny Arcade comics in my life, and I still found this to be highly entertaining. I'm sure a joke or two went over my head, but overall, I highly recommend this game. It's an RPG for people like me who either don't like wizards and goblins or don't have 100 hours to pour into a game. $20 well spent. Enjoy!… Full Review »


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it was tested & classed a gross polluter.
Lexus » ES250 » 1990 Lexus ES250 » Questions
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1990 Lexus ES250 Question: purchased this car & cannot get it smogged. am i eligible for these programs?
imdavis22, 2.5L V6, Potrero, CA, January 29, 2012, 13:36
2 Answers
Answer #1mastertech6371 January 29, 2012, 14:11Master
did you get a diag and a bid for repairs yet???
Answer #2sdcarguy (see my shops), February 10, 2012, 12:14Enthusiast
Change of ownership vehicles are not eligible for CAP assistance. However, California law requires the SELLER to provide a smog certificate. There are no exceptions. You can sign a document that says you will smog it, but the law says otherwise. This fact alone gives you leverage in court, if you have to pay for the repairs and end up in court to recover your money from the previous owner.
Pay for a diagnostic and go back to the previous owner to ask for help with his legal requirement to supply a passing smog check.
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I have an app stored on Bitbucket. I hooked it up to AppHarbor, and, according to the AppHarbor dashboard, the app builds and deploys successfully.
When I try to go to the application, I end up at "http://odetofood.apphb.com/" (as expected), but this is the content:
Welcome to nginx!
If you see this page, the nginx web server is successfully installed and working. Further configuration is required.
The app was deployed successfully ~9hrs ago.
Any ideas on what is going wrong?
Thanks, AppHarbor looks like a very useful facility...


text: This restaurant was recommended by our Milanese host and it was perfect! It's the first restaurant on the Porta Ticinese strip so under normal circumstances it would not have been our first choice but I'm so glad we went there. The menu is family-style Milanese. We dined on fried bread with... read more


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Tiny Chihuahua Rescued After Getting Stuck on Highway Median
A potentially frightening scene on the roadway had an adorably happy ending for one little pup.
A potentially frightening scene on the roadway had an adorably happy ending for one little pup.
When you're a single dude -- no matter how popular you are with the ladies -- there will always be downtime. When your female companions are busy with work, need to head home, do some wash, or are just sick of being referred to as "friends with benefits," you may find yourself a little lonely. If you won't "put a ring on it" as Beyonce advises, you might want to consider adopting one of man's truest of friends—a dog.
Work getting to you today? Take a second to enjoy the best video you will see today of two dogs playing "Dueling Banjos".
I just died laughing!
Reunited! And it feels so good. A family that lost its dog after Hurricane Sandy was miraculously reunited with the pooch when it went to a a shelter looking to adopt a new animal.
This isn't the type of slick glovework you expect to see on the diamond.
The old adage that dogs are man's best friend is put on display in this moving video.
We've heard of parents who make their kids hold signs in public as a form of punishment, but Carrie Underwood is taking it to a whole new level...or, at least her dog-sitter is.
If you have a dog or cat, you can totally relate to this. I was cracking up laughing the whole time.
Man's best friend appears to have met its match. Check out this pooch who absolutely can't handle the fact it saw a squirrel.
There's nothing like going out with your dogs on a nice day.
When Thomas Rhett is on the road, it can get lonely at home for his wife Lauren, so they decided to add a third member to the Rhett household.


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Dr. Seth J. Rials, MD
Cardiovascular Disease
- 765 N Hamilton Rd Ste 120
Gahanna, OH 43230
- 2 Locations
- (614) 533-5000
Dr. Seth J. Rials graduated from the Rosalind Franklin University/ Chicago Medical School in 1984. He works in Gahanna, OH and 1 other location and specializes in Cardiovascular Disease and Cardiac Electrophysiology. Dr. Rials is affiliated with Grady Memorial Hospital and Grant Medical Center.
Gender: Male
Languages Spoken: English
Cardiovascular Disease, Cardiac Electrophysiology
Medical School: Rosalind Franklin University/ Chicago Medical School; Graduated 1984
*This physician has multiple office locations. See Office Information for details.


text:
We're an independent research provider and consulting firm focused on the housing industry. We compile and analyze an unprecedented volume of information to keep our clients informed. Utilizing our trusted analysis, our clients can:
- Make more money
- Identify risks and avoid pitfalls
- Be both knowledgeable and efficient with their time
Raise the Yellow Flag: Apartment Construction Now a Concern in Many Markets
Apartment builders continue to feverishly build to capitalize on rising rental rates and favorable demographics, but construction is reaching danger levels in some markets.
Uniquely Competitive Environment
With homeownership costs at the lowest levels in decades and a surge in vacant single-family rentals, renters have plenty of options these days.
- The average monthly cost of homeownership is currently equal to or below the average rental rate in most markets.
- The move-out to purchase ratio (as reported by the apartment REITs) has risen to 14% from 11% in 2010.
The chart below compares the multifamily permit activity over the last 12 months to the 22-year average for the top 22 apartment markets.
BLS Revisions Include 464K More Jobs Than Previously Reported
You Can't Argue with the Math: The Inevitable Rebound
Home prices have gone through a severe bear market for the past five years, after experiencing a strong rising market for several years before that. While some have become discouraged about residential real estate, the time for discouragement is past. Today's combination of low prices and low mortgage rates makes home buying very attractive. More than that, the real estate cycle itself is now far over-depressed, well below its long-term trend. The natural-and powerful-turn of that cyclic wheel in itself creates a major force driving appreciation of home prices over the next several years. To see this, we'll look at one of the most cyclic areas of all: California.


text:
iLounge releases the 2011 iPod/iPhone/iPad Buyers' Guide
It's here: iLounge's annual guide to the iPod, iPhone, and iPad, plus their accessories, apps and games has arrived! Download the 2011 iPod/iPhone/iPad Buyers' Guide today!
The 2011 Buyers' Guide is a one-download shortcut to all of the best iPod, iPhone, and iPad holiday shopping information we've compiled over the last year, designed to be useful for any sort of reader: new iPod and iPhone users will appreciate detailed shopping tips and the brand new iGlossary, which cuts through all the technical jargon related to the players and accessories, while hard-core fans will enjoy exclusive sneak peeks at Scosche's iClops video camera for the iPad and older iPod touches, Optoma's Neo-i portable video projector, and more! Additional details are after the download links below.
PC / Mac / iPad: Download Single-Page / Download Double-Page
iPhone/iPod touch: Download 1 of 3 / Download 2 of 3 / Download 3 of 3
Now with over 200 pages of helpful information, the 2011 Guide includes over 20 different brand-new and refreshed features. Inside, you'll find everything you need to make smarter Apple purchases this year: lists of the lowest-priced and smartest places to buy iPods, iPhones, and accessories, plus selling prices so you can trade up your old model. You'll also find sections dedicated to the best 100 games and 100 essential apps for the iPod, iPhone, and iPad, and up-to-date lists of top-rated accessories—sorted by device model and by category.
Our 2011 iPod/iPhone/iPad Buyers' Guide is available in a computer- and iPad-friendly wide-screen version, a single-page version suitable for printing, and a small-screen version for viewing on the iPhone or iPod touch. iPad users: The two-page version is entirely readable on the iPad; the one-page version increases the amount of page-turning but makes text larger on the iPad, and is easier to print if need be. We strongly recommend that iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad users download the Guide to their computers, then drag and drop it into iTunes for reading in iBooks. Each version is completely free for iLounge readers, and distributed in PDF format for maximum compatibility across devices. For additional details, click here to see the full story. And please do your part to share the Guide by telling a friend, or hosting it on your file sharing network of choice. Enjoy!
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Tehehehehehehe… I'm soo excited to read it!!
Posted by Charles Starrett on November 1, 2010 at 9:38 AM (CDT)
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text:
Techniques for improving on data center best practices are provided. In one aspect, an exemplary methodology for analyzing energy efficiency of a data center having a raised-floor cooling system with at least one air conditioning unit is provided. The method comprises the following steps. An initial assessment is made of the energy efficiency of the data center based on one or more power consumption parameters of the data center. Physical parameter data obtained from one or more positions in the data center are compiled into one or more metrics, if the initial assessment indicates that the data center is energy inefficient. Recommendations are made to increase the energy efficiency of the data center based on one or more of the metrics.
1. A method for analyzing energy efficiency of a data center having a raised-floor cooling system with at least one air conditioning unit, the method comprising the steps of:
making an initial assessment of the energy efficiency of the data center based on one or more power consumption parameters of the data center;
compiling physical parameter data obtained from one or more positions in the data center into one or more metrics if the initial assessment indicates that the data center is energy inefficient; and
making recommendations to increase the energy efficiency of the data center based on one or more of the metrics.
2. The method of
making an initial assessment of one or more of an air conditioning unit power consumption and a refrigeration chiller power consumption.
3. The method of
4. The method of
collecting one or more of the temperature and the humidity data from the data center through use of mobile measurement technology.
5. The method of
collecting the air flow data from the data center through use of one or more of a velometer flow hood and a vane anemometer.
6. The method of
7. The method of
repeating the making, collecting and compiling steps to assess the effectiveness of the recommendations, when implemented.
8. An apparatus for analyzing energy efficiency of a data center having a raised-floor cooling system with at least one air conditioning unit, the apparatus comprising:
a memory; and
at least one processor, coupled to the memory, operative to:
make an initial assessment of the energy efficiency of the data center based on one or more power consumption parameters of the data center;
compile physical parameter data obtained from one or more positions in the data center into one or more metrics if the initial assessment indicates that the data center is energy inefficient; and
make recommendations to increase the energy efficiency of the data center based on one or more of the metrics.
9. The apparatus of
make an initial assessment of one or more of an air conditioning unit power consumption and a refrigeration chiller power consumption.
10. An article of manufacture for analyzing energy efficiency of a data center having a raised-floor cooling system with at least one air-conditioning unit, comprising a machine-readable medium containing one or more programs which when executed implement the steps of:
making an initial assessment of the energy efficiency of the data center based on one or more power consumption parameters of the data center;
compiling physical parameter data obtained from one or more positions in the data center into one or more metrics if the initial assessment indicates that the data center is energy inefficient; and
making recommendations to increase the energy efficiency of the data center based on one or more of the metrics.
11. The article of manufacture of
making an initial assessment of one or more of an air conditioning unit power consumption and a refrigeration chiller power consumption.
12. A method of providing a service for analyzing energy efficiency of a date center having a raised-floor cooling system with at least one air conditioning unit, the method comprising, the step of:
a service provider enabling the steps of:
making an initial assessment of the energy efficiency of the data center based on one or more power consumption parameters of the data center;
compiling physical parameter data obtained from one or more positions in the data center into one or more metrics if the initial assessment indicates that the data center is energy inefficient; and
making recommendations to increase the energy efficiency of the data center based on one or more of the metrics.
This application is related to the commonly owned U.S. application Ser. No. ______, entitled �Techniques for Data Center Cooling,� designated as Attorney Reference No. YOR920070177US1, filed herewith on the same day of May 17, 2007, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference as fully set forth herein.
The present invention relates to data centers, and more particularly, to data center best practices including techniques to improve thermal environment and energy efficiency of the data center.
Computer equipment is continually evolving to operate at higher power levels. Increasing power levels pose challenges with regard to thermal management. For example, many data centers now employ individual racks of blade servers that can develop 20,000 watts, or more, worth of heat load. Typically, the servers are air cooled and, in most cases, the data center air conditioning infrastructure is not designed to handle the thermal load.
Companies looking to expand their data center capabilities are thus faced with a dilemma, either incur the substantial cost of building a new data center system with increased cooling capacity, or limit the expansion of their data center to remain within the limits of their current cooling system. Neither option is desirable.
Further, a recent study from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has reported that, in 2005, server-driven power usage amounted to 1.2 percent (i.e., 5,000 megawatts (MW)) and 0.8 percent (i.e., 14,000 MW) of the total United States and world energy consumption, respectively. See, J. G. Koomey, Estimating Total Power Consumption By Servers In The U.S. and The World, A report by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, February (2007) (hereinafter �Koomey�). According to Koomey, the cost of this 2005 server-driven energy usage was $2.7 billion and $7.2 billion for the United States and the world, respectively. The study also reported a doubling of server-related electricity consumption between the years 2000 and 2005, with an anticipated 15 percent per year growth rate.
Thus, techniques for understanding and improving on the energy efficiency of data centers would be desirable, both from the standpoint of improving the efficiency of existing data center infrastructures, as well as from a cost and sustainability standpoint.
The present invention provides techniques for improving on data center best practices. In one aspect of the invention, an exemplary methodology for analyzing energy efficiency of a data center having a raised-floor cooling system with at least one air conditioning unit is provided. The method comprises the following steps. An initial assessment is made of the energy efficiency of the data center based on one or more power consumption parameters of the data center. Physical parameter data obtained from one or more positions in the data center are compiled into one or more metrics, if the initial assessment indicates that the data center is energy inefficient. Recommendations are made to increase the energy efficiency of the data center based on one or more of the metrics.
A more complete understanding of the present invention, as well as further features and advantages of the present invention, will be obtained by reference to the following detailed description and drawings.
A goal of methodology 100 is to improve energy (and space) efficiency of the data center by improving the data center cooling system infrastructure. As will be described in detail below, these improvements can occur in one or more of a thermodynamic and a transport aspect of the cooling system.
Steps 102 and 104 make up an initial assessment phase of methodology 100. Steps 108-112 make up a data gathering, analysis and recommendation phase of methodology 100. Step 114 makes up an implementation of best practices phase of methodology 100.
In step 102, an initial assessment is made of the energy efficiency (it) of the data center. This initial assessment can be based on readily obtainable power consumption parameters of the data center. By way of example only, in one embodiment, the initial assessment of the energy efficiency of the data center is based on a ratio of information technology (IT) power consumption (e.g., power consumed by IT and related equipment, such as uninterruptible power supplies (UPSs), power distribution units (PDUs), cabling and switches) to overall data center power consumption (which includes, in addition to IT power consumption, power consumption by a secondary support infrastructure, including, e.g., cooling system components, data center lighting, fire protection, security, generator and switchgear). For example, a definition of energy efficiency of data center (η) that can be used in accordance with the present teachings, is η=Power for IT (P IT)/Power for data center (P DC). See, for example, Green Grid Metrics�Describing Data Center Power Efficiency, Technical Committee White Paper by the Green Grid Industry Consortium, Feb. 20, 2007), the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. The data center overall power consumption is usually obtainable from building monitoring systems or from the utility company, and the IT power consumption can be measured directly at one or more of the PDUs present throughout the data center.
As will be described in detail below. to cool the data center the ACUs employ chilled water received from a refrigeration chiller plant, i.e., via a refrigeration chiller. To help assess energy efficiency and energy savings, in step 104., an estimation is made of ACU power consumption and refrigeration chiller power consumption, i.e., PACU and Pchiller. As indicated above, and as will be described in detail below, the ACU power consumption is associated with a transport term of the cooling infrastructure, and the refrigeration chiller power consumption is associated with a thermodynamic term of the cooling infrastructure. The present techniques will address, in part, reducing PACU and Pchiller. Thus, according to an exemplary embodiment, the initial assessment of PACU and Pchiller can be later used, i.e., once methodology 100 is completed, to ascertain whether PACU and Pchiller have been reduced.
In step 106, based on the initial assessment of the energy efficiency of the data center made in step 102, above, a determination is then made as to whether the data center is energy efficient or not, e.g., based on whether the assessed level of energy efficiency is satisfactory or not. As will be described, for example, in conjunction with the description of
When it is determined that the data center is energy efficient, e.g., when η is satisfactory, no further analysis is needed. However, when it is determined that the data center is energy inefficient, e.g., η is not satisfactory, then the analysis continues.
In step 108, physical parameter data are collected from the data center. As will be described in detail below, the physical parameter data can include, but are not limited to, temperature, humidity and air flow data for a variety of positions within the data center. According to an exemplary embodiment, the temperature and humidity data are collected front the data center using mobile measurement technology (MMT) thermal scans of the data center. The MMT scans result in detailed three-dimensional temperature images of the data center which can be used as a service to help customers implement recommendations and solutions in their specific environment. MMT is described in detail, for example, in conjunction with the description of
In step 110, the physical parameter data obtained from the data center are compiled into a number of metrics. As will be described in detail below. according to a preferred embodiment, the physical parameter data are compiled into at least one of six key metrics, namely a horizontal hotspots metric (i.e. an air inlet temperature variations metric), a vertical hotspots metric, a non-targeted air flow metric, a sub-floor plenum hotspots metric, an ACU utilization metric and/or an ACU air flow metric. The first four metrics, i.e., the horizontal hotspots metric, the vertical hotspots metric, the non-targeted air flow metric and the sub-plenum hotspots metric are related to, and affect, thermodynamic terms of energy savings. The last two metrics, i.e., the ACU utilization metric and the ACU air flow metric are related to, and affect, transport terms of energy savings. Since the metrics effectively quantify, i.e. gauge the extent of, hotspots, non-targeted air flow (thermodynamic) and ACU utilization/air flow (transport) in the data center, they can be used to give customers a tool to understand their data center efficiency and a tract-able way to save energy based on low-cost best practices.
In step 112, based on the findings from compiling the physical parameter data into the metrics in step 110, above, recommendations can be made regarding best practices to increase the energy efficiency of the data center (energy savings). As will be described, for example, in conjunction with the description of
In step 114, customers can implement changes in their data centers based on the recommendations made in step 112, above. After the changes are implemented, one or more of the steps of methodology 100 can be repeated to determine whether the energy efficiency of the data center has improved. By way of example only, one or more of the recommendations are implemented, a reassessment of the energy efficiency of the data center can be performed, and compared with the initial assessment (step 103) to ascertain energy savings.
It is widely acknowledged that the energy efficiency of a data center is primarily determined by the extent of the implementation of best practices. In particular, data center cooling power consumption, which is a significant fraction of the total data center power, is largely governed by the IT equipment layout, chilled air flow control and many other factors.
A new service solution is described herein, which exploits the superiority of fast and massive parallel data collection using the MMT to drive towards quantitative measurement driven data center best practices implementation. Parallel data collection indicates that data is being collected using several sensors in different location at the same time. The MMT (described below) has more than 100 temperature sensors, which collect spatial temperature data simultaneously. The data center is thermally characterized via three dimensional temperature maps and detailed flow parameters which are used to calculate six key metrics (horizontal and vertical hotspots, non-targeted air flow, plenum air temperature variations of the air conditioning unit (ACU) discharge temperatures and flow blockage. The metrics provide quantitative insights regarding the sources of energy efficiencies. Most importantly the metrics have been chosen such that each metric corresponds to a clear set of solutions, which are readily available to the customer. By improving on each of these metrics, the customer can clearly gauge, systematically, the progress towards a more energy efficient data center.
As described above, in step 102 an initial assessment of the energy efficiency of the data center is made.
As shown in
While most data center managers today have some generic knowledge about the fundamentals of data center best practices, it is a very different challenge to relate this generic knowledge to the context of their specific environment, as every data center is unique. For a summary of best practices, see, for example, High Performance Data Centers�A Design Guidelines Sourcebook, Pacific Gas and Electric Company Report, Developed by Rumsey Eng. & Lawrence Berkeley National Labs (2006), R. Schmidt, and M. Iyengar, Best Practices for Data Center Thermal and Energy Management�Review of Literature�. Proceedings of the ASHRAE Winter Meeting in Chicago, Paper DA-07-022 (2006) and C. Kurkjian and J. Glass, Air-Conditioning Design for Data Centers�Accommodating Current Loads and Planning for the Future, ASHRAE Transactions, Vol. 111, Part 2. Paper number DE-05-11-1 (2005), the disclosures of which arc incorporated by reference herein.
Thus, it remains an ongoing challenge for customers to implement these best practices in their specific environment. Quite often data center managers are confused and end up with non-optimum solutions for their environment. It is believed that by providing detailed, measurable metrics for data center best practices and by helping customers to implement these solutions in their specific environment, significant amounts of energy can be saved.
An opportunity to improve energy efficiency of the data center lies in the discovery that the amount of power spent on the cooling infrastructure is governed by the energy utilization practices employed, i.e., the degree to which cooled air is efficiently and adequately distributed to a point of use. For a discussion of data center energy consumption, see, for example, Neil Rasmussen, Electrical Efficiency Modeling of Data Centers. White paper published by the American Power Conversion. Document no. 113, version 1 (2006), the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.
The cooling infrastructure in data center 502 is made up of a refrigeration chiller plant (which includes a cooling tower, cooling tower pumps and blowers, building chilled water pumps and a refrigeration chiller) and ACUs. Cooling infrastructure components are described in further detail below. As shown in
All of the power supplied to the raised floor (PRF) is consumed by IT equipment and the supporting infrastructures (e.g., PDUs and ACUs) and is released into the surrounding environment as heat, which places an enormous burden on a cooling infrastructure, i.e., cooling system. As used herein, PRF refers to the electrical power supplied to run the IT equipment, lighting the ACUs and the PDUs. Namely, PRF is the power to the raised-floor, which includes power to IT, lighting, ACU, and PDUs. By comparison, PDC is the total data center power, which includes the PRF and also the equipment outside the raised floor room, e.g. the chiller, the cooling tower fans and pumps and the building chilled water pumps. Existing cooling technologies typically utilize air to carry the heat away from the chip, and reject to the ambient environment. This ambient environment in a typical data center is an air conditioned room, a small section of which is depicted in
The ACUs typically receive chilled water from a refrigeration chiller plant (not shown). A refrigeration chiller plant is described in detail below. Each ACU typically comprises a blower motor to circulate air through the ACU and to blow cooled air, e.g., into the sub-floor plenum. As such, in most data centers, the ACUs are simple heat exchangers mainly consuming power needed to blow the cooled air into the sub-floor plenum. ACU blower power is described in detail below.
A refrigeration chiller plant is typically made up of several components, including a refrigeration chiller, a cooling tower, cooling tower pumps and blowers and building chilled water pumps. The refrigeration chiller itself comprises two heat exchangers connected to each other, forming a refrigerant loop (see below), which also contains a compressor for refrigerant vapor compression and a throttling valve for refrigerant liquid expansion. It is the efficiency of this refrigeration chiller that is shown in
The building chilled water loop comprises one or more pumps and a network of pipes to carry chilled water to the ACUs from the refrigerant loop, and vice versa. Specifically, the evaporator thermally couples the building chilled water loop) to the refrigerant loop, and allows the exchange of heat from the water to the refrigerant. The chilled water flows through heat exchanger coils in the ACUs. Hot air that is blown across the heat exchanger coils in the ACUs rejects its heat to the chilled water flowing therethrough. After extracting heat from the data center, the water, now heated, makes its way back to the evaporator where it rejects its heat to the refrigerant therein, thus being cooled back to a specified set point temperature. At the condenser, the refrigerant rejects the heat that was extracted at the evaporator into condenser water flowing therethrough.
This condenser water is pumped, by way of a pump and associated plumbing networks to and from the cooling tower. In the cooling tower, the heated condenser water is sprayed into a path of an air stream, which serves to evaporate some of the water, and thereby cooling down the remainder of the condenser water stream. A water source, i.e., a �make up� water source, is provided to ensure a constant condenser water flow rate. The air stream is typically created using the cooling tower blowers that blast huge volumetric air flow rates. i.e., 50,000-500,000 CFM, through the cooling tower. A fin structure can be utilized to augment the evaporation rate of the condenser water in the air flow path.
With regard to improving the cooling efficiency of data centers. it is useful to distinguish between two factors associated with cooling power consumption. The first factor is associated with the cost to generate cooled air (a thermodynamic term) and a second factor is associated with the delivery of the cooled air to a data center (a transport term). To a first order, the thermodynamic term of the cooling power, i.e., cooling energy, is determined by a power consumption of the refrigeration chiller, while the transport term is given by a power consumption of the ACU blower.
Hotspots, for example, within the raised floor, i.e., horizontal/vertical hotspots as opposed to sub-floor plenum hotspots, (here caused by intermixing of cold and hot air) can increase air temperatures at the air inlets of corresponding IT equipment racks. Such intermixing can occur, for example, as a result of violations of the hot/cold aisle concept, e.g., wherein IT equipment racks are arranged to form one or more mixed isles (isles in which both hot and cooled air is present). In order to compensate for these hotspots, data center managers often chose an excessively low chilled water temperature set point, (i.e., the temperature of the water being delivered to the ACUs from the refrigeration chiller, via the building chilled water loop (as described above) which can be set at the refrigeration chiller) which significantly increases the thermodynamic cooling cost at the refrigeration chiller (Pchiller). An excessively low chilled water temperature set point, for example about five � C., results in an air temperature of about 12� C. at the perforated floor tiles, so as to offset a 15� C. temperature gradient between the tops and bottoms of the IT equipment racks. In this case, the inefficiency results in as much as a 10 percent to 25 percent increase in energy consumption at the refrigeration chiller. as compared to an optimized data center design. This constitutes a significant increase in thermodynamic cooling costs.
The term �hotspots,� as used herein, is intended to refer to region(s) of relatively higher temperature, as compared to an average temperature. Hotspots can occur on the sun, the human body. a microprocessor chip or a data center. The use of the term �relatively� is made to qualitatively define the size of a region, which is higher in temperature compared to the rest of the room. For example, if it is assumed that a hot region is anything that is hotter by one degree Celsius (� C.) compared to the average temperature. then one would likely find that a large part of the data center fulfils this condition. However. if it assumed that to be considered a hotspot, the region needs to be from about five � C. to about 15� C. hotter than the average temperature. then the hotspot region will be much smaller. Therefore., by choosing a criteria for defining what is �hot� one indirectly influences the size of the hotspot region. If the phrase is interpreted as only slightly higher then the hotspots will be large. However, if the use of the phrase �relatively� means much higher, then the hot spot region will be relatively smaller. By way of example only, in a data center, hotspots can be identified as those regions of the data center having temperatures that are at least about five � C. greater than, e.g., between about five � C. and about 20� C., the average room temperature, and the hot spot region can be between about 10 percent and about 40 percent of the total room footprint area. Herein a distinction is further made between horizontal hotspots (i.e., referring to locations of relatively higher temperatures in a horizontal plane) and vertical hotspots (i.e., referring to locations of relatively higher temperatures in a vertical plane).
It is further shown in
From a thermodynamic work perspective, the power consumption of the refrigeration chiller is governed by four dominant factors. These factors are: the chilled water temperature set point leaving the evaporator to provide cooling for the ACUs, a load factor (which is a ratio of an operating heat load of the refrigeration chiller to a rated heat load), a temperature of condenser water entering the condenser from the cooling tower (i.e., condenser water temperature) and an energy used in pumping water and air in both the building chilled water and the cooling tower loops, respectively.
Graph 800 illustrates that there is a dependence of refrigeration chiller power consumption on load and condenser water temperature, which are both difficult factors to control. Namely, while both of these factors, i.e., load and condenser water temperature, are important, they are usually determined by climatic and circumstantial parameters. For example, if the outdoor temperature in Phoenix, Ariz., is 120� F., then there is not much a data center best practices service can do about that. Similarly, if the IT equipment computing load is just not needed, then the refrigeration chiller will be at a low load factor condition.
Thus, according to an exemplary embodiment, focus is placed on the dependence of refrigeration chiller power consumption on the chilled water temperature set point, which is a parameter that can be easily and readily controlled by data center managers. As will be described in detail below, by implementing the proper best practices, the chilled water temperature set point can be increased, thereby saving thermodynamic energy of the refrigeration chiller.
Specifically, a one � F. increase in the chilled water temperature set point results in approximately a 0.6 percent to a 2.5 percent increase in the refrigeration chiller efficiency. See, for example, Maximizing Building Energy Efficiency And Comfort�Continuous Commissioning Guidebook for Federal Energy Managers. A report published by Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP)�U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Prepared by Texas A&M University and University of Nebraska, Chapter 6, page 2, October (2002), Kavita A. Vallabhaneni, Benefits of Water-Cooled Systems vs. Air-Cooled Systems for Air-Conditioning Applications, Presentation from the website of the Cooling Technology Institute; Improving industrial productivity through energy-efficient advancements�Energy Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), http://www.progress-energy.com/Savers�Chiller Optimization and Energy Efficient Chillers, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein.
A rate of energy efficiency improvement of 1.7 percent per � F. (%/� F.) will be used herein to estimate energy savings.
With regard to chilled air from ACUs, in order to reduce the transport term of power consumption in a data center, the ACU blower power has to be reduced. If the ACUs are equipped with a variable frequency drive (VFD), blower power can be saved continuously by simply throttling the blower motor.
The respective energy improvements for different blower speeds are shown in
Thus, for a 5,100 CFM operating point, the pressure drop is a little more than one inch of water (about 250 Newtons per square meter (N/m2)) and the dotted lines show the blower motor power consumption to be about two horsepower (hp). The blower motor speed for this operating point is 800 revolutions per minute (RPM). Observing
If the blower motor speed is further reduced to 400 RPM, thus decreasing the air flow rate to half of what it was at 800 RPM, then the blower motor power consumption is reduced by a large factor of 84 percent. It should be noted that the preceding discussion does not take the pressure loss and thus pumping work due to the sub-floor plenum and the perforated tiles. This component is usually about 10 percent to about 15 percent of the total ACU power consumption.
In most cases. however, ACU blowers cannot be controlled. Thus, for the following discussion it is assumed that blower power savings come from turning off the respective ACUs.
As described, for example, in conjunction with the description of step 108 of
The MMT is the only currently available method to rapidly measure the full three-dimensional temperature distribution of a data center. The MMT can play an important role in the data collecting process. For example, the MMT can yield three-dimensional thermal images of the data center, such as that shown in
Specifically, the MMT uses a plurality of networked sensors mounted on a framework, defining a virtual unit cell of the data center. The framework can define a cart which can be provided with a set of wheels. The MMT has a position tracking device. While rolling the cart through the data center, the MMT systematically gathers relevant physical parameters of the data center as a function of orientation and x, y and z positions.
The MMT is designed for low power consumption and is battery powered. The MMT can survey approximately 5,000 square feet of data center floor in only about one hour. As described, for example, in conjunction with the description of
Other measurement tools may be used in addition to the MMT. By way of example only, air flow data can be collected using a standard velometer flow hood, such as the Air Flow Capture Hood also manufactured by Shortridge Instruments, Inc. Namely, a standard velometer flow hood can be used to collect air flow rate data for the different perforated floor tiles. According to an exemplary embodiment, the flow hood used fits precisely over a two foot by two foot tile. Further, power measurements, including measuring a total power supplied to a data center. can be achieved using room level power instrumentation and access to PDUs. PDUs commonly have displays that tell facility managers how much electrical power is being consumed. ACU cooling power can be computed by first measuring ACU inlet air flow using a flow meter, such as The Velgrid, also manufactured by Shortridge Instruments, Inc., or any other suitable instrument, by spot sampling and then ACU air inlet and exhaust outlet temperatures can be measured using a thermocouple, or other suitable means. The cooling done by and ACU is directly proportional to the product of its air flow and the air temperature difference between the air inlet and exhaust outlet. respectively.
As described above, a goal of the present teachings is to improve the energy and space efficiency of a data center. This can be achieved by making two important changes to the cooling infrastructure, namely (1) lowering the chilled water temperature set point (learning the evaporator) and thus reducing power consumption by the refrigeration chiller (thermodynamic) and (2) lowering the air flow supplied by the ACUs, thus reducing the ACU blower power consumption (transport).
As described above, the present techniques involve a number of measurements/metrics. For example, methodology 100, described in conjunction with the description of
As described, for example, in conjunction with the description of step 102 of
The total power for the data center (PDC) is typically available from facility power monitoring systems or from the utility company and the IT equipment power (PIT) can be directly measured at the PDUs present throughout the data center. Most PDUs have power meters, but in cases where they do not, current clamps may be used to estimate the IT equipment power.
As described, for example, in conjunction with the description of step 104 of
Due to one or more of condensation at the cool heat exchanger coils of the ACU, the existence of human beings in the data center who �sweat� moisture into the room, as well as the ingress of external dry or moist air into the room, the humidity of the data center needs to be controlled, i.e., by dehumidification. The dehumidification function carried out by the ACU serves this purpose. The refrigeration chiller power (Pchiller) (thermodynamic) is often available from the facility power monitoring systems. Otherwise, Pchiller can be approximated by estimating the total raised-floor power (PRF) (i.e., total thermal power being removed by the ACUs, which includes the power of the ACUs themselves) and an anticipated coefficient of performance for the refrigeration chiller (COPchller), as follows:
Here a COPchiller of 4.5 can be used, corresponding to 0.78 kW/tonne, which is typical for a refrigeration chiller. The total raised floor power (PRF) is given by the following:
wherein Plight represents power used for lighting in the data center, PACU represents total ACU power and PPDU represents the power losses associated with the PDUs. PIT is, by far, the largest term and is known from the PDU measurements for the data center efficiency as described, for example, with reference to Equation 1, above. The power used for lighting is usually small and can be readily estimated by Plight≈ADC�2 W/ft2, wherein ADC is the data center floor area and an estimated two Watts per square foot (W/ft2) are allocated for lighting. Typical PDU losses are on the order of about 10 percent of the IT equipment power (i.e., PPDU≈PIT 0.1).
As is shown in Table 1200, the different metrics have been grouped by thermodynamic and transport type of energy savings (increase the chilled water temperature set point and turn ACUs off (or implement variable frequency drives), respectively). While the distinction between thermodynamic and transport type energy savings is straightforward for hotspots, the distinction is less clear for flow contributions. It is also noted that this distinction is useful for clarification purposes but that certain metrics, depending on the choice of the energy saving action (e.g., turn ACUs off and/or change the chilled water temperature set point) can be both thermodynamic and/or transport in nature.
With regard to temperature distribution and hotspots, hotspots are one of the main sources for energy waste in data centers. It is notable. however, that in a typical data center a relatively small number of the IT equipment racks are hot, and these racks are generally located in specific areas, i.e., localized in clusters. In addition, it is quite common that IT equipment, such as servers and nodes in higher positions on a rack are the hottest. An energy-costly solution involves compensating for these hotspots by choosing a lower chilled water temperature set point, which disproportionately drives up energy costs for a data center.
In the following discussion, a distinction is made between horizontal and vertical hotspots, because the respective solutions are somewhat different. It is also noted that the techniques described herein correlate each of the metrics with action-able recommendations.
A horizontal hotspot metric (HHH) is defined as follows:
wherein HH is a standard deviation of the average IT equipment rack inlet (face) temperatures (Tface j), i.e. measured at the fronts of each IT equipment rack wherein cooled air is drawn, for each rack in the data center (j=1 . . . #RACK). The IT equipment rack air inlet (face) temperatures are taken from an MMT thermal scan made of the data center. See, step 108 of
In some cases, the IT equipment racks are not completely filled, i.e., and have one or more empty slots. In that instance, temperatures for the empty slots are excluded from the calculation. It is noted that a histogram or frequency distribution (hHH(Tface j)) of the IT equipment rack air inlet (face) temperatures with its average (mean) temperature (Tface avg) and standard deviation (Tface std) is another important metric in helping to gauge and understand the extent of horizontal hotspots and how to mitigate them. Namely, the horizontal hotspot metric (Equation 5) can be computed for each IT equipment air inlet, or for each IT equipment rack air inlet, and the histograms based on this computation can locate and identify a spatial extent of each hotspot. In addition, it is noted that Tface avg can be used to determine whether or not the whole data center is overcooled. For example, the mean temperature should ideally be centered in the desired operating temperature range. If the mean temperature is below (or above) this value, the data center is overcooled (or undercooled). It is assumed that hotspots have been managed at least to the extent that the range of IT equipment rack air inlet (face) temperatures corresponds to the range in the measured data of the IT equipment rack air inlet (face) temperatures specification. Typical values of a server inlet temperature specification are between about 18� C. to about 32� C.
Although the correct allocation of required air flow to each IT equipment rack is an important part of best practices (i.e., low HHH), experience has shown that simply provisioning the right amount of air flow does not always mitigate hotspots and that there are some limits to this approach. For example, additional restrictions, such as within rack recirculation and recirculation over and/or around racks, can inhibit air flow and create intra-rack or vertical hotspots. In particular, nodes and servers located at the top of an IT equipment rack experience hotspots from poor air flow management (e.g., resulting in recirculation (see, for example,
for j=1 . . . #Rack. Equation 7 is a vertical hotspots metric. A respective histogram (frequency) distribution (hVH(ΔTRack j)) with its associated standard deviation (ΔTRack std) is a more detailed way to understand a degree of vertical hotspots, as the histogram highlights vertical hotspot values corresponding to poor provisioning or air recirculation.
While placement of the perforated floor tiles will mostly affect horizontal hotspots (and to some extent vertical hotspots), in a typical data center a significant fraction of the air flow is not targeted at all and comes, for example, through cable cutouts and other leak points. The present techniques quantify the fraction of non-targeted (NT) air flow as follows:
wherein fACU total is total air flow output from all ACUs within a data center, and wherein ftargeted total is determined according to Equation 12, presented below. Equation 8 is a non-targeted air flow metric
Because the quantitative measurement of ACU air flows is non-trivial, a simple method is used for estimating fACU total using a combination of balancing dissipated energy within the data center and allocating this energy between the different ACUs (based on relative flow measurements) yielding,
wherein Pcool i is the power cooled by the respective ACU, and ΔTACU i is a difference between ACU return (TR i) and ACU discharge (TD i) temperatures, respectively (i.e., ΔTACU i=TACU,R i−TACU,D i). ACU return temp is the air temperature at a draw, i.e., suction, side of the ACU, i.e., the hot air temperature at an air inlet to the ACU, and ACU discharge temp is the cool air temperature as it leaves the ACU into the sub-floor plenum. ρ and cp are the density and specific heat of air, respectively (p≈1.15 kilograms per cubic meter (kg/m3), cp≈1007 Joules per kilogram Kelvin (J/kg K)). For this analysis, temperature dependence of air density and specific heat are ignored.
While it is straightforward to measure actual return and discharge temperatures for each ACU unit, the respective ACU cooling power levels Pcool i are more difficult to measure. However, one can a exploit a notion that the total raised-floor power (PRF), i.e., total power dissipated in the raised-floor area, should be equal (to a first order) to a sum of each ACU cooling power for all ACUs, i.e.,
By measuring a non-calibrated air flow fACU,NC i from each ACU, as well as a difference between the return and discharge temperatures (ΔTACU i) for each ACU, a relative cooling power contribution (wcool i=fACU,NC iΔTACU i) can be allocated for each ACU and used to derive the respective power cooled at each ACU as follows:
Apportioning an estimated total air flow in a data center to each individual ACU in the data center can be used to assess performance of the individual ACUs. This involves knowing a relative airflow of each ACU, rather than an actual airflow. Acu relative air flow measurements can be performed by sampling air flow rates (using, for example. The Velgrid or a vane anemometer) at a given location in the air inlet duct of the ACUs. In the event that the ACUs are of different models and thus potentially possessing different air inlet. i.e., suction, side areas. the area of the ACU unit needs to be accounted for in the calculations. This can be done by multiplying the ACU suction side area by the flow rate (measured using the flow meter at a single location). A single airflow measurement using standard flow instrumentation can be made for each ACU, which can be assumed to represent a fixed percentage of actual ACU airflow. This assumption can be validated, if desired, by making more complete measurements on the ACU. In cases where the ACU models differ, the different areas and geometrical factors can be accounted for, which can also be validated with more detailed flow measurements
According to an exemplary embodiment, for each ACU, the discharge temperature is measured by creating a small gap between floor tiles within 750 millimeters (mm) below the ACU. For example, one of the solid floor tiles can be lifted to create a small gap of about one inch to about two inches for access to the sub-floor plenum. Then a thermocouple can be put into the sub-floor plenum to measure sub-floor air temperature near this ACU and assume it to be the ACU discharge temperature. A thermocouple is placed in the gap and allowed to stabilize. The ACU return temperature is measured at a location 125 mm from a lateral side of the ACU and centered over the front filter in the depth direction, i.e., from a top down. This location is chosen so as to be proximate to an air inlet temperature sensor on the ACU. The readings typically fluctuate and generally are about two � F. to about four � F. above a temperature reported by the air inlet temperature sensor on the ACU.
Targeted air flow can be readily determined by measuring air flow from each perforated floor tile with a standard velometer flow hood, such as the Air Flow Capture Hood. In order to avoid double-counting the tiles, only the perforated floor tiles which are located in front of, or close by., i.e., within 10 feet of, the air inlet of an IT equipment rack are counted. Specifically, perforated floor tiles which are more than ten feet away from any IT equipment component, i.e. server, are counted towards non-targeted air flow. Targeted air flow is thus determined as follows:
It is notable that fresh air for working personnel in the data center, commonly provided via ceiling vents, originates from outside of the data center. This air supply is distinguished from the data center cooling loop in which air is recirculated.
It is common that some ACUs are not set to a correct temperature, i.e., do not have correct temperature set points, or are not contributing, in any way. to cooling of the data center. In fact, it is not unusual that some ACUs actually hinder a cooling system by blowing hot return air into the sub-floor plenum air supply without proper cooling. This effect will increase sub-floor plenum temperatures or cause sub-floor plenum hotspots (SH). Sub-floor plenum hotspots can be counteracted by reducing the refrigeration chiller temperature set point (i.e., reducing the chilled water temperature set point), at an expensive energy cost. In order to gauge the impact of sub-floor plenum temperature variations, a standard deviation of ACU discharge temperatures weighted with relative flow contributions wflow i, i.e., to the sub-floor plenum air supply, from each active ACU (ACUs that are turned off are accounted for in the determination of non-targeted air flow, i.e., if they leak cold air from the sub-floor plenum) is calculated, determining SH metric as follows:
wherein Tsub avg is an average sub-floor plenum temperature, i.e.,
wherein the relative flow contributions wflow i from each active ACU is determined as follows:
An important gauge as to whether an ACU needs to be examined is given by a discharge temperature (TD i) in combination with the ACU utilization. Typical ACU discharge temperatures are on an order of about 60� F. (which can be determined by the refrigeration chiller temperature set point). The respective utilization νACU i for each ACU (i) can be determined as follows:
wherein Pcapacity i is a specified cooling capacity of the ACU. Overloaded (over-utilized) ACUs (i.e., wherein νACU i>>1) will show slightly higher discharge temperatures, which is normal. However, an under-utilized ACU (i.e., νACU i>>1) will often have high discharge temperatures (e.g., TD i>60� F.), which might be caused, for example, by a congested water supply line to the ACU, by an overloading of the refrigeration chiller or by wrong temperature set points on the ACU. In order to diagnose ACU over/under-utilization in a data center, an ACU effectiveness is defined as follows:
wherein TD min is a minimum (smallest) measured discharge temperature in the data center. Using the ACU effectiveness measurements, a customer can gauge whether an ACU should be looked at. Typically, ACUs with an effectiveness of less than about 90 percent should be inspected, as these ACUs increase the sub-floor plenum temperatures. which can increase energy costs. An ACU sub-floor plenum hotspot histogram distribution (hSH(wflow i−TD i)) with its average (mean) (Tsub avg) and standard deviation (Tsub std) can also be defined to help customers better understand the efficacy of the ACUs. For example, the histogram would be helpful in identifying locations of congestion, e.g., due to cable pileup.
In a data center more ACUs are typically running than are actually needed. As such. an ACU utilization (UT) metric (Equation 19, below) can be useful to understanding possible energy savings associated with transport. An average ACU utilization (νACU avg) within a data center can be estimated as follows:
While the average ACU utilization can be readily estimated (e.g., as in Equation 19, above) and in some cases is known by data center managers, the present techniques provide a detailed look at ACU utilization. Specifically, the utilization for each individual ACU can be derived as follows:
and ACU utilization histogram frequency distribution (hUT(νACU i)) with its standard deviation (νACU std) can be defined, which gives a client a detailed way to understand how heat load in the data center is distributed between the different ACUs within the data center and which ACUs may be turned off with the least impact. Namely, the histogram makes anomalous performance visible by showing outliers and extreme values. In addition. the customer can understand what would happen if a certain ACU should fail, which can help in planning for an emergency situation.
Ideally, an energy efficient data center has a very narrow frequency distribution centered at about 100 percent ACU utilization. Typical data centers, however, have average frequency distributions on the order of about 50 percent. Because most data centers require an N+1 solution for the raised floor, i.e., the ability to tolerate the failure of any one ACU. it may be advisable to position the average of the frequency distribution not quite to 100 percent. but to ≈(#ACU−1)/#ACU (e.g., a data center with ACUs would try to target a mean utilization of 90 percent with a standard deviation of less than 10 percent).
Several options exist for improving ACU utilization. Leaving aside variable frequency drive (VFD) options, as described above, a first option for improving ACU utilization involves turning off one or more ACUs and a second option for improving ACU utilization involves increasing the raised-floor power consumption, i.e., total raised-floor power PRF, to better match the IT power to the ACU capacity. It is notable that any ACUs that are turned off need to be sealed so that they do not serve as an outlet for the cold sub-floor plenum air, and thus do not add significantly to leakage contribution.
Often one or more of blockage, dirty filters and low throughput perforated floor tiles hinder or prevent the ACU blowers from delivering air flow to the IT equipment racks, which is an additional energy loss term. According to the present techniques, this effect is quantized by an average air flow capacity (γACU avg), also referred to as an ACU air flow, which can be determined as follows:
wherein γACU i is the air flow capacity. Equation 21 is an ACU air flow metric. The air low capacity γACU i is defined as:
wherein fcapacity i is the nominal air flow specified, e.g., by the ACU manufacturer and fACU i is an actual, calibrated, measured air flow from each ACU. The actual air flow from each ACU fACU i can be determined from non-calibrated flow measurements (fACU,MC i) and the total air flow in the data center (fACU total) (see, e.g., Equation 9, above), as follows:
A distribution of this flow capacity hFL (γACU i) and a respective standard deviation γACU std is a gauge for the degree of blockage, e.g., air clogged air filters, and effectiveness of ACU flow delivery.
The essence of the present techniques is to provide customers with a clear yard stick so that they can manage the implementation of best practices.
With regard to horizontal hot spots (HH), the different measures that can be undertaken to alleviate horizontal hot spots are making changes in the perforated floor tile layout, deploying higher throughput (HT) perforated floor tiles, using curtains and filler panels, installing the Rear Door Heat eXchanger� (referred to hereinafter as �Cool Blue�) and/or changing the IT equipment rack layout, such spreading out the racks so that they are not clustered in one area and are not brick-walled to one another. Curtains are barriers placed above and between IT equipment racks and across isles to prevent air recirculation and mixing. Filler panels are flat plates, i.e., baffles, placed over empty equipment areas to prevent, i.e., internal, exhaust recirculation inside the racks.
The vertical hotspots can be addressed by changing the perforated floor tile layout, deploying higher throughput perforated floor tiles, using filler panels, making facility modifications so as to include a ceiling return for the hot exhaust air, increasing ceiling height and/or installing air redirection partial duct structures over the air inlets and/or exhaust outlets of the IT equipment. These air redirection partial duct structures are also referred to herein as �snorkels.� The air redirection ducts can be semi-permanently attached to the ACU and can serve to prevent air recirculation and exhaust-to-inlet air flow. See commonly owned U.S. application Ser. No. ______ entitled �Techniques for Data Center Cooling.� designated as Attorney Reference No. YOR920070177US1. filed herewith on the same day of May 17, 2007, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.
With regard to non-targeted air flow (NT), the best practices approach of the present teachings mitigates the non-targeted air flow by sealing leaks and cable cut out openings and simultaneously deploying higher throughput perforated floor tiles. With regard to sub-floor plenum temperature variations/hotspots (SH), faulty ACUs are fixed by opening water valves, unclogging pipes and/or using larger diameter pipe.
The ACU utilization (UT) is improved by turning off ACUs, incorporating variable frequency drive (VFD) controls at the blower and/or installing air redirection partial duct structures on the ACU. For example, extending an air inlet of the ACU vertically i.e., by way of an air redirection partial duct structure (as described above), can raise the hot air level in the data center. Ducting can be employed to extend the air inlet of the ACU to hot isles, or even directly to an exhaust(s) of particular equipment, to improve air collection efficiency. The ACU flow (FL) ratio is enhanced by performing maintenance on the ACU, which might entail cleaning the heat exchanger coils and replacing the air filters. Sub-floor plenum blockages should also be identified and removed so that as many sources of burdensome flow resistance in the air flow path of the ACU blower are removed.
The energy efficiency improvements, i.e. defined by the above metrics, can directly translate into energy savings. For example, in
Turning now to
Apparatus 1600 comprises a computer system 1610 and removable media 1650. Computer system 1610 comprises a processor 1620, a network interface 1625, a memory 1630, a media interface 1635 and an optional display 1640. Network interface 1625 allows computer system 1610 to connect to a network. while media interface 1635 allows computer system 1610 to interact with media, such as a hard drive or removable media 650.
As is known in the art., the methods and apparatus discussed herein may be distributed as an article of manufacture that itself comprises a machine-readable medium containing one or more programs which when executed implement embodiments of the present invention. For instance, the machine-readable medium may contain a program configured to make an initial assessment of the energy efficiency of the data center based on one or more power consumption parameters of the data center; compile physical parameter data obtained from one or more positions in the data center into one or more metrics if the initial assessment indicates that the data center is energy inefficient; and make recommendations to increase the energy efficiency of the data center based on one or more of the metrics.
The machine-readable medium may be a recordable medium (e.g., floppy disks, hard drive, optical disks such as removable media 1650, or memory cards) or may be a transmission medium (e.g., a network comprising fiber-optics, the world-wide web, cables, or a wireless channel using time-division multiple access, code-division multiple access, or other radio-frequency channel). Any medium known or developed that can store information suitable for use with a computer system may be used.
Processor 1620 can be configured to implement the methods, steps, and functions disclosed herein. The memory 1630 could be distributed or local and the processor 1620 could be distributed or singular. The memory 1630 could be implemented as an electrical, magnetic or optical memory, or any combination of these or other types of storage devices. Moreover, the term �memory� should be construed broadly enough to encompass any information able to be read from, or written to, an address in the addressable space accessed by processor 1620. With this definition, information on a network, accessible through network interface 1625, is still within memory 1630 because the processor 1620 can retrieve the information from the network. It should be noted that each distributed processor that makes up processor 1620 generally contains its own addressable memory space. It should also be noted that some or all of computer system 1610 can be incorporated into an application-specific or general-use integrated circuit.
Optional video display 1640 is any type of video display suitable for interacting with a human user of apparatus 1600. Generally, video display 1640 is a computer monitor or other similar video display.
It is to be further appreciated that the present invention also includes techniques for providing data center best practices assessment/recommendation services. By way of example only, a service provider agrees (e.g., via a service level agreement or some informal agreement or arrangement) with a service customer or client to provide data center best practices assessment/recommendation services. That is, by way of example only, in accordance with terms of the contract between the service provider and the service customer, the service provider provides data center best practices assessment/recommendation services that may include one or more of the methodologies of the invention described herein.
Although illustrative embodiments of the present invention have been described herein, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various other changes and modifications may be made by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.
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