IOR - Design to Disaster: Understanding Cooling Failures in High Ambient Temperatures

As global ambient temperatures rise, cooling systems are increasingly pushed to their limits. This practical CoolTalk explores the real-world implications of high ambient conditions on system design, capacity, and reliability.

Participants will gain a deeper understanding of how system sizing and specification must adapt, why performance degrades under heat stress, and how to mitigate risk through better design, maintenance, and operation.

Key topics include:

• The impact of ambient temperature on cooling capacity and performance
• Understanding condensing temperatures and condenser ΔT
• Mitigation strategies for rising ambient and condensing temperatures
• Consequences of fouled coils and poorly positioned equipment
• Correct coil cleaning procedures
• Case study: 57% performance improvement and reduced failures
• Lessons from failure: The Guys & St Thomas’ data centre incident

This session is aimed at engineers, facility managers, and designers seeking practical, evidence-based insights to improve cooling resilience in a changing climate