Re:Google's new data center in Finland
by uvdiv on Thursday September 16, 2010 @07:19PM
(#1699472)
> I sure hope they're not planning on just pumping it back into the Baltic
Of course they are. Direct ocean cooling is common for power plants much larger than a data center, and the effect on water temperatures overall is trivial.
For some perspective. This data center may produce 10^7-10^8 watts of heat. A power plant may produce 10^9-10^10 W. The solar heating of the Baltic sea is 3x10^13 W. (337,000 km^2 x 100 W/m^2)
Of course they are. Direct ocean cooling is common for power plants much larger than a data center, and the effect on water temperatures overall is trivial.
For some perspective. This data center may produce 10^7-10^8 watts of heat. A power plant may produce 10^9-10^10 W. The solar heating of the Baltic sea is 3x10^13 W. (337,000 km^2 x 100 W/m^2)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Insolation.png
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltic_Sea