Overview
A leading data centre operator required an upgrade to the chiller control system at its major Australian city Data Centre to improve its cooling infrastructure and make it more reliable, resilient and easier to operate. The project focused on modernising the control architecture, adding redundancy, and improving monitoring and integration with the existing building management systems. The project was carried out with zero downtime for the facility.
The Challenge
The existing control system required enhancements to ensure higher availability, improved fault tolerance, and better visibility of chiller performance across the site. The solution needed to:
- Deliver fully redundant control and power architectures
- Integrate multiple chillers and remote I/O panels
- Maintain compatibility with existing plant and BMS platforms
- Align with strict client control philosophy and sequencing standards
The Solution
SAGE designed and delivered a robust, highly resilient control system architecture tailored to meet the operational and compliance requirements of a mission‑critical data centre environment.
Key elements of the solution included:
- Redundant control architecture: Installation of redundant ControlLogix PLCs with dual redundant power supplies, configured on a Device Level Ring (DLR) for enhanced resilience.
- Main Control Panel (MCP): Supplied with dual 230VAC feeds powering redundant 24VDC power supplies, housing ControlLogix 5580 processors and an HMI utilising the approved symbols and faceplates.
- Distributed control: Integration of three remote point I/O panels and four CompactLogix PLC panels, each managing individual chiller strings in line with site-specific sequencing standards.
- Triplicated IO and instrumentation: Triplicated IO cards and field instrumentation, split across remote I/O panels to maximise reliability and fault tolerance.
- Protocol integration: Existing chillers integrated into the Schneider BMS.
- Chiller panels: Built, installed and commissioned chiller dedicated control panel for each chiller
- Instrumentation and drives: Chiller instrumentation was wired back to chiller I/O panels, Danfoss VSDs were upgraded to enable remote monitoring.
- Additional monitoring: Installation of triplicated chilled water supply and return temperature transmitters on each riser, triplicated Siemens MAG flow meters on supply risers and differential pressure transmitters installed and commissioned
- Removal of single point of failure: Previously a single commercial controller did the chiller sequencing, now this is done by industrial dual redundant Control Logix PLCs.
Chiller 2 PLC Panel Internal
Outcome
The upgraded control system meets all the centre’s standards and delivers a significant improvement in reliability, operational efficiency, and remote monitoring capability for the AE1 Datacentre’s cooling infrastructure. The enhanced redundancy and visibility reduce operational risk while supporting long-term performance and resilience objectives.
Lessons learned throughout delivery are being carried forward to optimise future project phases and drive continuous improvement.
Value Delivered
This project demonstrates SAGE’s capability to design and deliver complex, high‑availability control system upgrades within mission‑critical environments. The successful delivery of the AE1 Datacentre upgrade reinforces stakeholder confidence and showcases SAGE’s ability to provide reliable, high‑quality solutions for large‑scale, technically demanding infrastructure projects.
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