Floating Data Centers on Fast-Flowing Rivers

 

Advances in information processing technology and programming have increased the need for data centers capable of processing massive volumes of information. Data centers that float on water provide ready access to cooling capacity, with potential to convert the energy from sea waves and river currents to electrical energy to operate the onboard technology.

Introduction

Data centers process massive amounts of information and require continuous and reliable access to large amounts of electric power and substantial cooling capacity. When located on land in arid regions where solar photovoltaic energy is available, data centers require roof-mounted air-cooling technology that consumes massive amounts of electrical power. While waterfront coastal locations provide easy and available access to water cooling, market demand for such locations is very high, with high real estate prices.

A cubic volume of water can provide over 3,400 times the thermal capacity of an identical cubic volume of air. Even in warm climates, the temperature of coastal seawater and river water is often cooler than air temperature. At locations where winds blow constantly, wind energy generates waves. It is possible for some technologies to convert energy from a choppy water surface to electrical energy. At other locations next to rivers, there may be scope to install a waterwheel or a turbine to convert the kinetic energy of flowing water to electrical power. While such locations are no longer available in large cities, some suitable sites might still be available in rural and remote locations to operate a data center.

Kinetic Turbines

During an earlier era, undershoot waterwheels converted river flow kinetic energy to mechanical power to operate sawmills or to drive milling wheels for grinding wheat into flour. In the modern era, kinetic turbines have replaced the classical waterwheel. While some kinetic turbines are placed on a river floor or seabed, stationery floating structures restrained by cables are able to carry kinetic turbines under the hull.

A kinetic turbine tested along the St. Lawrence River southwest of Montreal incurred higher cost for electric power compared to hydroelectric power dams. The river floor installation of the turbine reduced access for maintenance and especially during icy winter months. Floating technology that carried turbines under the hull were tested along the St. Lawrence River, downstream of the Moses – Saunders power dam. Counter-rotating pairs of vertical-axis turbines located under the hull, with a flow defector, would place generating technology and main support bearing inside the floating structure, allowing easy access for maintenance and repair. A submerged counter-flow heat exchange unit under the structure would provide cooling during summer weather. During winter, information processing technology would generate enough heat for interior heating.

River Requirements

Rivers deemed suitable for floating data centers would require the combination of sufficient water flow velocity and sufficient water depth to operate kinetic turbines efficiently. Cables connected to shore or anchored to the river floor would restrain the floating structure either near midstream or near a river bank. A current-driven kinetic ferry would carry employees between river bank and floating data center. An extended floating dock would be an option, as would having the data center floating in the river stream with a telecommunications connection to a land-based office where programming employees work.

Suitable Rivers

Data centers require a constant and reliable supply of electrical power, from rivers with reliable and steady water flow, with minimal variation in flow velocity and water depth. The East River in New York City is a suitable candidate. While looking like a river and flowing like a river, it is actually an oceanic channel with flow driven by ocean current. Downstream of Niagara Falls, the Niagara River provides steady water depth and steady flow velocity while being close to a large population. At either location, floating docks restrained by cables could provide access between shore and data center.

East of Lake Ontario and downstream of the Moses – Saunders power dam, water of sufficient depth and velocity flows through the north and south channels of the Upper St Lawrence River. Further east and southwest of Montreal, a section of the St. Lawrence River could sustain operation of a floating data center. Kinetic ferry vessels driven by water current could carry technical personnel between shore and midstream floating data center, and optic telecommunications cable could connect between the data center and shore-based work stations, reducing the number of workers who travel by ferry between shore and data center.

Other Rivers

Many rivers across North America and internationally offer sufficient water depth and water flow velocity, with near steady year-round steam flow rate to sustain operation of floating data centers. Many such rivers are navigable and transit ships, as is the case of sections of the St. Lawrence River. Ferries operate along the East River of New York City despite the powerful water current. Operation of floating data centers also requires access to a suitably qualified workforce, which is available in New York City, the Niagara region and even along sections of the St Lawrence River.

The combination of suitable river characteristics and availability of a suitably qualified workforce would determine future locations of floating data centers. It is uncertain as how to regulatory authorities would classify a floating data center, as it is essentially a vessel with the equivalent of a propeller extending downward under the hull.

Conclusions

Advances in information processing technology along with the development of advanced programming have increased the need to expand the capabilities of data centers. Data centers consume massive amounts of electrical energy and have massive cooling requirements. A data center that floats on water where powerful currents flow, likely have access to required cooling capacity along with the ability to convert river flow energy into electrical power to sustain data center operation. Some future data centers would likely float on fast flowing rivers that pass near large or through cities.