Princeton Data Center

The nearly 40-year-old data center on Princeton University’s campus was approaching operational limits, and its replacement, several years in the planning, was to break ground in 2010. This two-story, 47,000 sq. ft., High-Performance Research Computing Center facility would require very sophisticated HVAC equipment to be installed by Binsky & Snyder.

Housing 1,800 computers and the university’s supercomputer, TIGRESS – capable of generating prediction models for hurricane paths, galaxy formation and fusion energy – it would be extremely important to keep this facility running cool and efficient. Binsky & Snyder’s mechanical installation included:

• 3 cooling towers 1800 GPM per cell
• 3 chillers that maintain water temperature at 45 degrees
  Fahrenheit 500 tons & 800 GPM each
• 4 air handling units with air-side economizers 45,000 CFM each
• A secondary chilled water loop to provide water cooling to high-performance computers
• Piping for an on-site 97,000 gallon thermal storage tank of pre-cooled water
• 585 ton absorption chiller

Fabricating all the steel pipe for this project and 90% of the welding, our team kept construction running proficiently, on and off the job site.