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Thermal Energy Storage Tanks for Data Center Cooling

Cimarron’s thermal energy storage tanks for data center cooling provide a reserve of chilled water that helps maintain data center cooling when a bank of air coolers trips, fails or temporarily goes offline.
Engineered with a top inlet, bottom outlet and specialized internal baffle system, each vessel maintains controlled thermal separation and delays hot-water breakthrough, providing critical time to restart the air coolers or bring backup cooling capacity online.

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  • Why Cooling Systems Are Needed

    During normal operation, water returning from the data center enters the air coolers at approximately 90°F and is cooled to approximately 70°F before being delivered back to the facility.

    If the air coolers fail, that temperature reduction stops. Without stored cooling capacity, approximately 90°F water could begin flowing directly back toward the data center.

    The Cimarron Thermal Energy Storage Tank creates a buffer between the air coolers and the data center. Its stored mass of chilled water continues supplying approximately 70°F water for a defined period while the cooling system is restored.

    For the initial application, the vessel is engineered to provide approximately five minutes of thermal ride-through before the warmer water reaches the bottom outlet.

  • Thermal Energy Storage Tank / How It Works

    1. Normal Cooling
    Water returning from the data center passes through a bank of air coolers, where it is cooled from approximately 90°F to approximately 70°F. The chilled water enters the top of the Cimarron TES Tank, moves downward through the vessel and exits through the bottom outlet before returning to the data center.

    2. Air-Cooler Failure
    If the air coolers stop operating, approximately 90°F return water begins entering the top of the vessel. Rather than immediately reaching the data center supply, the warmer water begins displacing the stored chilled water inside the tank.

    3. Controlled Thermal Displacement
    Specially engineered internal baffle plates distribute the incoming water across the vessel and minimize channeling and uncontrolled mixing. The warmer water advances downward as a controlled thermal layer, displacing the colder stored water instead of creating a direct flow path to the outlet.

    4. Five-Minute Cooling Ride-Through
    As the warmer water moves downward, chilled water continues to exit through the bottom of the vessel. The tank’s capacity, internal configuration and flow path are engineered to provide the required residence time, approximately five minutes for this application, before the warmer water reaches the outlet. That interval gives the facility’s operators and control systems time to restart the air coolers, activate redundant equipment or transition to an alternate cooling mode.

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A Simple Concept With a Mission-Critical Role

The tank does not generate cooling. It stores sensible thermal energy in a large volume of chilled water and releases that stored cooling when the primary heat-rejection system is temporarily unavailable. By adding thermal mass and controlling how warmer water moves through the vessel, the system converts an immediate cooling interruption into a manageable operating window.

Key Specs:

  • ASME code vessel
  • Rated to 450°F and 125 PSI
  • Flanged, NPT, Grooved Connections

Key Benefits:

  • Lower Energy Costs – Capture and store thermal energy when electricity rates are lower, then deploy it during higher-cost peak periods.

  • Improve System Efficiency – Help cooling and heating systems operate more efficiently while reducing unnecessary energy consumption.
  • Reduce Grid Demand – Shift energy consumption away from peak periods, helping relieve pressure on the electrical grid.
  • Extend Equipment Life – Reduce frequent cycling and peak loading on HVAC and cooling equipment, helping limit wear and maintenance.

Want More Information?

Cimarron combines custom engineering, ASME pressure-vessel fabrication and mission-critical equipment experience to deliver Thermal Energy Storage Tanks designed around each data center’s cooling architecture and required response time.

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For more documentation on all Cimarron’s products visit the Technical Library.

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